>> Eric: FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY THREE DECADES, THE CHILDREN'S THEATRE COMPANY HAS A NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

RICK DILDINE TOOK OVER THE REINS ON AUGUST 1st THIS YEAR, STEPPING INTO THE ROLE THAT PETER BROSIUS HELD FOR THE PAST 27 YEARS.

HE JOINS CTC FROM THE ALASKA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, ONE OF THE THE LARGEST SUCH FESTIVALS IN THE COUNTRY.

WELCOME TO "ALMANAC."

>> THANK YOU, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Eric: HAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS JOB?

>> I'M A SHAKESPEARE GUY FROM THE SOUTH WHO DOESN'T HAVE KIDS.

BUT THE REPUTATION OF CHILDREN'S THEATRE COMPANY IS INTERNATIONAL.

THE WORK IS PHENOMENAL.

AND WHEN I GOT THE PHONE CALL, I JUMPED AT THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OF THE REPUTATION OF THE PLACE.

>> Eric: WOW.

>> Cathy: IT'S A LITTLE HARD.

YOU'RE STEPPING INTO SOME BIG SHOES, OBVIOUSLY.

HOW DO YOU -- HOW DO YOU PLAN OR HOW DO YOU START WORKING YOUR WAY TOWARD PUTTING YOUR STAMP ON THE CHILDREN'S THEATRE COMPANY?

>> YEAH, YEAH, SO PETER LEFT ME IN GREAT SHAPE.

WE HAVE A HUGE PIPELINE OF WORK, SO THIS COMING YEAR RIGHT NOW, PETER PLANNED IT, BUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I LAID OUT WHO WILL BE MY FIRST SEASON STARTING IN 2025.

SO WE GOT WORKS IN THE PIPELINE COMING FROM OVERSEAS, NEW WORKS, IT'S AN EXCITING TIME AT CHILDREN'S THEATRE COMPANY.

>> Eric: SOUNDS LIKE YOU HOPE TO BRING SOME DIVERSITY, MAYBE EXPAND THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF THE CUSTOMERS.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, OUR SWEET SPOT HAS BEEN 5 TO 12-YEAR-OLDS, BUT WE'RE INTERESTED IN GROWING OUT THAT FULL PIPELINE OF PROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT IS EXCITING FOR ME IS THAT NEARLY A THIRD OF OUR AUDIENCE ARE COMING WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT GOT ME INTO THEATER WAS MY GRANDPARENTS ENCOURAGING THAT.

AND WE GOT GREAT PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES.

>> Cathy: LET ME ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, IF I COULD.

WHEN IT COMES TO BROADENING THE AUDIENCE AND MAYBE GETTING MAYBE LDER KIDS IN THEN, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET?

>> YEAH.

>> Cathy: WHEN IT COMES TO MAYBE MORE DIVERSITY, WHAT KIND OF PRODUCTIONS MIGHT BRING THOSE SORTS OF MAYBE TEENS, MORE DIVERSE TEENS IN, PERHAPS?

>> YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A PHENOMENAL SHOW RIGHT NOW CALLED ZIP ZAP CIRCUS, THAT FEATURES 19 TO 20-YEAR-OLDS FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

THE TALENT IN THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO KEEP SHOWING IS THE TALENT COMING FROM YOUNG PEOPLE.

>> Eric: AS YOU BUILD PLAYS, A SEASON OF PLAYS AS YOU GO FORWARD, COMMERCE AND -- COMMERCE AND ART SOMETIMES COLLIDE.

>> YOU KNOW, -- >> Eric: WHAT'S THE BALANCE THERE?

>> I THINK YOU CAN HAVE BOTH OF THEM.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE GREAT ARTISTIC SHOWS AND GREAT FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL SHOWS.

CTC HAS A HISTORY OF MOVING SHOWS TO BROADWAY.

WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S ARTISTICALLY EXCITING AND ALSO COMMERCIALLY VIABLE AS WELL.

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DEVELOPING MORE PROJECTS LIKE THAT.

>> Cathy: TELL US A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE CTC HAS BEEN GROUNDBREAKING IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS, AND HAS HAD SOME VERY -- NOT CONTROVERSIAL, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT -- BUT, YOU KNOW, WORKS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKERS.

YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT SOCIETY.

YOU KNOW?

WOULD YOU BE GOING IN THAT DIRECTION AT ALL?

>> YOU KNOW, I'M FOR ANYTHING THAT CENTERS THE VOICE OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND ANYTHING THAT'S ON THEIR MIND.

THE FIRST SEASON THAT I'M PLANNING THAT I LAID OUT, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH MY STAFF, IS AN ENTIRE SEASON WHERE A YOUNG PERSON IS THE PROTAGANIST, IT IS THE YOUNG PERSON WHO'S LEADING THE STORY.

SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE MINDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE, I'M READY TO TALK ABOUT IT.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE ART SCENE IN GENERAL IN THE TWIN CITIES?

>> OH, IT'S PHENOMENAL.

I MEAN, IT'S ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.

YOU KNOW, COMING HERE, THE NUMBER OF THEATERS, MUSEUMS, THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO.

I'M NOT SHORT ON THINGS TO DO.

>> Cathy: NOW, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE STATE FAIR RIGHT OFF THE BAT WHEN YOU WERE HERE, DID YOU?

>> OF COURSE I DID.

MY STAFF TOOK ME IMMEDIATELY.

WE HAD A GREAT TIME.

I ATE A FRIED RECESS CUP -- REESE'S CUP.

>> Eric: GOOD FOR YOU.

>> THOSE COOKIES, MARTHA'S KISS, OH, MY GOSH.

>> Cathy: YOU GET TO LOOK FORWARD TO WINTER HERE.

>>