Capital Campaign

A Phased Approach

01

Elevator for Access /
Laying the Foundation

The transformation begins with the Accessibility Capital Campaign, funding the Opera House elevator and essential upgrades so everyone can enter and belong. Rapson Architects pulls from its legacy of modernism and theater design, Maison Bodega sets the design vision and shapes the brand, and global media share our preservation-forward story. This first step ensures literal and symbolic access, laying the foundation for all that follows.

02

Building Momentum /
Opening Doors

With access secured, the Opera House shifts into activation. We become a hub for tours, performances, seasonal programming, and community events, bringing continued energy and life into the building even as renovations continue. Each milestone is amplified through strategic media partnerships, turning local progress into regional and global inspiration.

03

Artist in residence & Hospitality /
A Living Legacy

BBOH reaches full expression as a multifaceted cultural destination. Upstairs, artist residencies, wedding suites, VIP dining, and guest rooms expand what the Opera House offers, welcoming creativity, celebration, and retreat. Here, preservation meets hospitality, and every visit sustains a living legacy for generations to come.

Donate here

We believe “accessibility” starts with an elevator and becomes a promise, that every person can reach every floor, every program, and every opportunity at BBOH. This campaign invests in universal design and in a broader culture of access, welcoming spaces, pay-what-you-can and donor-underwritten tickets, youth and senior programming, artist residencies, and safe, inclusive practices. The result is a house that truly belongs to the people who live here, open, dignified, creative, and economically reachable.

The Accessibility Capital Campaign lifts more than people from floor to floor in our space, it lifts our whole community. By funding a new, fully accessible elevator and inclusive upgrades at the Batcher Block Opera House, we remove physical barriers and widen the circle of belonging, across income, age, identity, language, and ability, so everyone can enter, participate, perform, work, and lead here. Accessibility is our ethic, not just our architecture.

Become an Annual Patron of the
Batcher-Frost Foundation Friends.

Donate Here

01
Friend of the Opera House

$100

-

Benefits

  • Free admission to one historic tour

  • Early access to public events + film nights

  • Recognition in donor listing

02
Preservationist

$250

-

Benefits

  • Invitation to “members-only”
    quarterly gatherings

  • Discount on additional tours/events

  • Plus All ‘Friend’ level benefits 

03
Builder

$500

-

Benefits

  • Priority booking for weddings/events

  • Invitation to annual “Behind the Blueprints” evening with updates on restoration progress

  • Plus All ‘Preservationist’ level benefits

04
Visionary Circle

$1000

-

Benefits

  • Private dinner or cocktail reception
    with Colleen + guest artists

  • Recognition on donor wall 

  • Plus All ‘Builder’ level benefits


Batcher Frost Foundation Friends is under fiscal sponsorship of LEAP, Inc - a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Your donation confirmation email serves as your donation receipt—please keep it for your records, as your gift may be tax-deductible.

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Meet the Team

  • Peace Mitchell

    CHAIRWOMAN
    -
    5th Grade Teacher, Minneapolis
    Owner of Frog Tree Farm

  • Andrea Grieff

    DIRECTOR, TREASURER
    _
    Owner of Dot and Minnies, Perham

  • Adam Frost

    DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS MANAGER
    _
    Caretaker of Batcher Block Opera House

  • Liz Gardner

    DIRECTOR, PROJECT MANAGER
    _
    Creative Director, Co-owner of Maison Bodega, Minneapolis

  • Denise Baumgart

    DIRECTOR, SECRETARY, GRANTS
    _
    Employee of Sourcewell, Staples

  • Brad Anderson,

    DIRECTOR, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Chief Development Officer,
    Lakewood Health System, Staples

  • Jeff Koep

    DIRECTOR, THEATER LEAD, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Dean Emeritus, College of Fine Arts, UNLV

  • Steve Larson

    DIRECTOR, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Co-owner of Larson and Larson Financial Planning, Minneapolis

  • Peggy Bounds

    DIRECTOR, EFFICIENCY MANAGER
    _
    Self-employed in Efficiency/Cleaning Services, Staples

  • Ruari Mahon

    DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS
    _
    Founder of Loughlin Joseph, New York + Oslo

