|
News Releases 
CTC's 2004-2005 Season Celebrates Epic Journeys, Minnesota Artists and New Collaborations 
A Year with Frog and Toad spends the holidays at CTC
For Immediate Release: March 24, 2004
Minneapolis, MN - The Children's Theatre Company's 2004/2005 main stage season includes three world premieres: Hansel and Gretel, Brooklyn Bridge and The Monkey King; one American premiere: The Hobbit; one regional premiere: Go, Dog. Go!; and the return of A Year with Frog and Toad.
The season celebrates the expanse of life's journeys through the tales of a young brother and sister abandoned by their parents, a latchkey schoolgirl, a noble monk and his mischievous companions seeking to rescue the sacred scrolls, an unlikely hero from Middle Earth, a kaleidoscope of canines and an extraordinary amphibian duo.
"Once again, we have searched internationally, nationally and locally to create a season by outstanding artists and through remarkable collaborations," said Peter C. Brosius, CTC artistic director.
After its world premiere at CTC in 2002 and a Broadway run in 2003, which resulted in three Tony® Award nominations for Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical, A Year with Frog and Toad returns to the CTC main stage for the holidays. Twin Cities' audiences will celebrate the season with cookies flying everywhere and our favorite amphibians singing "Merry Almost Christmas."
The Minnesota artists in CTC's 2004/2005 season include playwrights Rosanna Staffa, and Jeffrey Hatcher, choreographer Shen Pei and the CAAM Chinese Dance Theater, choreographers Joe Chvala and Danny Buraczewski, composer and lyricist Ruth MacKenzie, composer Michael Koerner, director Kent Stephens and scenic designer Michael Sommers.
Nationally, CTC's collaboration with New Dramatists in New York City, funded entirely by the Jerome Foundation, has resulted in Melissa James Gibson's Brooklyn Bridge which will be produced on CTC's main stage. It is the first of several world premieres from that collaboration which will be produced by The Children's Theatre Company. And, CTC's international search for the best theater for young people is evidenced in the American premiere of an Australian adaptation of The Hobbit.
Two of the plays – Hansel and Gretel, a collaboration between playwright Rosanna Staffa and musician/lyricist Ruth MacKenzie and The Monkey King adapted by Shen Pei and Jeffrey Hatcher – are world premieres developed in CTC's new play lab THRESHOLD.
Under the leadership of director of new play development Elissa Adams, CTC has been committed to supporting the development of new work and bringing it to the stage since Brosius arrived at CTC in 1997. The Children's Theatre Company has produced 13 world premieres to date that were developed in THRESHOLD (CTC's new play lab), including Snapshot Silhouette, PROM, Korczak's Children, A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, The Snow Queen, and Mississippi Panorama and that total will jump to 16 during the 2004/2005 season. Six to twelve plays are in development at any given time for generally two years. Recently, an anonymous donor created a $50,000 challenge opportunity to leverage new gifts specifically for new play development.
The 2004/2005 season will open with the regional premiere of the musical Go, Dog. Go! by Allison Gregory and Steven Dietz, based on P. D. Eastman's book with music by Michael Koerner. One of America's most beloved books will burst onto the CTC stage with MC Dog narrating the mad, musical, comedic journey of canines, big and small. The cadence and language of the book will carry onto the stage in a hip, fun, clamoring, canine cosmos. Directed by Kent Stephens, the production previews August 17, 18, 19, opens August 20, 2004 and runs through October 30, 2004.
Running in repertory with Go, Dog. Go! is Hansel and Gretel, a world premiere developed in CTC's new play lab THRESHOLD, adapted by Rosanna Staffa, with music and lyrics by Ruth MacKenzie. The first-time collaboration of these artists results in a classic tale unfolding in very untraditional and surprising ways, creating a wildly inventive musical that is a delicious feast of wit and calamity. Directed by Peter C. Brosius, the production previews August 31, September 1, 2, opens September 3, 2004 and runs through October 9, 2004.
CTC will celebrate the holidays with A Year with Frog and Toad, based on Arnold Lobel's Newbery and Caldecott Honor Books with music by Robert Reale and book and lyrics by Willie Reale. They're back. Those hibernating hoppers are still the very best friends and continue to show up in each other's dreams. A Year with Frog and Toad, directed by David Petrarca, previews November 16, 17, 18, opens November 19, 2004 and runs through December 31, 2004.
