MINNEAPOLIS—Returning to Children’s Theatre Company (CTC), Greg Banks—the IVEY Award-winning director of Romeo & Juliet—goes medieval with muscle as CTC stages the classic story of Robin Hood.

Robin Hood marks Banks’ sixth production at CTC.  His U.S. work has included Antigone and Huck Finn, here at CTC, as well as work for Seattle Children’s Theatre and The New Victory Theater on Broadway. Internationally, he has directed at the Unicorn Children’s Theatre, the Bristol Old Vic, The Birmingham Stage Company, Traveling Light Theatre Company and New Perspectives Theatre Company.

Banks received critical acclaim for his promenade-style production of Romeo & Juliet that enveloped audience members in the action, engaging them directly in the performance.  High-powered and action-packed, Banks’ version of Robin Hood offers a contemporary view of the medieval tale and is brimming with fierce fight choreography, sly jokes and sharp jabs, all staged by a small—but mighty—cast of four. 

As Robin Hood, Dean Holt, who most recently played Mushu the dragon in Disney’s Mulan, Jr., and Pearl Cramp--one of Cinderella’s ugly stepsisters in last winter’s holiday spectacle, reunites with Banks, having worked with him in Romeo & Juliet, Huck Finn and Antigone (all at CTC).  Holt has been part of CTC’s Acting Company for the last 17 years and is the recipient of an IVEY Award for his work in CTC’s production of Reeling.   

Playing opposite Holt, are both Anna Sundberg, as Maid Marian, and Reed Sigmund, who plays multiple roles of Prince John, Will Scarlett, Friar Tuck and Little John.  Sigmund is starting his 11th season as an Acting Company member and is best known for his roles in Cinderella (as the ugly stepsister Dorcas Cramp), The Wizard of Oz, A Year with Frog and Toad, The Snow Queen and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

Anna Sundberg is making her CTC debut as Maid Marian.  Most recently, Sundberg was seen in Alan Berks & Company’s #Ringtone at the Minnesota Fringe Festival. Among her other Twin Cities credits are: Some Girl(s) and Transdimensional Couriers Union at Walking Shadow Theatre Company; Rock ‘n’ Roll at Park Square Theatre, Julius Caesar in the Great River Shakespeare Festival; and A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater. 

Rounding out the cast of four is Julian McFaul, who is jeered as the Sheriff of Nottingham. McFaul is a founding member of Bedlam Theatre, where he was a leading actor and designer for the company’s first ten years.  Most notably, he wrote, directed and designed Terminus at the Bedlam.  McFaul’s work has taken him to Improbable Theatre, Mabou Mines, Open Eye Figure Theatre, Theatre de la Jeune Lune and In the Heart of the Beast Theatre’s MayDay Parade. He was last seen at CTC as Smee and Mrs. Darling in the 2008 production of Peter Pan.

Under the engaging and innovative directorial eye of Greg Banks, the cast inhabits a small, intimate set of backlit trees and stages intricately choreographed fight scenes on the blanket of downed tree stumps designed brilliantly by Joseph Stanley, who just this month received an IVEY Award for his scenic design of Disney’s Mulan, Jr. Stanley’s work can also currently be seen on CTC’s UnitedHealth Group stage in Dr. Seuss’ The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.

Costume design is provided by Mary Anna Culligan, a long-time painter/dyer in CTC’s costume shop.  Culligan designed for Romeo & Juliet, Pippi Longstocking, The Magic Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Antigone and Huck Finn. Rebecca Fuller Jensen provides lighting design for Robin Hood, while composer Victor Zupanc (who also provides sound design for this production) joins the cast on stage, providing live music throughout the production.

Finally, Edward “Ted” Sharon, who serves as the head of acting in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the State University of New York—Fredonia, has created some of the most memorable fight scenes to exist on CTC’s stage. Sharon is a certified teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors, a senior instructor with Dueling Arts International and a faculty member at Action Film Workshops.  His work has seen at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; at the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy; the Boston Lyric Opera; The California Shakespeare Festival; in Taiwan R.O.C.; and in mainland China. 

After a VERY successful run of Dr. Seuss’ The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins and an extremely popular showing of Greg Banks’ Robin Hood, Robin Hood will be extended by one week, adding 10 additional performances.

Tickets range from $26–$40 for adults and $16–$2o for children (17 & under), students and seniors and are available by calling (612) 874-0400 or by visiting www.childrenstheatre.org.

Subscriptions for the 2010-2011 season, which also includes show-stopping hits such as Annie (directed by High School Musical director, Peter Rothstein), Dr. Seuss’ The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (currently playing through Oct. 30), Babe (The Sheep Pig), Barrio Grrrl! and A Christmas Story, are available now by calling (612) 874-0400.

Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) is the first theatre for young people to win the coveted Tony® Award for Outstanding Regional Theater (2003). Founded in 1965, CTC serves more than 300,000 people annually and is one of the 20 largest theater companies in the nation. CTC is noted for defining worldwide standards for youth theatre with an innovative mix of classic tales, celebrated international productions and challenging new work.

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Children’s Theatre Company “Robin Hood”
Performance Schedule
Tickets: (612) 874-0400 or www.childrenstheatre.org

Fri, Nov. 12      7:30pm
Sat, Nov. 13     11:00am & 2:00pm
Sun, Nov. 14    2:00pm & 5:00pm

Thu, Nov. 18    7:00pm
Fri, Nov. 19      7:30pm    (ASL/AD performance)
Sat, Nov. 20    11:00am & 2:00pm
Sun, Nov. 21    2:00pm & 5:00pm
Tues., Nov. 23, 7:00 pm
Wed, Nov. 24   7:00pm
Fri, Nov. 26      2:00pm & 7:30pm
Sat, Nov. 27      11:00am & 2:00pm
Sun, Nov. 28    2:00pm & 5:00pm
Tues., Nov. 30, 7:00 pm
Thu, Dec. 2      7:00pm
Fri, Dec. 3        7:30pm
Sat, Dec. 4        2:00pm & 7:30pm
Sun, Dec. 5       2:00pm & 5:00pm
Tues., Dec. 7, 7:00 pm
Wed., Dec. 8, 7:00 pm
Thurs., Dec. 9, 7:00 pm
Fri., Dec. 10, 7:30 pm
Sat., Dec. 11, 11:00 am & 2:00 pm
Sun., Dec. 12, 2:00 pm & 5:00 pm

All information and photos contained herein courtesy of CTC.

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