  • Michael Mitchell Birchard

    EX-OFFICIO, GRANTS
    _
    Professor UNMN, Retired VP Hamline Law, Minneapolis,
    Co-Owner of Frogtree Farm

  • Sandi Larson

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Co-owner of Larson and Larson Financial Planning,
    Minneapolis

  • Mark Bounds

    EX-OFFICIO, MARKETING
    _
    Owner of Bounds Appraisals, Staples

  • Colleen Frost

    EX-OFFICIO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    _
    Caregiver of BBOH Trust, Organizer of IAMRAREpresents, LLC

  • Pat Goff

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Retired, Baxter

  • Beverly Goff

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Artist, Baxter

  • Pam Wasche-Wilson

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Legacy Theater Advisor, Perham

  • Scott Wilson

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Legacy Theater Advisor, Perham

  • Bobbe Anderson

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Social Services Supervisor,
    Lakewood Health System, Staples

  • Cheri Ludovisse

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Insurance Agent, Staples

  • Donny Ludovisse

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Food Service Advisor, Staples

  • Dr. Aquino Williams

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Oncologist Lakewood Health System, Staples

  • Caity Williams

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Respiratory Therapist, Staples

  • Trevor Haasch

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Owner of Schroeders Appliance Center, Brainerd

  • Rod Enberg

    EX-OFFICIO, FUNDRAISING
    _
    Owner of Enberg Logging, Motley

  • Colleen Frost

    FOUNDER + EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BATCHER FROST FOUNDATION
    _

    Colleen Frost is the founder of The Batcher-Frost Foundation Friends, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of the historic Batcher Block Opera House and honoring the enduring influence of the Frost family in its story. 

    Her commitment extends to education
    and community engagement, positioning
    the BFFF as both guardian and storyteller
    of the region’s cultural legacy. 

    IAMRAREpresents has produced more than sixty performances, cultivated a dynamic social media presence, and established an international board of directors dedicated to advancing the organization’s mission and sustaining its artistic vision.

  • Toby Rapson

    PRINCIPAL, RAPSON ARCHITECTS
    _

    Rapson Architects was founded by the late architect Ralph Rapson, a key figure in American modernism known for designing iconic buildings like the original Guthrie Theater and the Riverside Plaza in Minneapolis. 

    The firm continues its legacy under
    the leadership of his son, Toby Rapson, designing homes like the Greenbelt series and producing his furniture designs, such as the Rapson Rocker. 

    “My father used to always say his favorite project was the one he’s working on, so that’s sort of my fallback. I just did a little remodeling for Mixed Blood Theatre. I did theaters with my dad, too, and I’ve done a lot of work for nonprofits.”

  • Liz Gardner + Josef Harris

    CREATIVE + STRATEGY, MAISON BODEGA
    _

    Maison Bodega is a creative practice recognized for its distinctive ability to integrate diverse artistic elements into cohesive and visually striking concepts, providing immersive sensory experiences. 

    The multidisciplinary services are
    housed in a 100-year old building
    located at 1911 Pleasant Avenue in Loring Heights, Minneapolis. 

    The operating principle, Gesamtkunstwerk, or “Total Work of Art” is woven into every aspect of the space. When the renovation began in 2017, the intention was to create a living, breathing environment where ideas could be free to become as holistic as possible. 

  • Ruari Mahon

    COMMUNICATIONS, LOUGHLIN JOSEPH
    _
    Loughlin Joseph is a New York and Oslo based brand consultancy for commercial direction, global media relations, editorial, and creative founded by
    Ruari Mahon.

    We build foundations for sustainable, long-term growth by connecting the details between design, product, commercial strategy, positioning, communications, and customer experience.

    We distill and tell brand stories,
    from the inside out. Our work builds credibility that connects to brand mission, vision, and positioning—establishing identity and reputation.

Preserve the past by
investing in the future

Legacy is not just what we create, but what we safeguard. The Batcher Block Opera House is more than a building; it is a living history of the voices, artistry, and dreams that have shaped its halls. To invest here is to participate in the future, to ensure its echoes never fade, and to cement its significance for the generations to come. This is not merely preservation —it is an assertion that some places are too vital, too sacred, to be lost to time.

Donate to the Capital Campaign here