A timely adaptation of a book about an imaginative boy who loves to play dress-up is among the shows announced for the 2023-24 season at Children's Theatre Company.
"Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress" will be adapted by trans, Afro-Indigenous writer Juliany Taveras (the names sound the same, but the book is not connected to actor Maurice Micklewhite, better known as Michael Caine). Taveras also has a deal to develop film and TV projects for streamer Amazon. The book, which has been challenged in some schools and libraries, was written by Christine Baldacchino. The world premiere, recommended for ages 4 and up, plays Oct. 10-Nov. 19 on the Cargill Stage.
Another world premiere is "Babble Lab," a preschool-appropriate comedy written and performed by CTC company member Autumn Ness. Partly inspired by Dadaist "sound poetry," Ness' debut play features her as a scientist trying to figure out where sounds come from in a laboratory. She gets more than she bargained for when an experiment results in letters bouncing all over the place. Directed by Sarah Agnew, the show runs March 9-April 14, 2024, on the Cargill Stage.
The season opens with a South Korean adventure for foodies of all ages, "Cookin.'" Four frenzied chefs send vegetables and pots flying in a cooking competition. Samulnori, performed with traditional musical instruments, and martial arts also come to life on the CTC main stage Sept. 12-Oct. 22. Recommended for all ages.
Another new show in the CTC roster is "The Carp Who Would Not Quit and Other Animal Stories," based on a collection of Japanese and Okinawan tales. It was adapted by Reiko Ho and the ensemble of the Honolulu Theatre for Youth. Puppets, masked performers and live drumming merge on the Cargill Stage, under Ho's direction, Jan. 16-Feb. 18, 2024.
"A Year With Frog and Toad" ambles back to CTC, featuring seasonal peeks into the lives of the odd-couple pals. The musical premiered there in 2002 before a Broadway run that earned it three Tony Award nominations, including best musical. CTC last produced it in 2017. Its return concludes the season, running on the main stage April 23-June 16, 2024. It will be helmed by artistic director Peter C. Brosius, who announced he'll leave the theater at the end of the season.
Also back, under Brosius' direction, is a tuneful "Alice in Wonderland" that earned raves for its inventive performances and for Skip Mercier's eye-popping scenic design when CTC performed it in 2013. Based on Lewis Carroll's classic book about a girl who tumbles into a fantastical world, "Alice" runs Feb. 13-March 31, 202,4 on the main stage.
Another returning favorite is "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas," which has become a holiday staple for CTC. The tuneful Dr. Seuss adaptation about a miser who learns about the spirit of Christmas from the tiniest resident of Whoville will appear on the main stage from Nov. 7, 2023, to Jan. 7, 2024, directed by Brosius.
The price range for the packages is $90-$300. For more information or to order season tickets, call 612-874-0400 or visit childrenstheatre.org.
