Website Review
What is Cross Community Players?
Cross Community Players (CCP) is a community musical theater company serving the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities, Minnesota, based around Maple Grove. It stages musicals, concerts and related events, and runs a Costume Center that rents out costumes and props. Its stated mission pairs artistic production with charitable support: it collects non-perishable food items and school supplies for CROSS Services at performances, auditions and activities.
What it actually offers
- Mainstage musicals — full productions, such as Guys and Dolls planned for summer 2027 at the Town Green Amphitheater in Maple Grove.
- Concerts — an annual fall concert; the Fall 2026 edition celebrates 15 years of CCP productions with alumni performers, on Sunday, October 4 at 2:30 pm at the Town Green Amphitheater. No tickets are required, with a suggested freewill donation of $20.
- Auditions and volunteer roles — open to performers and to backstage, staff and volunteer help.
- Costume Center — rentals from its costume and prop inventory for other events.
Who it suits
| If you are… | CCP is useful because… |
|---|---|
| A local performer | Auditions are open, and there are both mainstage and concert opportunities |
| A backstage or front-of-house volunteer | The company explicitly recruits volunteers and staff |
| A family looking for affordable local theater | The fall concert is unticketed with a suggested donation |
| A school, church or community group | The Costume Center rents costumes and props |
| Someone wanting theater to support a cause | Donations of food and school supplies are collected at events |
Trade-offs to weigh
This is community theater, not a touring or professional house, so expect amateur casts, volunteer crews and a schedule built around a few productions and concerts a year rather than a continuous season. Outdoor performances at the Town Green Amphitheater depend on weather, and the company notes it will announce an alternative venue if conditions turn bad. Ticket availability for ticketed shows is also time-limited — for the 2027 summer musical, tickets go on sale roughly 60 days before opening.
Next step: if you want to perform, watch for audition postings; the winter 2027 show's performance and audition details are scheduled to be posted on November 1, 2026. If you simply want a low-commitment introduction, the unticketed fall concert is the easiest first visit. For current dates and details, check Cross Community Players.
How can I audition for a Cross Community Players production?
Auditions for Cross Community Players are announced on the theater's own site, not run through a standing open-call portal, so the practical answer is: watch the auditions page for the specific show, then follow the instructions posted with that announcement.
Cross Community Players
What the site currently tells you
- The 2027 winter show's complete performance and audition information will be posted on November 1, 2026 — so that date is the one to check back for.
- Guys and Dolls (June 2027, Town Green Amphitheater, Maple Grove) is announced as part of the 2027 season; audition details for it are not yet posted.
- The fall 2026 concert is a performance, not an audition notice — it features alumni and friends, and no tickets are required (a suggested freewill donation is mentioned).
How to prepare in the meantime
- Check the auditions section of the site around the posted announcement date, and again closer to the show.
- Expect a typical community-theater audition: a prepared song or short excerpt, a reading from the script, and possibly a movement or dance call for a musical like Guys and Dolls.
- Bring a headshot and resume if you have them, plus your calendar — rehearsal schedules for a June show usually start months earlier.
- Note that CCP collects non-perishable food items and school supplies for CROSS Services at auditions and performances, so bringing a donation is a simple way to show up in the spirit of the organization.
A useful next step
If you have no audition history, volunteer first. The site lists volunteer and staff openings, and working a show or helping with the Costume Center gets you known to directors before you step into an audition room — often the fastest route to a casting conversation in a company this size.
How do I buy tickets for an upcoming Cross Community Players show?
For most Cross Community Players shows, tickets are sold online through the organization's own website, typically opening about 60 days before a production opens. Not every event works that way: the Fall 2026 concert at the Town Green Amphitheater in Maple Grove requires no ticket at all, with a suggested freewill donation of $20 instead, so check the specific event page before assuming you need to buy anything.
Start at Cross Community Players and look for the "Buy Tickets Online" link or the page for the show you want.
H3: What to expect by event type
| Event | How to attend |
|---|---|
| Ticketed season musicals (e.g., the summer 2027 production) | Tickets released roughly 60 days before opening; purchase online |
| Fall concert at Town Green Amphitheater | No tickets required; suggested $20 donation at the event |
| Winter 2027 show | Performance and audition details were scheduled to post November 1, 2026 |
H3: Practical tips
- Put the 60-day mark on your calendar for any show you care about; community theaters often have limited seating and no dynamic resale market.
- Outdoor amphitheater events can move indoors for bad weather, so check the site on performance day for a venue announcement.
- If you prefer to plan around auditions, volunteering, or the Costume Center rather than just attending, those have their own pages and contacts on the same site.
If you want a comparable experience elsewhere in the region, Hennepin Theatre Trust handles larger touring productions in Minneapolis, while Theater Mu and History Theatre in St. Paul offer different styles of locally produced work.
What is the Cross Community Players Costume Center and how can I rent costumes or props?
The Cross Community Players Costume Center is the company's rental resource for costumes and props, drawn from its own inventory and offered to people mounting their own events. On its site, CCP frames it simply: "Rent from our extensive costume and prop inventory for your upcoming event," alongside its volunteer and production pages.
Who it suits
- School and community theater groups that need multiple period or character looks without building a wardrobe from scratch.
- Church, dance and civic organizations dressing a one-off show, pageant or themed event.
