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News Releases 
"Where there is a key, there must be a lock. Where this is a lock, there must be a secret." -from Once Upon a Forest, a CTC world premiere 
For Immediate Release: January 10, 2003
WHO:
The Children's Theatre Company, the nation's leading theater for young people and families.
WHAT:
On Friday, January 24, 2003, The Children's Theatre Company will open the world premiere of "Once Upon a Forest" by renowned Dutch theater artist Moniek Merkx. CTC artistic director Peter C. Brosius has for many years been impressed with the innovative theatrical style of Dutch and European artists. It was with great pleasure that he invited Moniek Merkx to develop a world premiere production in CTC's new play lab, THRESHOLD. The play has been in development for several years and has involved many exchanges, including geographic, cultural and theatrical. The result is an exciting retelling of the stories of the Brothers Grimm.
"Once Upon a Forest" uses a non-linear storytelling style that harnesses the energy of children at play and inspires the audience to use their imagination to piece together the stories. Creator/director Moniek Merkx read 200 fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm and then chose archetypal characters around which to shape the story of a journey into the forest. There is the lovely Snow White hiding from her wicked stepmother, the Brave Little Tailor going nose to nose with giants, Hans My Hedgehog searching for love and acceptance, and the kind but simple Dummling seeking a cure for his ailing father. The production is a jigsaw puzzle of components that includes these characters, contemporary music and odd and sweet surprises (including barking suitcases and flying trees) to interpret the struggle between good and evil. This retelling uses a refreshing new voice and theatrical style; one that is more familiar to the Europeans audiences than Americans.
"Once Upon a Forest" is conceived and directed by Dutch theater artist Moniek Merkx, inspired by the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, and written by Moniek Merkx and Elissa Adams. Scenic design is by Dutch designer Sanne Danz, costume designs by Laura Crow, and lighting design by Geoff Korf. Music and sound design is by Joop van Brakel. Develoment of "Once Upon a Forest" was supported, in part, by Theater Instituut Nederland and Netherlands Consulate General and is proudly sponsored by American Express.
WHEN:
"Once Upon a Forest" opens January 24 and runs through March 8, 2003. For a complete listing of dates and times of public performances please visit www.childrenstheatre.org.
Tickets are now on sale for a PAY WHAT YOU CAN performance of "Once Upon a Forest" on Tuesday, January 28th at 7:30 pm.
WHERE:
The Children's Theatre Company, Mainstage, 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404
FOR TICKET INFORMATION:
The Children's Theatre Company, Ticket Office
612-874-0400, www.childrenstheatre.org
Photos are now on-line at www.ctcpix.org.
CREATIVE TEAM
MONIEK MERKX ~ CREATOR, DIRECTOR, CHOREOGRAPHER
Ms. Merkx is a director, playwright, writer, teacher and dramaturg based in Amsterdam, Holland. She began her professional career at Studio's Onafhakelijk Toneel in Rotterdam with an internship that turned into a professional engagement, and she became the dramaturg and assistant director. In 1986 Merkx began working as a freelance dramaturg, director, teacher, and writer with numerous theater and dance companies throughout Holland. Since 1994 she has also been working closely with Theater Artemis to create shows for children. This season she became the artistic director of a well known childrens theatre company in Holland called Max, which was formerly know as Maccus.
ELISSA ADAMS ~ CO-WRITER / DRAMATURG
Ms. Adams is the Director of New Play Development at The Children's Theatre Company. Since 1998, she has overseen the commissioning and development of more than twenty new works. Prior to her position at CTC, she served as Literary Manager at La Jolla Playhouse and Director of Playwright Services at The Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis. She holds an M.F.A. in Dramaturgy from UC San Diego.
JOOP van BRAKEL ~ MUSIC AND SOUND DESIGNER
Mr. van Brakel started his career as a self-taught singer/guitarist/composer/lyricist/designer in a progressive rock band NASMAK (1979-83). He has worked as an actor, musician, dancer, and composer for many different groups, companies and directors. He collaborated with Suver Nuver, a Dutch theatre company, to compose for and play in over 12 shows since 1993, and further developed his style of live soundman/soundmaker on stage. He recently released the album 'Maybe Home' with his new band, Dish Hunt.
SANNE DANZ ~ SCENIC DESIGNER
Ms. Danz received a fine arts degree from the ABK Minerva in Groningen and a doctoral degree in scenic design from the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam. She has designed stage scenery for numerous by theater groups including Carver, Caroussel, Independence, Het zuidelijke toneel, Stadttheater Heidelberg, open air theater Het Amsterdamse bos, and the Noord Nederlands Toneel. For more than twelve years she has been the resident scenographer for the mime collective Suver Nuver where she began working with Moniek Merkx. Together Merkx and Danz have created many productions for Suver Nuver and Artemis, a theater for youth.
LAURA CROW ~ COSTUME DESIGNER
Ms. Crow has received numerous awards for her costume designs including an OBIE, American Theatre Wing, Drama Desk, and Back Stage West Garland. She has designed costumes for more than 300 productions worldwide including 10 Broadway productions and 50 Off-Broadway productions. She has designed several productions at CTC including The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham & Garrison Keillor's The Old Man Who Loved Cheese.
