Lykke Theatre (pronounced LOO-kuh) was born from a shared passion and years of collaboration between Megan Seamans and Kelli Killmer, both lifelong theatre artists from the St. Cloud area. After meeting during a 2013 production of Les Misérables and later working together at Sartell High School, their creative chemistry sparked ideas of self-producing, though it always felt like a distant dream.
“We both have extensive histories in the theatre, both growing up in the St. Cloud area and performing in community productions. Theatre was a formative part of both of our lives and introduced us to people that we’re still in touch with today,” explained Megan.
“Work and relationships brought us both back to the St. Cloud area after college, and it was a local production of Les Misérables in 2013 where we officially met,” shared Kelli. “We began our working relationship when Megan joined me as choreographer in 2018 at Sartell High School. It became clear early on that we had a rare creative synergy. Throughout our years of working together, we’d often throw around the idea of self-producing bucket-list shows, but it was always just talk - something that seemed out of reach or not the right time.”
Fast forward to 2024. Megan was working seasonally at Milk & Honey Ciders and inquired with one of the owners about the possibility of hosting a theatrical-type production on their outside stage. “We initially thought of creating a cabaret, but pivoted toward a show that was already written, and we immediately thought of one of our favorites: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. We both felt like that was the right choice for a lighthearted, summer show - and one that would work well with the venue! To secure the rights, we learned that we needed to be associated with a company.”
“Though we weren’t necessarily looking to become a company, the circumstances opened the doors and nudged us through them. Since launching Lykke, everything has really fallen into place. It feels as though the universe is not only telling us that we CAN do this, but also that this is the right time,” said Kelli.
Lykke Theatre’s co-founders bring their other roles and skills into their new company every day. Kelli works as a Theatre Director at Sartell High School, where she directs the Theatre for Young Audiences production, One-Act Play, and Spring Musical. She also works as a Spotlight Evaluator for the Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Spotlight Education program. Megan works full-time as a Principal Project Manager for a Fortune 500 company and also serves as the choreographer for the Spring Musical at Sartell High School.
“We both have decades of experience with, education in, and passion for theatre - everything from design, to directing, to performing, to producing - but the legal and business side of things has been new to us both. While this has been our biggest learning curve, it’s also been a rewarding part of the journey. With deep roots in the community, we've found incredible support, especially through our partnership with the Small Business Development Center at SCSU. Their guidance and connections have helped us navigate unfamiliar territory and build a strong foundation for Lykke Theatre.”
“Fortunately, the workload of theatre can be flexible and what you make it. Because the original plan was to produce a summer show, that (and the creation of the company itself) has been our goal for 2025. Looking ahead, Lykke has loftier goals, including fundraising cabarets, continuing our adult summer productions, and exploring other possibilities for collaboration and ways to bring joy to our community. With the creation of Lykke Theatre falling beautifully into place and the excitement we have been receiving from the community, we are excited to see how this dream will grow!”
Creating a company from the ground up has the unique task of naming a business and establishing a voice and brand. “We asked ourselves, ‘What do we want our actors, crew, musicians, and audiences to feel when they engage with us? What should the rehearsal process feel like? What energy do we want to bring to the creative process?” explained Megan. “We knew we wanted a focus on creating joy and connections, so we started brainstorming based on a few key words. The word ‘lykke’ appeared in our search and just felt right. Lykke, along with hygge and fika, are Scandinavian words and concepts that relate to happiness, balance, and taking breaks – which is something that we, as artists, eagerly embrace in today’s society.”
“Our name, Lykke, and subsequently our mission to ‘create joy and meaningful connection through storytelling’ were born out of that. Lykke and the symbolism of joy has extended past the name of our company, and we truly want to embrace it in our values and our branding.”
“At Lykke, we’re proud to foster an atmosphere rooted in joy, respect, and passion. These ideas are a central priority for us, shaping the way we approach our work. Our goal is to create high-quality productions with local actors through a collaborative and uplifting process. The time and talent of our artists are valuable to us, which is why we are committed to compensating our cast, crew, and musicians – all while keeping ticket prices as accessible as possible. At the heart of Lykke is the spirit of play because we believe theatre should be meaningful and fun. We are building something that is professional, inclusive, and joyful.”
As a new company in the area, Lykke Theatre has a fresh perspective on the Central Minnesota local business community. “The Greater St. Cloud community is alive with a shared passion for belonging and connection. In a time of division, small businesses show the power of coming together – and Lykke Theatre is proud to join in,” Megan remarks. “We have made an effort to connect with locally owned business such as Milk & Honey Ciders for our venue, The Studio: A Collaborative Creative Space for our rehearsal location, Fuzzy Loon for our stickers and some merchandising, business mentorship through SCSU, and recently received sponsorship support from Korppi Coffee + Bakeshop, Bruno Press, and Rengel Printing Company to help bring our first production to life. We look forward to seeing where else and with whom we can build bridges to spread joy and make a difference through the arts in Central Minnesota.”
“The best way to support Lykke is to come see our productions and consider becoming a sponsor! Theatrical productions can be fairly expensive - even small-scale shows - and sponsorship helps us keep our ticket costs low while still covering expenses and paying our artists!”
Be sure to check out Lykke Theatre’s premiere production, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, August 27-29 at 7pm at Milk & Honey Ciders (Recommended ages 13+). You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or visit their website at lykketheatre.org.
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