In 1985, the theatre painted its facade with a mural of its blueprint. This bright blue design was featured in national press, including the cover of the magazine Theatre Crafts. Three years later, TRP purchased its building and property to make its home in the West Bank Theater District permanent.

In 1994, the Minnesota Fringe Festival began on the West Bank, with TRP serving as a host theatre for the very first festival, and many after. MN Fringe is now the largest of its kind in the country.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, TRP found a rhythm of 9-show season, and also found time to produce several director showcases, festival productions at the MACT Festival, and other additional programming:

• In its 1988 Radio in the Round Series with KFAI Radio, artists from the community, working under professional directors, broadcast three live shows from the arena.

• In 1989, artistic directors Jacie Knight and Laura Rudy started TRP’s Youth Performance Company, performing at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. The program proved so successful that it established itself as an independent theatre group in 1993. YPC is now one of the top youth programs in the Twin Cities.

• In 1995, TRP TV produced two half-hour original plays that were shown over local cable channels.