- Smaller troupes that want to rent rather than buy, especially for a single run.
How to start
The site does not publish a rental catalog, price list, deposit terms or pickup details. The practical next step is to open the Costume Center page and use whatever contact method it lists to describe your production: show title, performance dates, cast size, the specific characters or eras you need, and whether you also need props. Ask directly about rental rates, deposit, fitting or pickup appointments, and the return deadline.
A worked example
Suppose a Maple Grove-area school is staging a 1950s-set musical in spring. Rather than sewing or buying two dozen outfits, the director emails the Costume Center with a character-by-character list and requested sizes, asks what is available in inventory, and schedules a fitting date. Anything not in stock is then sourced elsewhere — which is why contacting them early, before your build or purchase decisions are locked in, matters more than browsing.
Worth knowing
CCP is a Twin Cities community theater based in the northwest suburbs, and its charitable side shows up at performances, auditions and activities, where it collects non-perishable food and school supplies for CROSS Services. If you are renting, that same community-minded, volunteer-run character is worth factoring in: responses and appointments may depend on volunteer availability, so plan ahead rather than assuming a commercial rental timeline.
If you want to see the company's work before renting, its fall concert at the Town Green Amphitheater in Maple Grove is free to attend, with a suggested $20 donation, and its 2027 season includes Guys and Dolls. Details are on Cross Community Players. For a broader pool of local rental options, compare with a nearby community theater or a dedicated costume rental house.
What should I expect at a Cross Community Players concert at the Town Green Amphitheater in Maple Grove?
Expect a relaxed, outdoor community concert rather than a ticketed theater performance. Based on the Fall 2026 concert listing on Cross Community Players, the format is an afternoon show at the Town Green Amphitheater in Maple Grove, with no tickets required and a suggested freewill donation of $20. The program described is a retrospective: favorite songs from 15 years of CCP productions, performed by alumni and friends.
What that means in practice
- Arrive early for seating. With no tickets, seating is first-come, first-served. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket, since amphitheater lawns usually mean grass or bench seating rather than assigned seats.
- Plan for weather. The listing says an alternative venue will be announced if conditions are poor. Check the site or CCP's social channels the morning of the show rather than assuming a rain-or-shine event.
- Bring a donation if you can. The $20 figure is suggested, not required, so give what fits your budget.
- Expect a mixed, casual crowd. Community theater concerts draw families, longtime supporters and alumni networks. It is a good low-commitment introduction if you are curious about CCP before buying tickets to a full musical.
A useful next step
If you are deciding whether to attend, treat this concert as a preview of the company's style. CCP's summer 2027 production of Guys and Dolls at the same amphitheater is ticketed, with sales opening roughly 60 days before the June 2027 performances. The concert gives you a free sample of the group's vocal and staging quality before you commit to a ticketed show.
For comparison, the Twin Cities area has several long-running community theater options, including Bloomington Theatre and Art Center and Chanhassen Dinner Theatres if you prefer an indoor, ticketed experience. CCP's advantage is the informal, bring-your-own-seating format and the charitable angle: the company collects non-perishable food and school supplies for CROSS Services at performances, auditions and activities, so bringing a donation item is a practical way to participate.
How can I volunteer with Cross Community Players or support its charitable food and school supply drives?
You can do both through Cross Community Players itself: volunteer your time and talents on the artistic or production side, or bring donations to any CCP performance, audition or activity. The donation drive is ongoing rather than a one-time event, so you don't need to wait for a special collection date.
Cross Community Players
Volunteering
CCP describes volunteering as joining its "artistic family," which in community theater usually means a wide range of roles beyond performing — building and painting sets, running lights and sound, sewing or organizing costumes, ushering, helping with concessions, and assisting backstage during shows. If you'd rather be on stage, auditions are the entry point; if you'd rather not perform, production and front-of-house help is where most volunteers are needed.
A practical first step: check the Volunteers & Staff page for current openings, then note the audition and performance dates on the calendar so you know when extra hands are most useful. Fall 2026 has a concert on Sunday, October 4 at 2:30 pm at the Town Green Amphitheater in Maple Grove, and the 2027 season includes a winter show plus Guys and Dolls in June 2027 at the same amphitheater — all of these are moments when volunteers are typically needed.
Supporting the food and school supply drives
As part of its charitable mission, CCP collects non-perishable food items and school supplies for CROSS Services at all performances, auditions and activities. That means you can simply bring items with you when you attend a show or audition instead of making a separate trip.
What tends to be most useful for this kind of drive:
- Food: shelf-stable, unopened items — canned goods, pasta, rice, cereal, peanut butter, canned protein.
- School supplies: notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, glue sticks, folders, backpacks.
- Timing: check expiration dates on food, and avoid glass where possible so items transport and store easily.
Choosing how to help
| If you want to… | Best route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Perform on stage | Audition | Watch for audition postings; winter 2027 details arrive November 1, 2026 |
| Help without performing | Volunteer for production, costumes, front-of-house | Ongoing need across the season |
| Give material goods | Bring donations to any performance, audition or activity | Benefits CROSS Services |
| Give money instead | Freewill donation at the fall concert | Suggested $20; no tickets required |
If you're unsure where you'd fit best, attend the October 4 concert first — it's free to attend with a suggested donation, and it's an easy, low-commitment way to meet people and ask what help is needed for the 2027 season.
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