![Children's Theatre Company](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Children%27s_Theatre_Company.jpg)
The Children's Theatre Company is a
regional theater A regional theater or resident theater in the United States is a professional or semi-professional theater company that produces its own seasons. The term ''regional theater'' most often refers to a professional theater outside New York City. A reg ...
established in 1965 in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, specializing in plays for families, young audiences and
the very young. The theater is the largest theater for multigenerational audiences in the United States and is the recipient of 2003
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
for Outstanding Regional Theatre. The November 2, 2004, edition of ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' magazine named the company as the top theater for children in the U.S.
Children’s Theatre Company operates two theatre spaces including the UnitedHealth Group Stage which seats 747 and the mixed-use Cargill Stage which seats up to 300. Architect
Michael Graves
Michael Graves (July 9, 1934 – March 12, 2015) was an American architect, designer, and educator, as well as principal of Michael Graves and Associates and Michael Graves Design Group. He was a member of The New York Five and the Memphis Gr ...
designed the expansion for the theater in 2003 nearly doubling the production shops and adding the Cargill stage and lobby space.
History
The founding is credited to John Clark Donahue
and Beth Linnerson
under the name The Moppet Players from 1961-1965. It became the education department of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts from 1965-75 when it became a 501c3 non-profit organization. Many productions were adaptations from
children's literature
Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader.
Children's ...
including ''
Pippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking ( sv, Pippi Långstrump) is the fictional main character in an eponymous series of children's books by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Pippi was named by Lindgren's daughter Karin, who asked her mother for a get-well story w ...
'', ''
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
''The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins'' is a children's book, written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss and published by Vanguard Press in 1938. Unlike the majority of Geisel's books, it is written in prose rather ...
'', ''
Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
'', ''
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'' is a Christmas children's story by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author. It follows the Grinch, a grouchy, solitary creature who tries to cancel Christmas by st ...
'', ''
A Year with Frog and Toad
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...
'' and ''
Alice in Wonderland'' that have been in the company's repertoire for decades.. Actors in productions are a mix of adult and young adult performers. Recent plays and musicals produced are written by leading playwrights that include wholly original stories and adaptations of books by popular authors such as
Matt De La Peña
Matthew de la Peña is an American writer of children's books who specializes in novels for young adults. He won the Newbery Medal in 2016 for his book ''Last Stop on Market Street''.
Biography
A San Diego, California, native, Matt de la Peña re ...
,
Jeff Kinney
Jeffrey Patrick Kinney (born February 19, 1971) is an American author and cartoonist, best known for the children's book series ''Diary of a Wimpy Kid''. He also created the child-oriented website '' Poptropica''.
Early life
Jeff Kinney was bor ...
,
J.R.R. Tolkien,
Kate DiCamillo
Katrina Elizabeth DiCamillo (born March 25, 1964) is an American children's fiction author. She has published over 25 novels, including '' Because of Winn-Dixie'', ''The Tiger Rising'', ''The Tale of Despereaux'', ''The Miraculous Journey ...
, and
Jacqueline Woodson
Jacqueline Woodson (born February 12, 1963) is an American writer of books for children and adolescents. She is best known for ''Miracle's Boys'', and her Newbery Honor-winning titles ''Brown Girl Dreaming'', ''After Tupac and D Foster'', ''Feat ...
.
The programs began operating from space donated in a restaurant before moving to an abandoned fire station donated when the troupe affiliated itself with the social service agency Pillsbury-Waite Settlement House.
It is now located next to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
John Clark Donahue was fired 1984 after pleading guilty to sexual abuse of three male minor students. Donahue was sentenced to a year in prison and 15 years' probation during which time he was to completely disengage himself from the Children's Theatre Company.
On December 1, 2015, two former students from the 1970s and early 80s filed civil lawsuits against the theater claiming abuse by Donohue and Jason McLean, a former actor. Additional suits were filed under the Minnesota Child Victims Act. which expired in May 2016. Donahue died of cancer in March 2019.
On November 1, 2019, Children's Theatre Company announced the settlement of all 16 lawsuits. Children's Theatre Company's board of directors also approved a contribution to a newly created Survivors Fund in the amount of $500,000 requested by the survivors.
Leadership
The theater was founded by John Clark Donahue along with John Burton Davidson, Shirley Diercks,
Martha Pierce Boesing and Beth Leinerson. Jon Cranny served as the theater's second artistic director from 1984
until 1997, when Peter C. Brosius became the theater's third artistic director alongside the theater's managing directors: Theresa Eyring (1999–2007), Gabriella Callichio (2007–11), Tim Jennings (2011–15) and Kimberly Motes (16-present). Brosius was the longest serving Artistic Director in the history of Children’s Theatre Company.
