Area Attractions - Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress (Children's Theatre Company, 10/10-11/19)

 Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) is thrilled to announce the complete cast and creative team for the highly-anticipated World Premiere play Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress, based on the acclaimed children’s book by Christine Baldacchino with illustrations by Isabelle Malenfant. 

The stage adaptation of Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress is written by juliany taveras (Desarrollo at The Lark’s Playwrights' Week and Corkscrew Theater Festival; the anatomy of light, featured on the Kilroys' List and the 50 Playwrights Project List; SYZYGY, or the ceasing of the sun, featured in the 2021 Crossing Borders/Cruzando Fronteras Festival at Two River Theater; and YAELIS, a Page 73 Finalist).

 

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress will be directed by Heidi Stillman, Artistic Director of Lookingglass Theater in Chicago (Cascabel; The Brothers Karamazov; Hard Times at Lookingglass Theatre Company; The Year I Didn’t Go to School at Chicago Children’s Theatre; and The Book Thief at Steppenwolf).
 

Morris likes lots of things: doing puzzles, painting pictures, pretending to be an astronaut, and wearing a tangerine dress from his school’s dress-up box because it “reminds him of tigers, the sun, and his mother’s hair.” But some of his classmates think boys can’t wear dresses because … well, because they’re boys. With his vivid imagination and space-animal friends, Morris travels the galaxy in search of an answer to the all-important question: “Do astronauts wear dresses?” 
 

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress will play from October 10-November 19, 2023 at CTC’s Cargill Stage (2400 Third Avenue South Minneapolis MN 55404). Opening Night is Saturday, October 14 at 7pm. Tickets may be purchased online at childrenstheatre.org/morris or by calling the ticket office at 612.874.0400. Ticket prices start at $15.
 

The 2014 children’s book Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress has received widespread praise, from critics, readers, families, and educators. Dame Julie Andrews featured it on her podcast,  Julie's Library. It has received the following recognition: 

• Stonewall Book Award-Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children's and Young Adult Literature Award, 2015, Honor, Children's (Young Adult Literature).  

• Australian Family Therapists' Award for Children's Literature, 2017, Picture Book. 

• Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, 2015, Finalist, Children's Literature. 

• Prix TD De Litterature Canadienne Pour L'Enfance et la Jeunesse, 2015, Finalist, English Language. 

• TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, 2015, Finalist, Children's Literature. 

This new play explores themes of finding your identity, exploration, resilience, intolerance/bullying, acceptance, and creativity.  

 

The Adult Cast of Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress features Joy Dolo as Ms. Melo/Moira.

 

The Student Cast of Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress features alternating casts of Mathias Brinda and Scout Groshong as Morris, Baron Heinz and Truman Bednar as Henry, De’Anthony Jackson and Sam Patterson as Eli, Arianna Hymes and Indra Khariwala as Lila, and Hildie Edwards and Mia Lang as Becky. 

 

Deidre Cochran will understudy Joy Dolo in the roles of Ms. Melo/Moira.

 

In addition to juliany taveras and Heidi Stillman, the Creative Team and Production Staff for Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress includes William Boles (Co-Scenic Designer), Sotirios Livaditis (Co-Scenic Designer), Sully Ratke (Costume Designer), Paul Whitaker (Lighting Designer), Rick Sims (Composer/Sound Designer), Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi (Movement Director), Emma Lai (Assistant Director), Dante Benjegerdes (Assistant Lighting Designer), Z Makila* (Stage Manager), Dylan Nicole Martin (Assistant Stage Manager), and Janae Lorick (Stage Management Fellow/PA).

 

*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.

 

Ticket Information

Tickets may be purchase online at childrenstheatre.org/morris or by calling the ticket office at 612.874.0400. Ticket prices start at $15.

School groups interested in attending Cookin’ can contact schools@childrenstheatre.org for more information.

 

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress has a run time of 45 minutes with no intermission.

 

This production is best enjoyed by everyone aged 4 and up. Due to the capacity of the Cargill Stage, a limited number of lap passes for those 18 months and younger will be available. 

 

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress

By juliany taveras

Based on the Book by Christine Baldacchino and Isabelle Malenfant

Directed by Heidi Stillman
A Children’s Theatre Company World Premiere Production
Co-Commissioned by Children’s Theatre Company, Chicago Children's Theatre, and The Rose Theater

October 10-November 19, 2023
Cargill Stage
Best enjoyed by everyone aged 4 and up!

 

Creative Team & Production Staff 

Co-Scenic Designer | William Boles 

Co-Scenic Designer | Sotirios Livaditis 

Costume Designer | Sully Ratke 

Lighting Designer | Paul Whitaker 

Composer/Sound Designer | Rick Sims 

Movement Director | Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi 

Assistant Director | Emma Lai 

Assistant Lighting Designer | Dante Benjegerdes 

Stage Manager | Z. Makila*

Assistant Stage Manager | Dylan Nicole Martin 
Stage Management Fellow / PA | Janae Lorick

 

Adult Cast (in alphabetical order):  

Joy Dolo | Ms. Melo / Moira 

 

Alternating Student Cast (in alphabetical order):  

Mathias Brinda and Scout Groshong | Morris 

Baron Heinz and Truman Bednar | Henry 
De’Anthony Jackson and Sam Patterson | Eli 
Arianna Hymes and Indra Khariwala | Lila  

Hildie Edwards and Mia Lane | Becky 

 

Understudy 

Deidra Cochran | Ms. Melo/Moira U/S 

 

*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.