The Steampunk Odyssey: How Strange Loop Projects is Reimagining Minneapolis Performance Art
On the edge of Minneapolis’ Loring Park, a nondescript storefront has been transformed into a portal. Behind the glass, the industrial pulse of a rhythmic, mechanical soundscape thrums, drawing passersby into the orbit of "Bazaar Bizarre"—an immersive, steampunk-infused theatrical dance experience that is currently challenging the boundaries of traditional performance in the Twin Cities.
Presented by Strange Loop Projects, the production is more than a show; it is an exercise in environmental storytelling. Upon entry, audience members are not passive observers but active passengers in a dark, atmospheric train journey. They are guided through a multi-room labyrinth where burlesque meets the precision of ballet, set against a backdrop of eerie circus motifs and clockwork aesthetics. This production serves as a testament to the resilience of the local arts scene and the transformative power of municipal support in revitalizing urban commercial corridors.
The Architecture of Immersion: A Journey Through "Bazaar Bizarre"
"Bazaar Bizarre" is an evolution of a concept that first debuted on Halloween last year. However, where the original iteration functioned as a high-energy event, the current production—which concludes its run this weekend—is a tightly curated "theatrical journey."
The experience begins with a ritual of separation. Audience members are assigned a color-coded card at the box office, bifurcating the crowd into two distinct paths. Led by conductors brandishing parasols, the groups navigate separate tracks that occasionally converge, only to splinter again.
This structural choice allows for a fragmented narrative experience. One track might lead a patron through a haunting aerial duet, while another group observes a different set of vignettes. The common thread binding these paths is a sensory assault of "robotic clowns," Charleston-inspired choreography, silhouette teases, and erotic chair dances. The atmosphere is anchored by the sound design of Daron Walker, who masterfully weaves noise music with carnival-esque melodies, and the visual language provided by Josh Sundby’s textured video projections and Mike Grogan’s saturated, low-light illumination.
For the audience, the effect is disorienting in the best possible way. By removing the traditional "fourth wall" and forcing patrons to stand and follow their guides, Strange Loop Projects ensures that the performance is felt as much as it is seen.
A Legacy Reclaimed: Zhauna Franks and the Loring Park Connection
For Zhauna Franks, the creative force behind Strange Loop Projects, the location of this new venture is deeply personal. The building at 1629 Hennepin Ave. is a site of professional homecoming. Decades ago, it served as the home for the iconic Ballet of the Dolls, the irreverent contemporary dance company led by the legendary Myron Johnson.
Franks spent years in these very rooms as a dancer, becoming a fixture of the local scene—perhaps most famously for her portrayal of Barbie in Johnson’s "Nutcracker (not so) Suite." Returning to this block, stepping through the same doors she once used for daily rehearsals, has been a surreal full-circle moment.
"It’s wild," Franks reflects. "It’s definitely interesting to come back to the block."
However, she notes that the neighborhood has changed significantly. In the early 2000s, before Ballet of the Dolls relocated to Northeast Minneapolis, the area was a hotbed of arts activity. That vibrancy eventually led to a surge in popularity and, inevitably, the "coolness" that priced out the very artists who built the scene. Today, the area is quieter, a condition that the city of Minneapolis is now actively working to reverse through targeted subsidies.
The Economics of Art: The Vibrant Storefronts Program
The realization of Strange Loop Projects was not merely a creative hurdle, but an administrative marathon. For years, Franks struggled to find a space that could accommodate the scale and duration required for her projects. "Whenever I do something, it’s kind of a big project, and finding a space to work out of is a little bit complicated," she explains. "If I want to make something immersive, I’m going to need it for maybe a few months, and it just doesn’t work like that in this town for venues."
Her solution arrived in the form of the city’s "Vibrant Storefronts" program. This initiative, designed to bolster commercial corridors, provides a subsidy of $50,000 annually toward rent for a two-year term, with the potential for an extension. For Strange Loop Projects, this funding covers over 95% of the rent, a lifeline that has allowed the venue to exist in a high-cost urban environment.
The program is a strategic move by the city to re-inject culture into dormant spaces. By lowering the barrier to entry for independent artists, Minneapolis is hoping to stimulate foot traffic and economic activity in corridors that have struggled to regain their pre-pandemic energy.
Navigating the Red Tape: A Founder’s Struggle
While the rent subsidy provided the foundation, the path to opening was fraught with bureaucratic obstacles. Securing the necessary permits to operate a performance venue and a bar proved to be a test of endurance.
"It took me until March to get my theater license, and it took me until September to get my wine and beer license," Franks notes. "It’s a lot more red tape with the city opening a venue and getting it secured than we all imagine."
These licenses are not merely formalities; they are critical to the financial viability of the space. Even modest income from beverage sales provides a crucial buffer for an operation that prioritizes intimacy over capacity. With "Bazaar Bizarre" capping at 60 people per show and other seated events at 80, the venue is designed for a boutique experience that cannot rely on massive ticket volume.
Looking Forward: The Future of Strange Loop
The success of "Bazaar Bizarre" has provided a proof-of-concept for the venue, but Franks is already looking toward the horizon. The space currently hosts "Fresh Baked," a bi-monthly 24-hour choreographers’ challenge that has become a vital hub for local movement artists. Due to the administrative load, Franks plans to shift this to a quarterly schedule in the coming year, allowing for higher production value and more sustainable planning.
Perhaps most anticipated is her return to the stage. Next spring, she plans to debut a full-scale immersive production based on "Swan Song Studies," a piece originally developed with collaborator Stephanie Fellner Grey. The work, which interrogates the concept of a final performance and the lifecycle of a career in the arts, is being rewritten and expanded to fit the immersive constraints of her new home.
"I’m still going to be building it and rewriting it to make it an immersive full show," she says.
Implications for the Twin Cities Arts Scene
The existence of Strange Loop Projects is a microcosm of the current state of independent theater in the Twin Cities. It highlights a critical intersection between municipal policy and artistic survival. Without the Vibrant Storefronts program, the cost-prohibitive nature of Minneapolis real estate would have likely kept this venue—and the unique "Bazaar Bizarre" production—off the map.
However, the burden of sustainability remains with the public. As Franks puts it, "I think this program helps us a lot, but then after that, it’s up to people if they want dance to thrive in this community to show up."
By creating a space that feels like a secret, a journey, and a memory all at once, Strange Loop Projects is doing its part to bring the "vibrancy" back to Loring Park. Whether this model can be replicated or scaled remains to be seen, but for the patrons stepping through the doors at 1629 Hennepin, the immediate reality is a rare, haunting, and meticulously crafted escape into the mechanical heart of Minneapolis dance.
“Bazaar Bizarre” concludes its run with performances on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. The Saturday finale will feature a Halloween DJ dance party beginning at 9:30 p.m. Tickets and information are available at the Strange Loop Projects website.
