Transformation begins with one young girl, a handful of seeds, and a heart full of hope
Childrens Theatre Companys Seedfolks extended through November 16

MINNEAPOLIS Childrens Theatre Company (CTC) is proud to present Seedfolks, a world premiere developed by CTC through the new play development lab. Based on the Newbery Medal-winning book by Paul Fleischman, Seedfolks is about an immigrant neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio that is transformed by a community garden. Actor Sonja Parks embodies the eleven distinct voices of Gibb Street in this enthralling, one-woman production, directed by Peter C. Brosius. Seedfolks runs September 30 November 16, 2014 on the Cargill Stage.

For Peter Brosius, this book has long been one he wished to stage. This is a beautifully written, funny and poignant book about the power we all have to be catalysts for change. We came to the decision to use one single actor to portray eleven, diverse voices in this production as a demonstration that we are all part of a whole, and together, we can create something beautiful.

Seedfolks begins when nine-year-old Kim plants the first seeds in the rat-infested, vacant lot next to her apartment building. They are six lima bean seeds, planted in honor of the father she never knew. Slowly, each member of the community finds a reason to plant their own seeds, resurrecting a derelict lot and uniting a fractured neighborhood. The story consists of 11 different narratives around the shared experience of creating a true neighborhood jewel out of what was an eye-sore, all deftly portrayed by Sonja Parks (Aimee Bryant will replace Parks for the final week of performances).

Parks mused, What I love about CTC is its respect for children as the intelligent little people they are, inviting them and their parents to be part of an experience from which you always learn something, regardless of age.

I cant wait to see it, enthused author Paul Fleischman. "It's always exciting to hand one's work to artists in other realms. So many new possibilities open up when you move from a book to a play: lighting, music, an actor's presence, pauses between lines that can't be rendered on the page. The book is written in the style of multiple points of view which is a hallmark of his fiction. Fleischman will be attending the production on Saturday, October 11 and signing books between 3-5pm that day.

Jorge Cousineau will bring the world of Clevelands Gibb Street to life as the set and video projection designer with costumes by Sonja Berlovitz and lighting design by Paul Whitaker. Victor Zupanc is the composer with sound design by Sean Healey. DArcy Smith is the dialect coach and Joe Chvala choreographs. Seedfolks is proudly sponsored by General Mills Foundation, with additional support from the Linda Jacobs Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Due to many performances selling out, Seedfolks has been extended by one week and runs September 30 November 16 on the Cargill Stage. As part of CTCs commitment to programming for ages two through eighteen, Seedfolks is recommended for grades 3-8, and the book is required reading for Minneapolis sixth
graders. Tickets are on sale now starting at $10. For more information, visit us online at childrenstheatre.org or call the Ticket Office at 612.874.0400.

Childrens Theatre Company (CTC) is the only theatre for young people to win the coveted Tony® Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre (2003). Founded in 1965, CTC serves 250,000 people annually and is one of the 20 largest regional theatre companies in the nation, named by Time Magazine as the number one theatre for families in the U.S.A. The company is noted for defining worldwide standards for youth theatre with an innovative mix of classic tales, celebrated international productions and challenging new work. In 2015-2016, CTC will celebrate its 50th Anniversary season!