CLIMBing Through the Decades
A timeline of CLIMB’s 50 year legacy.
The 1970s
In 1975, CLIMB Theatre was founded by Peg Wetli, an actress, playwright, journalist, and teacher.
Working with kids with disabilities, Peg refined and developed a practice called theatre in reverse to serve this audience. Using her skills as a journalist, she interviewed partner organizations to discover the needs of her audience, and then researched ways to help them accomplish their goals. She created two-person, highly theatrical and interactive classes that taught folks life skills: hygiene, friendship, self-advocacy, and more.
The 1980s
CLIMB quickly grew from a one-woman effort to a staff of 18, providing programming to thousands of children every year.
Some highlights:
1980: The American Theatre Association names CLIMB the “Best New Children’s Theatre in America”.
1982: CLIMB receives the Twin City Mayor’s Public Art Award.
1982: CLIMB performs their first play The Robot Kid.
1986: CLIMB opens its first pulltab site at Jethro’s Char House & Pub in Mahtomedi, MN.
1989: CLIMB is awarded the Minnesota Access Achievement: Outstanding Business Award.
1989: CLIMB reaches over 100,000 children in a year for the first time.
CLIMB’s first play, The Robot Kid, debuted in 1982.
The 1990s
By the time the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, CLIMB Theatre had created programming for people with all abilities and was touring it across the upper Midwest.
CLIMB’s programming expanded to offer not only interactive theatre classes, but also plays and other collaborative experiences focusing on character development and personal growth.
Other highlights from the 1990s:
1990: CLIMB performs two plays at the Smithsonian, The Ugly Ducking and The Enchanted Fish, which ran for seven weeks.
1990-1992: In partnership with Blue Cross-Blue Shield of MN, CLIMB produces Terry’s Most Magical Video Voyage, a play about child health and fitness and performs it at every elementary school in Minnesota.
1994: CLIMB is commissioned to produce “Picking Up the Pieces”, four 30-second public service announcements, four 15-minute videos, and four separate curricula to help survivors of natural disasters develop coping skills.
1996: Peg Wetli receives a “Woman of Distinction Award” sponsored by Kare11 News, Mpls St. Paul Magazine, American Express Financial Advisors and Twin Cities Business Monthly.
1998: CLIMB moves from St. Paul to the current location in Inver Grove Heights.
CLIMB’s violence prevention plays, Ouch! and Owie! (pictured above) ran for 15 and 11 years respectively. Plus, both plays won the the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers Outstanding Community Service Award for work in Violence Prevention in 1995.
The 2000s
2001: CLIMB hosts the first annual Twin Cities Unified Theatre Auditions (TCUTAs), a regional audition that allows actors to audition once for many local theatres in the same location.
2004: CLIMB receives the Arts Advocacy Leadership: Excellence in Educational Programming Award from the Minnesota Alliance for Arts in Education. CLIMB was selected to receive this recognition “because of the organization’s strong vision, mission, and commitment to providing high-quality theatre education opportunities for the students and teachers throughout Minnesota.”
2005: Scott County Environmental Services and CLIMB Theatre begin their partnership, bringing environmental responsibility plays and classes to students across Scott County.
Kids give CLIMB actors a “Lights, Camera, Action!” to start the play Adventures of Can Man at the Scott County Outdoor Ed Fest.
The 2010s
2010: Allianz Life sponsors financial literacy plays across the east metro, teaching kids about the difference between needs and wants, as well as saving, spending, and sharing.
2012: Anoka’s Anti-Bullying and Anti-Harassment Task Force hired CLIMB to create three inspiring teacher trainings showing educators how to address bullying.
2014: CLIMB receives the Minnesota Nonprofit Award for Anti-Racism Initiative.
2015: CLIMB piloted a new residency based program called Elders CLIMBing. To learn more, check out our intergenerational programming page!
2017: Anton Jones, a playwright, actor and director who had worked with CLIMB for many years, was appointed CEO/Artistic Director, taking over the reins from Peg.
2017: CLIMB pilots the social-emotional skill A.R.E.A.S. Standing for Accountability, Resiliency, Empathy, Advocacy, and Self-Regulation, all of CLIMB programming from 2017 through 2024 taught one of these skills.
From 2017-2019, CLIMB offered playwriting classes as part of the program, Youth Propelling Youth.
2020s and On
Today, CLIMB continues to tour across the upper Midwest inspiring and propelling people of all abilities and ages toward action that benefits themselves, each other, and their community.
Some highlights:
- 2020: In the wake of the global pandemic, CLIMB shifts to virtual programming during the 2020-2021 school year, offering live classes on Zoom and other platforms, as well as pre-recorded on-demand programming.
- 2023: CLIMB moves to a four-person executive team leadership structure: Director of Education, Director of Partnerships, Managing Director, and Production Manager.
- 2024-2025: Celebrating our 50th year of programming, CLIMB debuts a new skills acronym: E.M.P.O.W.E.R. Focusing on Empathy, Manners, Perseverance, Ownership, Well-Being, Equity, and Regulation, CLIMB looks forward to impacting youth with these relevant skills.
CLIMB Staff 2023-2024 Season
