Robert Dorfman Makes Children's Theatre Company Debut in BALLOONACY, Now thru 5/4

Children's Theatre Company welcomes Robert Dorfman, celebrated actor of stage, film and television, to the Cargill Stage in the world premiere of Balloonacy by award-winning playwright Barry Kornhauser. Dorfman, who recently relocated to the Twin Cities, will make his CTC debut as the Old Man in this world premiere production for two to five years-olds. Public performances of Balloonacy will run weekends today, March 29 through May 4 with three performances each Saturday and Sunday.

A withdrawn Old Man (Dorfman) is steadfast in his solitary routine until a Balloon drifts in through his Parisian apartment window insisting on becoming his friend. The Old Man desperately tries to rid himself of the annoying red Balloon who magically emerges out of the most unlikely of places. Despite the Old Man's struggle to remain alone, the Balloon's efforts lead to a joyful afternoon of games, dancing and surprises, ultimately teaching the Old Man to how to play again. Balloonacy combines the gleeful art of physical humor with a heartfelt story of the importance of friendship floating into your life when you need it most.

Peter C. Brosius, director, describes his excitement when Robert Dorfman expressed an interest in premiering the role of the Old Man, saying, "We are thrilled to have an actor of his pedigree and extensive experience as the star of our preschool piece. Robert has the muscle memory of a dancer and even toured as a Ringling Bros clown in addition to being a very, very smart actor, and he brings a unique sense of play, sense of invention and joy to this play." Dorfman's co-star is a red balloon, which creates its own set of challenges. Brosius explains, "One of the wildest things about this is literally breathing life into a balloon. Once you animate it, you have a sacred responsibility to keep its life from fading away."

Balloonacy was commissioned and developed especially for preschoolers by Barry Kornhauser, the most acclaimed writer of theatre for young audiences in the nation. Kornhauser has been honored multiple times for his writing, receiving the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Play among other prestigious honors. Balloonacy was the winner of the American Association of Theatre in Education Distinguished Play Award, and audiences will see it first at CTC. Balloonacy and other plays created through CTC's Early Childhood Initiative introduce the transformative power of live theatre to our community's youngest patrons, most of whom will be seeing live theatre for the first time.

Robert Dorfman describes the completely non-verbal Balloonacy as one of the most extraordinary things he's done in his career. He explains, "I think parents, and really, any adult will love this. Not only because it's good storytelling and wonderful writing, but also because I think the enthusiasm for theater will be reborn as they see this play through the eyes of the young people."

Balloonacy by Barry Kornhauser will run weekends on the Cargill Stage March 25 - May 4. Balloonacy is recommended for toddlers up to age five. Balloonacy uses only latex-free balloons. The run time is half an hour, with no intermission. Tickets are on sale now for $16-$21. For more information visit us online at childrenstheatre.org or call the Ticket Office at 612.874.0400.

Children's Theatre Company (CTC) is the only theatre for young people to win the coveted Tony® Award for Outstanding Regional Theater (2003). Founded in 1965, CTC serves 250,000 people annually and is one of the 20 largest regional theater companies in the nation. The company is noted for defining worldwide standards for youth theatre with an innovative mix of classic tales, distinguished international productions and challenging new work. In 2015/16 CTC will celebrate its 50th season!

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