Saint John’s Preparatory School Establishes Endowed Chair in Theatre

Honoring Saint John’s Abbey’s Br. Paul Vincent Niebauer, OSB

Saint John’s Preparatory School announces the establishment of the Br. Paul Vincent Niebauer, OSB Endowed Chair in Theatre, a milestone in its commitment to the performing arts. The endowed chair is the direct result of the school’s $10 million comprehensive Prep Forward: Our Time is Now campaign launched in April 2024, which focuses on faculty, facilities, and financial aid. Established with a leadership gift, the endowed chair when fully funded will permanently support the school’s theatre director position, sustaining and enhancing theatre education and experiences at Saint John’s Prep for generations to come.

The donor family, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated: “This endowed chair is a testament to the power of theatre in education. It’s rare to see a secondary school invest in the arts at this level locally or even nationally. Our family is thrilled to help create a legacy that will enrich students’ lives and the broader central Minnesota community.”

Saint John’s Prep formally announced the new chair on April 3, 2025, at a pre-performance reception prior to the school’s performance of Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

Unique for secondary education, the endowed chair in theatre positions Saint John’s Prep as a leader in arts education, setting a precedent for schools across the region.

“This endowed chair recognizes Br. Paul-Vincent’s extraordinary legacy and ensures that theatre remains a vibrant and integral part of the school’s curriculum,” said Jon McGee, Head of School. “It recognizes the legendary creativity, energy and commitment to young artists at Prep who through the supportive encouragement of educators like Br. Paul Vincent have gained confidence through the arts while spreading joy to audiences for decades.”

For more than 25 years, Br. Paul Vincent Niebauer, OSB, has been the heart of Saint John’s Prep’s theatre program, nurturing students’ passion and commitment to the stage. Holding a bachelor’s degree in theatre and secondary education and a master’s degree in directing, Br. Paul Vincent directed over 50 productions at Saint John’s Prep and with external organizations prior to his retirement as director in 2019.

Brandon Anderson, a 2013 Saint John’s University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in theatre and a master’s degree in acting from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, in Birmingham, United Kingdom, joined the theatre program in the fall of 2018 and has held the position of Theatre Director since 2019, taking an already strong program to new heights today.