Children's Theatre Company's 2026-2027 Season Starts September 8

MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- Children's Theatre Company (CTC) is getting ready to launch its new season on September 8th. The 2026-2027 productions include two world premieres, favorites like the School of Rock, and classics like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Pinocchio.

CTC's Artistic Director Rick Dildine says their version of Pinocchio has a twist:

"It's about a group of painters who think they are arriving to paint the theater, but then they look up and realize there's a whole audience of people there to see Pinocchio, so they take it upon themselves to perform Pinocchio, and they use every bit of ingenuity and inventiveness possible to perform this classic story."

Dildine says the twist is unique to CTC, and the original director Greg Banks is returning for this year's production.

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Twelve Kinds of Ice and Princess Kay of the Milky Way will make their world premieres at CTC. Dildine says the Princess Kay show is about exactly what you think:

"It is about, yes, the Minnesota State Fair and the crowning of the butter queen. This is one of the shows that I'm looking forward to the most this season. It's got great original music, and it celebrates everything that we love about Minnesota."

Dildine says several of CTC's original shows have gone on to Broadway and be licensed around the world. CTC is the only theater in the Twin Cities that has Tony Award nominations and is the largest theater for young people in North America.

Other shows in CTC's new season include Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: The Musical, Havanna Hop, and Joseph Kekuku and the Voice of the Steel Guitar.

Princess Kay of The Milky Way premieres on February 23rd, 2027, and CTC's season kicks off with Pinocchio on September 8th. Tickets for all the shows are on sale now.

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Filed Under: Children's Theatre Company