World Premiere of the Next, Great Dr. Seuss Stage Adaptation at Children’s Theatre Company

Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches The Musical opens February 7

Minneapolis, MN – Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) is proud to announce the world premiere production of Dr. Seuss’ The Sneetches The Musical beginning February 7, 2017. Directed by Peter C. Brosius, the production is written by Philip Dawkins, whose many works have been produced from Canada to Washington DC to Los Angeles, and upcoming at the MCC Theatre (Off-Broadway), with music by David Mallamud, whose works have been heard at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center and Off-Broadway. This new production is the third Dr. Seuss work that CTC has commissioned in a historical partnership that dates back to the first production in 1979 of Dr. Seuss’s The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. It is also the first Dr. Seuss commission since 1994 when Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas premiered at CTC before it became the Old Globe Theatre’s annual holiday show and its Broadway transfer. CTC retains the exclusive rights to produce and perform both works in Minnesota.

“I am thrilled we can bring another one of Ted’s books to life onstage at Children’s Theatre Company,” said Audrey Geisel, Dr. Seuss’s widow. “I hold such fond memories of being at the theatre in Minneapolis with him and am honored to count us as part of the CTC family for so many years.”

Susan Brandt, President of Dr. Seuss Enterprises stated, “One of the cornerstones of why Dr. Seuss’s books are beloved stems from his deep respect of the intelligence of children and that is something CTC has always had in common with us. The messages in the books are very important, which is what has led us to this decades-long partnership with CTC, the nation’s leading theatre for multigenerational audiences. To witness the premiere of The Sneetches onstage with such an incredible creative team that has indeed done a fantastic job capturing his voice is a great point of pride for all of us.”

CTC’s Artistic Director, Peter C. Brosius is thrilled to direct this new world premiere. “The Sneetches couldn’t be a timelier piece of theatre. As we embark on a new year, one that is beginning with a deep divide in our country, this production is about taking that divide and finding unity. It seeks to illuminate that these differences do not define us as people. Philip Dawkins and David Mallamud have taken this extraordinary fable and created a theatre piece filled with wit, heart and urgency. We are thrilled to share it with you.”

On Sneetch Beach, there’s a line in the sand—Star Bellies on one side, Plain Bellies on the other. That’s the way it is, was and will be. At least until the sneaky and greedy Sylvester Monkey McBean comes to town with his Star On machine. Suddenly, the difference between the haves and the have nots—those with stars and those without—isn’t so clear. What will the Sneetches do now? In this rousing and inventive musical adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ powerful parable about the surface things that divide us, it will take a courageous friendship between an unlikely pair of Sneetches to find the answers.

Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches The Musical runs February 7 through March 26, 2017 on the UnitedHealth Group Stage and is recommended for all ages. Tickets are on sale now starting at $15. For more information, visit us online at childrenstheatre.org or call the Ticket Office at 612.874.0400. This work is supported by a Theatre Commissioning and Production Initiative grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts and is sponsored by US Bank.

Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) is the nation’s largest and most acclaimed theatre for multigenerational audiences. It creates theatre experiences that educate, challenge, and inspire for more than 300,000 people annually. CTC is the only theatre focused on young audiences to win the coveted Tony Award® for Outstanding Regional Theatre and is the only theatre in Minnesota to receive three Tony® nominations (for its production of A Year with Frog and Toad). CTC is committed to producing world class productions at the highest level and to developing new works, more than 200 to date, dramatically changing the canon of work for young audiences.

CTC’s engagement and learning programs annually serve more than 85,000 students ages 2-18 through Theatre Arts Training, student matinees, Bridges, and early childhood arts education programs that bring students to the theatre and bring teaching artists into the classroom. The ACT One program is CTC’s comprehensive platform for access, diversity and inclusion in our audiences, programs, staff, and board that strives to ensure the theatre is a home for all people, all families, reflective of our community. www.childrenstheatre.org