After spending decades as an actor, Reed Sigmund tries his hand at directing

When Stillwater actor Reed Sigmund chose a production for his debut directing adults he went with a show he s quite familiar with Robin Hood I invariably like looking at a classic and asking why it stood the test of time commented Sigmund who starred in a production of the musical at Children s Theatre Company Usually it s because its relevance is evergreen I think right now the story of Robin Hood is about an abuse of power relentless oppression ruling with a complete lack of empathy and understanding for the people who you represent I won t get too specific here but I think anybody in this world who s willing to open their eyes and take a look around will see exactly how relevant this story is to this time in history Sigmund who is best known for playing the Grinch at CTC is directing the show for Stillwater s Zephyr Theatre where he s been director of coaching since It ll be staged outdoors at Aamodt s Apple Farm in Stillwater from July through Aug Here s what else Sigmund had to say about the experience On directing adults for the first time I ve directed students several times but I ve never directed professionals I ve constantly loved directing With students it s different because it s very exciting to watch them grow and to not spoon feed them anything to just lay out a few pebbles and lead them down a path where they can make the discovery themselves You unfailingly try not to give them answers because I don t think any actor likes being stated what to do Part of the reason actors do this is because discovery is fun Exploring is fun Creating is fun As a director your job is to pave the path for all those things to happen in a healthy and exciting milieu On his approach to the craft of directing All you can do is pave the way and let people make decisions It s like if you re in the woods you can chop down selected trees You can clear a little bit here you can clear a little bit there But ultimately you have to say OK you can come down this path but there s going to be places where I ve not carved the path and you need to figure it out That s when it s a fulfilling experience And then when the show is created the actors don t feel like they re puppets solely reenacting all these impulses that were fed to them They feel like the show belongs to them that the character is their creation There s something really exciting about sharing something that you have a sense of ownership with instead of sharing something that ultimately belongs to somebody else Local actor Reed Sigmund works on a production of Robin Hood at Aamodt's Apple Farm in Stillwater The production runs from July through Aug at the farm Courtesy of Emily Staloch On how this opportunity came about At the Zephyr Theater we have a lot of fantastic programs We work with Stillwater Population Learning and selected other schools in the St Croix Valley We re trying to make sure that arts teaching is accessible to anybody who s interested That s been the focal point but last summer the executive director questioned if was interested in doing several other projects and projects with professionals And I announced I d love to On casting Robin Hood It s the type of show that doesn t happen at an audience it happens with them That s something that inevitably excites me I required to bring along a organization of artists who I know and trust and love creating with I reached out to Brandon Brooks who had been a trainee actor with me at CTC for almost a decade and urged him to come play the Sherrif of Nottingham There s an extraordinary performer named Antonisia Collins who was a production assistant at Children s Theater a couple years ago and she s phenomenal as Robin Hood I really demanded her to have a space to really take the reins of a show show every viewer what she can do and let viewers experience the ecstasy that she brings to any moment And then there s a couple other young beyond talented performers who wow me and surprise me every time I see them in a show or any time I have the pleasure of just interacting with them And that s Grace Hillmyer who s playing Maid Marian and Jeffrey Nolan who s playing a variety of parts They re also both theater arts educators And then there s a former CTC educator and educator in the Twin Cities named Jay Scoggin who is a wildly talented musician who plays all sorts of instruments I ve lucked out with this squad that s willing to go on this ride with me On how working outdoors as a teen with the Trollwood Performing Arts School in Fargo influenced this production I think the outdoors are exciting and you know unpredictable Nature is alive and theater is a live art form Indoor theater is great but you have complete control over your context and to selected degree that does rob theater of its immediacy and its unpredictability And I think immediacy and unpredictability is what makes theater different from film or television Anything can and will happen And that s part of what makes it thrilling I think if there s ever a piece that belongs next to the mysterious and thrilling and somewhat dangerous woods I think Robin Hood is that show On what he s learned while directing adults I think being a professional actor now for years you start to develop your own aesthetic and you work with a variety of directors You start to develop and create your own style unknowingly You also learn how you like to be spoken to as an actor and how you like to be included and invited to the table as an actor and how you want your contributions or ideas to be part of the process not outside of it That s been something that s really crucial to me Robin Hood When p m July - and Aug - p m July and Aug Where Aamodt s Apple Farm Manning Ave N Stillwater The show will move into an on-site barn in matter of severe weather Tickets chair seat bring your own seat and bring your own seat ages and under via stillwaterzephyrtheatre org Related Articles In upcoming Lumiere top Circus Juventas students backflip and bounce 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