New Plays/Notable People
In 1998, under Brosius' leadership, the theater established a new play laboratory, which works with leading playwrights, composers, designers, and directors. Over 200 new plays have been developed and the majority have had their world premieres at Children’s Theatre Company.
The theater has partnered with other large theatre producers such as
Kevin McCollum
Kevin McCollum (born March 1, 1962) is an American theatrical booking executive and producer of musical theater and plays, many on Broadway. During a producing career spanning over twenty-five years, McCollum has received three Tony Awards for ...
, Buena Vista Theatricals, Universal Theatrical Group, and other leading regional theaters such as
The Old Globe Theatre
The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons. Plays are performed in three separate theatres in the complex, which i ...
,
New Victory Theater
The New Victory Theater is a theater at 209 West 42nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, near Times Square. Built in 1900 as the Republic Theatre (also Theatre Republic), it was designed by Albert Westover an ...
,
Alliance Theatre
The Alliance Theatre is a theater company in Atlanta, Georgia, based at the Alliance Theatre, part of the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center, and is the winner of the 2007 Regional Theatre Tony Award. The company, originally the Atlanta Municipal T ...
, Arena Stage, and others. The original production of ''
A Year with Frog and Toad
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...
'' transferred to Broadway and was nominated for three Tony Awards. The theater's production of ''
A Year with Frog and Toad
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...
'', completed a run at the
Cort Theatre
The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 138 West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. It was built in ...
on
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
in June 2003. The theater commissioned and developed the production ''Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Musical'' together with Broadway producer
Kevin McCollum
Kevin McCollum (born March 1, 1962) is an American theatrical booking executive and producer of musical theater and plays, many on Broadway. During a producing career spanning over twenty-five years, McCollum has received three Tony Awards for ...
and
Buena Vista Theatrical and
Jeff Kinney
Jeffrey Patrick Kinney (born February 19, 1971) is an American author and cartoonist, best known for the children's book series ''Diary of a Wimpy Kid''. He also created the child-oriented website '' Poptropica''.
Early life
Jeff Kinney was bor ...
, author of
the book series. It had its world premiere in 2016 and a subsequent production in 2022.
In 2021, Children’s Theatre Company,
Penumbra (Saint Paul, MN),
Ma-Yi Theater Company Ma-Yi Theater Company is a professional, not-for-profit, Obie Award and Drama Desk Award-winning theater company based in New York City that was founded in 1989. Ma-Yi Theater is headed by executive director Jorge Ortoll and artistic director Ral ...
(New York City, NY),
Latino Theater Company
The Latino Theater Company (LTC) is a theatre producing organization based in Los Angeles, California.
History
Latino Theater Company was founded in 1985 by its Artistic Director, Jose Luis Valenzuela. Founding members included Lupe Ontiver ...
(Los Angeles, CA), and Native Voices at the
Autry (Los Angeles, CA) announced a landmark partnership that received a $1.5 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to create Generation Now. The program will commission and develop 16 new plays by Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American Pacific Islander writers for multigenerational audiences. The output of Generation Now promises to “radically expand the inclusiveness of each theatre, expand the canon of work produced for multigenerational audiences, and create a model of transformative partnership for the theatre field.”
The theater will be premiering a brand new musical version of ''An American Tail the Musical'' in 2023, based on the
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
/
Amblin Entertainment
Amblin Entertainment, Inc., formerly named Amblin Productions and Steven Spielberg Productions, is an American film production company founded by director and producer Steven Spielberg, and film producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marsha ...
animated film from 1989, with Universal Theatrical Group.
Notable playwrights include:
*
Itamar Moses
Itamar Moses (born 1977) is an American playwright, author, and television writer.
Biography
Moses grew up in a Jewish family in Berkeley, California, earned his bachelor's degree at Yale University, and his Master of Fine Arts degree in drama ...
*
Cheryl L. West
* Philip Dawkins
*
Nilo Cruz
Nilo Cruz is a Cuban-American playwright and pedagogue. With his award of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play '' Anna in the Tropics'', he became the second Latino so honored, after Nicholas Dante.
Biography
Early years
Cruz was bor ...
*
Jeffrey Hatcher
Jeffrey Hatcher is an American playwright and screenwriter. He wrote the stage play ''Compleat Female Stage Beauty'', which he later adapted into a screenplay, shortened to just ''Stage Beauty'' (2004). He also co-wrote the stage adaptation o ...
