zAmya Theater Project proudly presents DisPlace: A North Loop Fantasy Quest by Elle Thoni, an original production that blends real-world housing issues with fantasy role-playing adventure. Created in partnership with the North Loop Neighborhood Association and Avivo Village.

DisPlace: A North Loop Fantasy Quest

March 13–15 at 7:00 PM; March 16 at 2:00 PM
2 hours with 15 min intermission
ASL interpretation on March 15
Luminary Arts Center
700 North 1st Street, Minneapolis

All ages welcome. Parental discretion is advised – audience discussions may include adult topics such as substance use and trauma. $10 gift cards will be available after each performance for individuals with lived experience of homelessness (while supplies last). Sign up at the box office upon arrival. No refunds on tickets. For inquiries regarding accessibility, ticket exchanges, or other details, contact Deb Ervin at deb@zamyatheater.org.

About the Play

Hear ye, hear ye! His honorable Lord Sunshine hereby invites you to the first official Festival of DisPlacement, celebrating the triumph over poverty in the Kingdom’s Northern Loop! Rest assured, there is absolutely no chance whatsoever that you will run into any wayward heroes or formidable monsters on your way to Archer’s Arena – which is definitely not Target Field. However, please be advised that you may want to keep your sword on you… you know… just in case. Inspired by the high-energy imagination of tabletop roleplaying games and created in conversation with North Loop and Avivo Village residents, DisPlace is an epic fantasy quest about the reality of housing injustice in Minneapolis.

Through audience participation, and immersive storytelling, DisPlace challenges audiences members to think about how we can come together as a community to create housing justice.

Creative Team

Written by Elle Thoni with inspiration from Charli Fool Bear-Vetter
Directed by Harry Waters Jr.
Performances by zAmya Theater Project troupe members and Avivo Village residents
Music composed by Carlisle Evans Peck

Volunteer ushers needed!

Ushers are needed for each of the four performances. You’ll need to arrive 1.5 hours before showtime, be comfortable standing for a long period of time, and help out at the start of the performance and during intermission. If you’re interested in volunteering, or have questions about it, please contact Katie Clower, zAmya’s Administrative Coordinator, at katie@zamyatheater.org. Make sure to provide a phone number to reach you at, and the date(s) you prefer to volunteer — we appreciate it!!

About the project behind the play

The North Loop is a unique neighborhood, home to both upscale condos and rentals and higher-income residents, and several organizations sheltering low income residents in need of housing. Recently there has been acute conflict over a homeless encampment.

zAmya, North Loop Neighborhood Association and Avivo have joined forces to offer a months-long project, Neighbors Being Neighbors In the North Loop, that aims to establish a shared vision in the North Loop of what needs to happen for all community members to feel safe, have shelter, and ensure support for the most vulnerable. 

One special outcome of the project will be a new play - made by, with and for - North Loop community members across the housing spectrum. This original musical will debut in 2025 and  weave true experiences with unsheltered homelessness into a fictional narrative, inspiring neighbors to dream up solutions to end homelessness. 

Our deepest hope is this process galvanizes a neighborhood coalition to work together in an ongoing fashion, to address future concerns regarding homelessness/housing.

Want to get involved? If you live, work or play in the North Loop, you should be part of this project! Contact zAmya’s Company Manager, Esther, at: esther@zamyatheater.org / (612)760.4804.

Project Timeline

2025 DisPlace will make its premiere in March at the Luminary Arts Center, performed by zAmya Theater Project Troupe Members and residents of Avivo Village.

2024 we are developing the final script and music for DisPlace, hosting community engagement events, and giving sneak peek performances.

Spring 2023, we “shared back” an original script at Avivo Village based on the conversations and ideas shared during the listening sessions. The play reading included zAmya Troupe Members and residents of Avivo Village.

Fall 2022, North Loopers attended “listening sessions”. These interactive workshops promoted deep sharing, dialogue and listening. Stories were collected to create the first draft of a new play about the North Loop, reflecting perspectives from community members of all housing experiences.

Summer 2022, zAmya performs Second Chance at Target Field Station Amphitheater as a starting off point for the project. Community members from diverse backgrounds came together for a fun, elevating event focused on homelessness.

About the partners

The North Loop Neighborhood Association (NLNA) is an organization consisting of residents, property owners, and business owners of the North Loop Neighborhood. They strive to foster a strong community rich in diversity of ideas, talents, people and property, promoting a climate of safety, livability, and improvement through public neighborhood meetings, communication and advocacy.

Avivo serves more than 11,000 individuals each year helping them find housing stability, achieve recovery, and secure employment and economic advancement. Serving Minnesota since 1960, they specialize in helping individuals and families who face complex barriers – homelessness, chemical addiction or mental health concerns, poverty, or unemployment. Avivo’s holistic approach to providing shelter and housing supports, chemical and mental health services, career education, and employment services embraces each person’s unique journey. Avivo's paired services lay a foundation of health, and social and economic wellness, that transforms lives. Included in Avivo’s services is Avivo Village, an indoor community of 100 secure, private dwellings or “tiny houses” located in North Loop, providing shelter and wraparound services.

zAmya’s contribution to the partnership is experience in designing and facilitating art based, community building processes that bring together neighbors with a variety of housing experiences and result in creative solutions and increased compassion.