GEOFF KORF ~ LIGHTING DESIGNER
Mr. Korf has designed the lighting for many productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and across the country. Highlights include Peer Gynt at the Guthrie Lab, Bandido, Mules, and Street of the Sun at the Mark Taper Forum and The Snow Queen at Stage One in Louisville. He studied at California State University, Chico and Yale School of Drama, and is a teacher of lighting design at California Institute for the Arts. At CTC he designed lighting for Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, A Village Fable, and Whale.
STACY McINTOSH ~ STAGE MANAGER
Ms. McIntosh recently traveled to New York City with CTC's world premiere production of A Year With Frog and Toad. At CTC she has also stage managed The Beggars' Strike (world premiere), Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1998 & 2001), Lyle the Crocodile (tour and mainstage), and Starry Messenger: A Fantasia on the Life of Gallileo (world premiere). She has also worked at Illusion Theater, Willows Theatre, SteppingStone Theatre and as the lighting technician at Marin Theatre Company.
CAST
DEAN HOLT ~ STEPMOTHER, DUMMLING, GIANT, SNOW WHITE DWARF
Mr. Holt is a member of the CTC acting company and has been in dozens of productions since 1997. Highlights include: The Wizard of Oz, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Mississippi Panorama, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Mr. A's Amazing Maze Plays, The Hobbit, Miss Nelson is Missing, and The Reluctant Dragon. He has been in several productions in the CTC Studio Theatre including The Lady's Not for Burning, The Dayroom, When You Comin' Back Red Ryder? and Great Expectations.
MICHAEL LEE ~ DOG, BROTHER, DRAGON, SNOW WHITE DWARF
Mr. Lee was a Performing Apprentice at CTC during the 1993-94 season and has been in many productions at CTC including Grimm Tales (regional tour), and Lyle the Crocodile (tour and mainstage). He is currently a Teaching Artist in CTC's Neighborhood Bridges program. He has been in productions at the Guthrie Theater, Paul Bunyan Playhouse, Fifty Foot Penguin Theatre, 15 Head Theatre Lab, Brave New Workshop and Theatre de la Jeune Lune. He also appeared in the films Male Bonding, and Jingle All the Way.
KATY McEWEN ~ STEPMOTHER, PRINCESS, TROLL, SNOW WHITE DWARF
Ms. McEwen has been a mainstage company member at The Brave New Workshop since 1999. She received a B.F.A. in Acting from Wright State University and has been in numerous mainstage and touring productions at The Children's Theatre Company including Tremendously Tall Tales by Capt. Eddy B. Brown's Traveling All-Star Yokels, Strega Nona, The Worn Out Dancing Shoes, and The Hobbit. She is currently a Teaching Artist in CTC's Neighborhood Bridges program.
AUTUMN NESS ~ SNOW WHITE
Ms. Ness was a student actor at CTC before becoming a Performing Apprentice during the 2000-01 season after which she became a member of the CTC acting company. She has been in many productions including A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,The Snow Queen, Mississippi Panorama, Little Women, and Hansel & Gretel. She has also performed at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Schuster Theatre Company, Pioneer Theatre Company, and the University of Minnesota, where she received her B.A. in Theatre.
LUVERNE SEIFERT ~ TAILOR, TROLL, SNOW WHITE DWARF
Mr. Seifert is the recipient of the 2002 McKnight Theatre Fellowship and a faculty member at the University of Minnesota. He has been in numerous productions at Theatre de la Jeune Lune including Description of the World, Gulliver's Travels, Hamlet, The Green Bird, Chez Pierre, and Government Inspector. He has also performed with Ten Thousand Things, Shawn McConneloug Orchestra, and Open Eye Figure Theater. This is his first production at The Children's Theatre Company.
REED SIGMUND ~ HUNTER, HANS MY HEDGEHOG, TROLL, GIANT, SNOW WHITE DWARF
Mr. Sigmund was a Performing Apprentice at CTC during the 2000-01 season after which he became a member of the CTC acting company. He has been in many productions at CTC including, The Wizard of Oz, The Snow Queen, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Mississippi Panorama. He received a B.A. from the University of Minnesota where he was in many productions including The Dybbuk, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Day the Bronx Died, and The Bacchae. He has also been in numerous regional and national television commercials.
STEVEN B. YOUNG ~ DOG, BROTHER, VOICE OF THE GIANT, SNOW WHITE DWARF
Mr. Young received his training at the British American Drama Academy in London and Bates College. His recent productions include Robin Hood at the Old Log Theater, Under the Stars and Stripes - WWII Stories, In Coya's House, and Meet Me at the Fair at the Great American History Theatre, and Good 'n' Plenty, and Lloyd's Prayer Illusion Theater. This is his first production at CTC.
EMILY ZIMMER ~ STEPMOTHER, MAIDEN, ELF, WOLF, SNOW WHITE DWARF
Ms. Zimmer studied at the University of Ghana and received her B.A. in Dramatic Arts from Macalester College Center for Performing Arts. She performed in Theatre de la Jeune Lune's production of Tartuffe and Frank Theatre's The Adventures of Herculina, and Perfect Pie. Last year she was in the world premiere of The Snow Queen at The Children's Theatre Company and she is currently a Teaching Artist in CTC's Neighborhood Bridges program.
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