Phil Olson grew up in Edina, Minnesota, home of the first indoor mall. His father’s grandparents came over from Norway and homesteaded a farm north of Fargo, North Dakota. His mother’s grandparents also came over from Norway and ended up in Virginia, Minnesota; the iron range. Mr. Olson played varsity football, basketball and track at Edina East High School, winning the Minnesota State High School Track Meet in the discus. Mr. Olson was recently inducted into the Edina Athletic Hall of Fame. After high school, he went on to Dartmouth College, where he majored in mathematics, was All Ivy, All New England and All East in Track, and played tight end on the Ivy League Championship Football team. After graduating from Dartmouth, Mr. Olson tried out for the Chicago Bears. After his “summer with the Bears,” he went on to receive an MBA from The University of Chicago and pursued a business career while writing stage and screenplays. Phil currently lives in Los Angeles where he writes and produces plays. He has 16 published plays that have had over 400 productions around the U.S. and Canada. Ten of his plays are published by the Samuel French iprint of Concord Theatricals, including: Don't Hug Me, A Don't Hug Me Christmas Carol, A Don't Hug Me County Fair, Don't Hug Me I'm Pregnant, Don't Hug Me We're Married, Don't Hug Me We're Family, Mom's Gift, A Nice Family Gathering, A Nice Family Christmas and Polyester The Musical. Mr. Olson has written 7 award-winning plays set in small towns in Minnesota. His play A Nice Family Gathering has been optioned to be made into a feature film. His play Mom's Gift was produced at the Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester Hills, MI, starring Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley). As a script doctor, he’s re-written three movies that have been produced, as well as thirteen original screenplays. He's also sold two screenplays.

Sue was born and raised in Grand Marais and began her love of theater at the age of 11 in the Grand Marais Playhouse production of “ The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” She played an imp! Sue graduated from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN with a degree in theater after trying unsuccessfully to find any other path that gave her as much passion and satisfaction. Sue began her career in 1988 as a carpenter and/or stage manager at numerous New York City stages including The Public Theater and The Julliard School. An active theater life led her to Scenic Specialties where Sue worked as lead carpenter building props for Broadway. In 1992, she moved to Minneapolis and became Lead Carpenter at The Guthrie while moonlighting at other companies such as Theatre De La June Lune. While at The Guthrie she studied directly with internationally renowned designer Desmond Heeley. Known for his luscious creations made primarily with found objects and recyclable materials, this style has carried over to Sue’s production work allowing for grandeur at a consistently small cost to GMP. In 1998, Sue returned to Grand Marais to care for her parents and immediately began to work at GMP. During her 20-year tenure, she has directed, designed and built over 100 productions simultaneously mentoring hundreds of students and community in the lively art of theater.

Abbey Stoddard grew up in Grand Marais and has been doing shows with us for 14 years. This August, she’s off to the University of Iowa to study Elementary Education. She’s very excited to stage-manage her final show with the Playhouse this year, concluding her career with us with 30 shows under her belt.