* Kia Corthron
*
Naomi Iizuka
Naomi or Naomie may refer to:
People and biblical figures
* Naomi (given name), a female given name and a list of people with the name
* Naomi (biblical figure), Ruth's mother-in-law in the Old Testament Book of Ruth
* Naomi (Romanian singer) (bo ...
* Barry Kornhauser
* Greg Banks
*
Willie Reale
Willie Reale is an American lyricist who has received Academy Award nominations for best song category for his work as a lyricist on the movie ''Dreamgirls'' and has won 3 Emmy awards (in 2010, 2011) as one of the writer/producers for ''The Electr ...
* Jerome Hairston
*
Lloyd Suh
* Kari Margolis
*
Larissa Fasthorse
Notable composers include:
*
Lamont Dozier
Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He co-wrote and produced 14 US ''Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK.
Career
Doz ...
, Paris Ray Dozier
* Victor Zupanc
* Michael Mahler
* Alan Schmuckler
* David Mallamud
Notable actors include:
*
Laura Osnes
Laura Ann Osnes (born November 19, 1985) is an American actress and singer known for her work on the Broadway stage. She has played starring roles in '' Grease'' as Sandy, ''South Pacific'' as Nellie Forbush, '' Anything Goes'' as Hope Harcourt, ...
*
Adam Shankman
*
Lea Thompson
Lea Katherine Thompson (born May 31, 1961) is an American actress and director.
She is best known for her role as Lorraine Baines-McFly in the ''Back to the Future'' film trilogy (1985–1990) and Beverly Switzler in '' Howard the Duck'' (1 ...
* Ann Kim
* Francesca Curran
*
Ryan McCartan
*
Vincent Kartheiser
*
Josh Hartnett
Joshua Daniel Hartnett (born July 21, 1978) is an American actor and producer. He first came to attention in 1997 for his role as Michael Fitzgerald in the television crime drama series '' Cracker''. He made his feature film debut in 1998 in th ...
* Alix Kendall
* Dean Holt
* Autumn Ness
* Reed Sigmund
* Rajane Katurah
*
Mark Linn-Baker
Mark Linn-Baker (born June 17, 1954) is an American actor and director who played Benjy Stone in the film ''My Favorite Year'' and Larry Appleton in the television sitcom '' Perfect Strangers''.
Early life and education
Mark Linn-Baker was bo ...
2022–2023 Season
* ''Circus Abyssinia: Tulu'', Co-created, directed, and produced by Mehari “Bibi” Tesfamariam and Binyam “Bichu” Shimellis
* ''Carmela Full of Wishes'', by Alvaro Saar Rios, from the book by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson, directed by Tatyana-Marie Carlo
* ''Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas'', based on the book by Dr. Seuss, Book and lyrics by Timothy Mason, music by Mel Marvin, directed by Peter C. Brosius
* ''Locomotion'', written and adapted by book author, Jacqueline Woodson, directed by Talvin Wilks
* ''Corduroy'' by Barry Kornhauser, based on the book by Don Freeman, directed by Peter C. Brosius
* ''An American Tail the Musical'' by Itamar Moses, based on the Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment animated film, music and lyrics by Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler, directed by Taibi Magar, in association with Universal Theatrical Group
See Children’s Theatre Compan
production historyfor previous seasons.
See also
*
Plays for Young Audiences
References
Sources
*
*
* Schuessler, Jennifer. Wimpy Kid Musical to have Premiere in Minneapolis (
https://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/16/wimpy-kid-musical-to-have-premiere-in-minneapolis/) February 2015
External links
*
*
''Children's Theatre Company''A documentary produced by Minnesota Originals for
Twin Cities PBS
Twin Cities Public Television, Inc. (abbreviated TPT, doing business as Twin Cities PBS) is a nonprofit organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, that operates the Twin Cities' two PBS member television stations, KTCA-TV (chann ...
Interview with children's author/artist Tomie dePaola and playwright Constance Congdonabout their collaboration on the 1990 CTC play ''Mother Goose'', interviewed by Gretchen Wronka, ''ALL ABOUT KIDS!'' TV Series #43 (1990)
Interview with author Barry Lopezabout the adaptation of his book ''Crow and Weasel'' for a CTC play, interviewed by Gretchen Wronka, ''ALL ABOUT KIDS!'' TV Series #157 (1994)
PBS Newshoursegment, “Minneapolis-based Children’s Theatre Company debuts play about race and policing” (2022)
Broadway World “First Look at Newly Updated Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Musical” (2022)
{{Authority control
1961 establishments in Minnesota
Theatre companies in Minneapolis
Theatre in Minneapolis
Tony Award winners
Regional theatre in the United States
Michael Graves buildings
Children's theatre
Performing groups established in 1961