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News Releases 
The Children's Theatre Company Announces Programming and Scheduling Changes for 2006-2007 Cargill Stage Season 
For Immediate Release: October 20, 2006
Minneapolis, MN – The Children's Theatre Company (CTC) has announced three changes to its 2006-2007 Cargill Stage lineup. This is only the second CTC season that has included programming for pre-shoolers and teens since the theater opened its expansion space in the fall of 2005.
"We are responding to some outstanding opportunities, and we are happy to be able to offer our audience even more new and exciting theater in the 2006-2007 season" said Teresa Eyring.
Just recently, CTC was chosen as one of only five professional theaters to create the first productions of Disney's High School Musical and it has been added to CTC's 2006-2007 season.
"The popularity of this television movie is an utter phenomenon," said CTC artistic director Peter C. Brosius. "I watched the DVD with both my 8 year old son, Gabriel and my thirteen year old daughter, Daria. They both loved the songs and found the characters fun and quirky. Almost immediately, we bought the CD and, yes, the entire family sang along. Hopefully, this will be a joyride for all of us as we make theater out of this smart and very funny send-up of the way we stereotype and limit people."
Disney's High School Musical has a book by David Simpatico; songs by Matthew Gerrard, Robbie Nevil, Ray Cham, Greg Cham, Andrew Seeley, Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn, Andy Dodd, Adam Watts, Bryan Louiselle, David N. Lawrence, Faye Greenberg and Jamie Houston; music adapted, arranged and produced by Bryan Louiselle; and is based on a Disney Channel Original Movie written by Peter Barsocchini.
The story involves Troy Bolton, the popular captain of the basketball team and Gabriella Montez, the brainy and beautiful member of the academic club as they break all the rules of the East High society when they secretly audition for the leads in the school's musical. As they reach for the stars and follow their dreams, everyone learns about acceptance, teamwork and being themselves. And it alls play out with the songs and dance moves that have captured the world as well as two new songs.
CTC's production will be directed by Peter Rothstein. It will play on the Cargill Stage January 3 - February 4, 2007.
From October 23 through October 29, current CTC subscribers, FlexPak buyers and Theatre Arts Training students have a one-week "advance chance" to add Disney's High School Musical to their package. Subscribers may purchase tickets on-line starting Sunday, October 22. It is also still possible to purchase CTC ticket packages during those two weeks. Tickets go on sale to the general public on October 30, 2006.
The second change is that CTC will be substituting The Green Sheep for Goodbye Mr. Muffin.
For the past two years, CTC's pre-school productions have sold out almost instantly upon announcement and Goodbye Mr. Muffin was no exception. CTC was turning away many eager pre-schoolers and their families. The majority of these preschoolers are in the 2-3 year old age range. As CTC has deepened its relationship to the piece, we realized that that Goodbye Mr. Muffin is more suited to children ages 5 and up. The Green Sheep is for young people ages 1 to 5 and accommodates twice as many audience members.
Now in CTC's pre-school slot is The Green Sheep, based on the book Where is The Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek. It will be performed by Windmill Performing Arts, one of Australia's leading theaters for young people.
"I met with Windmill Performing Arts artistic director Cate Fowler several times and she has been to CTC," Brosius said. "We have been corresponding for some time about projects and then we met again at the Kennedy Center's New Voice New Visions Festival where both our companies had pieces. The Green Sheep coming to the Twin Cities is a result of that meeting."
The Green Sheep will play on the Cargill Stage May 8 - June 3, 2007. Current ticket holders for Goodbye Mr. Muffin will simply exchange their tickets for The Green Sheep.
The third change simply reflects a scheduling change for Fashion 47 by Diane Paulus and Randy Weiner. Currently in development in CTC's new play lab, THRESHOLD, the play will have its world premiere on the Cargill Stage from September 26 - October 21, 2007. New tickets have been issued to patrons holding tickets to the originally scheduled dates.
CTC's 2006-2007 repertory included The BFG and The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963. Watsons closed on October 7; The BFG will run until October 29.
Other mainstage CTC productions for the 2006-2007 season include everyone's holiday favorite, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, directed by CTC's own Matthew Howe; the world premiere of Tale of a West Texas Marsupial Girl, by Lisa D'Amour; Huck Finn, adapted and directed by Greg Banks and Seussical, directed by CTC's own Matthew Howe.
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