Corduroy at Children’s Theatre Company – Extends One Week Due to Popular Demand!!

World Premiere of Corduroy Begins March 6; Already Extends One Week Due to Popular Demand

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Publication of the Book

I cannot wait to take Gradie to see Corduroy at the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) in Minneapolis.  Growing up we read this book, and now we get to share our love of it with Gradie.  

Corduroy opens March 6 and runs through May 20, 2018, which is an extended week due to the demand CTC has already seen.

Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) presents the world premiere of the classic children’s book brought to the stage of Corduroy, adapted by Barry Kornhauser and directed by CTC’s Artistic Director of 20 years, Peter C. Brosius.

CTC Company Member Dean Holt will be playing Corduroy, CTC Company Member Reed Sigmund will play the Night Watchman, Ileri Okikiolu will debut at CTC playing the role of Lisa, Lauren Davis will play Lisa’s Mother and Mimi Kol-Balfour and Keegan Robinson as a student ensemble. You can learn more about the cast in this Off Book article.

This year also marks the 50^th anniversary of the publication of the much beloved Corduroy book by author and illustrator Don Freeman. Published six years after The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats broke the color barrier in children’s picture books, Freeman decided to portray Lisa as an African American girl, at a time when children’s books featuring minority children were still relatively rare.

“On this 50th anniversary of the publication of Don Freeman’s classic Corduroy, I’m incredibly honored to help bring about its first stage adaptation,” states playwright Barry Kornhauser. “Who doesn’t remember a special childhood toy that we thought of as a real friend? And one that came to life (if only in our imaginations)? Of course, I’m incredibly excited to once again be given the gift of working with Peter and his brilliant and passionate team to build upon Freeman’s book, exploring what might have gone on the rest of that night with Corduroy and the Night Watchman in the department store, and also with Lisa and her mom in their apartment, in this beloved story of longing and friendship.”

Join Corduroy on his delightfully destructive chase through every section of the department store in search of his missing button. Will the night watchman find him and return him to his shelf before he can find his important button? Will Lisa ever convince her mother to let her give the bear a home? The tender, enduring story about true friendship will touch the hearts of young and old alike.”

A CTC world premiere production, Corduroy opens March 6 and runs through May 20, 2018 on the Cargill Stage and is recommended for preschoolers and up.

Individual show tickets and subscriptions can be purchased at childrenstheatre.org or by calling the ticket office at 612.874.0400.