CTC will soar into the New Year with the world premiere of Brooklyn Bridge (developed through a collaboration between CTC and NYC's New Dramatists) by Melissa James Gibson featuring the song, "Wire Wings" by Barbara Brousal, one of the founding members of Dan Zane and Friends. This wry, poetic, tender and intimate story of a latchkey kid is set against the actual building of the Brooklyn Bridge. Sasha's 5th grade paper is due tomorrow and she can't find a pen. When she knocks on neighbors' doors in her multi-ethnic, urban apartment building, she finds a great deal more than a pen – she finds a community. Directed by Daniel Aukin, (artistic director of Soho Rep), the production previews January 18, 19, 20, opens January 21, 2005 and runs through February 19, 2005.
CTC's second winter production will be the world premiere of The Monkey King, based on Wu Chen-En's A Journey to the West, one of the most celebrated classic Chinese novels. It is adapted for the stage by Shen Pei and further adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher. When Sun Wu-Kong, the monkey king; Ba-jie, the forever hungry pig; and Sha Sen, the klutzy carp all get kicked out of heaven, they must earn their way back by accompanying the gentle Monk Tang on an extraordinarily perilous journey to rescue the sacred scrolls and return them to China. Their adventure unfolds to the graceful beauty of Chinese dance, the explosive energy of martial arts and the vivid pageantry of Chinese opera. Co-directed by Shen Pei and Peter C. Brosius, the production previews March 1, 2, 3, opens March 4, 2005 and runs through April 16, 2005.
Development of The Monkey King was funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Closing CTC's 2004-2005 season is the American premiere of The Hobbit, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's book, conceived by Christine Anketell, and adapted for the stage by Gilly McInnes. This Australian adaptation of the ultimate adventure story reminds us that heroes can be found in the most unusual creatures. When Gandalf the Wizard declares hobbit Bilbo Baggins to be the lead burglar in the quest to reclaim gold from the thieving, people-eating dragon Smaug, the journey begins. And it is one daring, comical escapade after another, as Bilbo outwits trolls, spiders, goblins and the cave-dwelling, riddle-loving Gollum. Directed by Whit MacLaughlin (founder of New Paradise Laboratories and creator/director of CTC's 2004 teen production PROM), the production previews April 26, 27, 28, opens April 29 and runs through June 19, 2005.
CTC's teen production for the 2004/2005 season will be announced at a later date.
Season tickets for The Children's Theatre Company are available immediately. Five-play packages range from $34-$90 for children, students and seniors; and $56-$113 for adults. Three-play package prices range from $25-$65 for children, students and seniors, and $41-$81 for adults. For subscribers, A Year with Frog and Toad tickets range from $12-$29 for children, students and seniors; and $16-$35 for adults. Single tickets go on sale July 26, 2004. For further information, call The Children's Theatre Company ticket office at 612/874-0400 or visit our website at www.childrenstheatre.org.
PRESS: Photos for A Year with Frog and Toad are available at www.ctcpix.org.
The Children's Theatre Company is the recipient of the 2003 Regional Theatre Tony® Award for Outstanding Theatre.
* * *
The Children's Theatre Company 2004-2005 Season
Performance Information
Go Dog, Go!
Enjoyed by all ages
A Play by Allison Gregory and Steven Dietz
Music by Michael Koerner
Based on the book by P.D. Eastman
Directed by Kent Stephens
Previews: August 17, 18, 19
Opens: August 20, 2004
Closes: October 30, 2004
Hansel and Gretel
Enjoyed by ages 8 and up
Adapted by Rosanna Staffa
Lyrics and Music by Ruth MacKenzie
Based on the story by the Grimm Brothers
Directed by Peter C. Brosius
Previews: August 31, September 1, 2
Opens: September 3, 2004
Closes: October 9, 2004
A Year with Frog and Toad
Enjoyed by all ages
Book and Lyrics by Willie Reale
Music by Robert Reale
Based on the books by Arnold Lobel
Directed by David Petrarca
Previews: November 16, 17, 18
Opens: November 19, 2004
Closes: December 31, 2004
Brooklyn Bridge
Enjoyed by ages 8 and up
Written by Melissa James Gibson
Directed by Daniel Aukin
Previews: January 18, 19, 20
Opens: January 21, 2005
Closes: February 19, 2005
The Monkey King
Enjoyed by ages 6 and up
Adapted for the stage by Shen Pei
With further adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher
Based on the classic Chinese novel A Journey to the West
Directed by Shen Pei and Peter C. Brosius
Previews: March 1, 2, 3
Opens: March 4, 2005
Closes: April 16, 2005
The Hobbit
Enjoyed by ages 6 and up
Conceived by Christine Anketell
Adapted for the stage by Gilly McInnes
Based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien
Directed by Whit MacLaughlin
Previews: April 26, 27, 28
Opens: April 29, 2005
Closes: June 18, 2005
Back to News & Reviews
|
