“The region’s most ambitious theater company.” — City Pages
Walking Shadow Theatre Company is a Minneapolis-based company with a reputation for producing well-staged and carefully researched work. We are drawn to shows that are smart, exciting, savvy—and often a little quirky or subversive. Walking Shadow has been called “a company that deserves attention” by the Star Tribune and praised by Minnesota Monthly for its “polished productions of incisive modern works.”
Walking Shadow has performed at a variety of theaters in the Twin Cities since 2004, including the Dowling Studio at the Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis Theatre Garage, Pillsbury House, Red Eye, and others. The company also has appeared several times at the Minnesota Fringe Festival and occasionally produces site-specific, interactive plays with puzzles.
Walking Shadow Theatre Company: Our Mission
Walking Shadow believes the human soul is a disturbing and beautiful place. We create engaging and memorable experiences that promote an exchange of ideas inspired by the stories we tell. By using established and new material, careful research and bold artistic expression we develop high-quality theatre that illuminates the depths and heights of human capacity.
In pursuit of its mission, Walking Shadow Theatre Company is dedicated to the following aims:
- Developing the talents of our artists
- Nurturing audience commitment to the arts
- Facilitating dialogue within our community
- Examining local culture in a global context
Walking Shadow Theatre Company is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations to Walking Shadow are fully tax deductible.
Artistic Company
John Heimbuch | Artistic Director
John is a founding member and Artistic Director of Walking Shadow Theatre Company.
He has directed Walking Shadow’s productions of The Aliens, Schiller’s Mary Stuart, Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Drakul, The Transdimensional Couriers Union, Seventy Scenes of Halloween and 36 Views. His original scripts for Walking Shadow include A Midwinter Night’s Revel, The Three Musketeers, Drakul, The Transdimensional Couriers Union, Squawk, 10-Speed Revolution, The Lives of the Most Notorious Highwaymen, and William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead — which has been published by Samuel French and produced throughout the world.
In addition to his work with Walking Shadow, John is a filmmaker, game developer, educator, and sings with the rock band Bad September. He is an alumnus of Minnesota State University Mankato, the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab, and Perpich Center for Arts Education. He can be found online at johnheimbuch.com.
Email: john@walkingshadow.org
David Pisa | Executive Director
David Pisa (he/him) is Executive Director and a founding member of Walking Shadow Theatre Company. He has served as Production Manager for all of Walking Shadow’s productions since its inception in 2004.
As a puzzle/game designer, David has developed original large-scale puzzles for Walking Shadow Theatre Company’s immersive plays 1926 Pleasant, Saboteur, REBOOT, and Cabal. His theater-themed portable escape room The Show Must Go On has appeared in Minneapolis, New Prague, Stillwater, Lanesboro, and soon, Red Wing.
David’s escape room UTOPIA (created with Jerry Belich) was the recipient of a 2017 Golden Lock-In Award from Room Escape Artist. David has created day-long, week-long and one-room treasure hunts for various organizations. Projects include CITY OF GLASS for MN0PQ, CLEVER TREASURE PUZZLE PARTY for the 38th and Chicago Pop Up Art Storefront Project, the story and puzzles for MYSTERYPHONE (a smartphone-based choose-your-own-adventure game) for Northern Spark 2014 in collaboration with Monkey With a Mustache, and puzzles and games for Hennepin County Library’s THE NIGHT LIBRARY at Northern Spark 2016 and 2017, plus corporate and private commissions.
David has worked as backstage crew and followspot operator at Children’s Theatre Company since 2000, where he served as the IATSE union steward for 6 years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Olaf College.
Email: david@walkingshadow.org
Board of Directors
Melissa Arbuckle, Treasurer
Denzel Belin
Elizabeth Borchert
Mark Kennedy
Tim Morrow
Mary Mullen
Laila Sahir
Meg Swanson
Angela Sylvester, Chair
Dave Weiler, Secretary
Julia Weiler