For high stakes adventure on the open sea, head to Children's Theatre Company in South Minneapolis. Their production of Scottish playwright Stuart Paterson's adaptation of
the 1883 novel Treasure Island is a high energy tale filled with music, magic, thrilling fight scenes, and admirable heroism. Surprisingly, this was my first experience with the classic tale, having never read the book or seen any of the many movie adaptations. There are a lot of pirates and bad guys to keep track of, but the trajectory of our young hero Jim is clear as he risks life, limb, and reputation to do what's right and stand up to the bullies who will stop at nothing to get what they want. The kind of heroism that seems to be lacking in the real world right now, but maybe Jim will inspire us to be heroes in our own stories. CTC recommends this show for age 8 and up, and I observed some little ones getting a little squirrelly as the story and accents might have gone over their heads, and there's quite a bit of violence, including gunfights and murder. But for the older kids and the grown-ups, this show is treasure indeed.
Highlights of the show include:
- In his directorial debut at CTC, new Artistic Director Rick Dildine infuses the play with great energy and momentum, nicely balancing all of the elements including music, movement, and technical effects, and allowing the emotions to shine through.
%20Reed%20Sigmund,%20Truman%20Bednar,%20and%20Jose%CC%81%20Sabillo%CC%81n%20in%20Children's%20Theatre%20Company's%20production%20of%20'Treasure%20Island'%20directed%20by%20Rick%20Dildine.%20Photo%20by%20Glen%20Stubbe%20Photography.JPG) |
Long John Silver (Reed Sigmund) and Jim (Truman Bednar)
on the ship (with José Sabillón at the wheel, photo by Glen Stubbe) |
Two young actors alternate in the role of Jim; I saw Truman Bednar and he's wonderful. So earnest and true, a hero to root for, totally holding his own amongst the pros. With ten years of dance training, including ballet, I hope he's auditioning for Artistry's production of Billy Elliot next year!- Longtime CTC company member Reed Sigmund's performance as the legendary Long John Silver is worth the price of admission alone. He grew out his hair and beard for the role (as did some others in the cast), and he absolutely looks and acts the part of the charming but dastardly pirate. As we know from the Grinch, Reed does deliciously evil well.
%20Max%20Wojtanowicz,%20Truman%20Bednar,%20and%20Em%20Adam%20Rosenberg%20in%20Children's%20Theatre%20Company's%20production%20of%20'Treasure%20Island'%20directed%20by%20Rick%20Dildine.%20Photo%20by%20Glen%20Stubbe%20Photography.JPG) |
a treasure map! (Max Wojtanowicz, Truman Bednar,
and Em Adam Rosenberg, photo by Glen Stubbe) |
The entire supporting cast is super strong, many of them playing multiple roles with just a change of costume and/or wig. Em Adam Rosenberg and Max Wojtanowicz are fun as the gentleman in charge of the treasure quest, in a bit over their heads; Matt Riehle plays a couple of uniquely gruff captains; Ryan London Levin inhabits a couple of nefarious characters (upon one entrance I heard a child exclaim "uh oh!"); José Sabillón is charmingly kooky as the island castaway who helps our heroes; with Theo Janke-Furman, Keegan Robinson, Logan Lang, and Jon Schumacher filling multiple roles, both good guys and bad.- Under Music Director Victor Zupanc, who also appears on stage as one of the gang, playing piano and guitar and other instruments, the musical interludes are really fantastic. Several of the cast members are great instrumentalists and/or singers, and we get to enjoy their talents in several songs that sounds like those of the period, in a sort of folk/Americana style. In particular, the duets by Matt and Em are so gorgeous I wish they'd record an album together.
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| the crew (photo by Glen Stubbe) |
The versatile ship set is truly spectacular, designed by brothers Christopher and Justin Swader. The bones of the set are like the hull of a ship, except made of bookshelves overflowing with books, reminding us of the literary origin of this tale. We open in a pub, the upper half covered, and when we move to the ship the second story deck of the ship is revealed. The effect of the sails is done in a low-tech and lovely way, with movement of the cast around ropes and the ship's wheel giving a sense of motion. Act II takes place primarily on the island, with an exciting and abrupt shift at the end of Act I, flotsam and jetsam filling the stage and many giant ropes hanging from the ceiling like overgrown foliage.- The fantastic costume design (by Alexa Behm) includes some elegant suits for the gentleman, but the pirate and sailor costumes are the most fun, like the best pirate Halloween costumes you've ever seen. Trousers and skirts and tunics and scarves and tripod hats, each one unique and suited to the character.
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