Rick Dildine Reimagines ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at Children’s Theatre Company

Rick Dildine, artistic director of the Children’s Theatre Company, brings a national perspective and a passion for storytelling to Minneapolis.

“I was born and raised in Arkansas, but I’ve lived all over the country,” Dildine says. “Most recently, I was splitting my time between Alabama and Washington, D.C., before moving here for this position.”

Since arriving, Dildine said the experience has been deeply rewarding.

“It’s wonderful. I love going to work at CTC every day,” he says. “You see the direct results of the work immediately. Hundreds of kids come into the building to experience live theater and storytelling. Sometimes it literally makes the building shake.”

From Shakespeare to children’s theater

Before joining CTC in July 2024, Dildine led the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. His path to Minneapolis came through a national search.

“I was running the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, one of the large regional theaters in the country, when I was approached about this role,” he says. “CTC hired a consulting firm, and they reached out to me.”

While his background includes classical theater, Dildine said the core of the work remains the same.

“It’s all still the same questions: What is the story? How do we tell it? Why now?” Dildine says.

The biggest difference, he notes, is the audience.

“I’m focused on young people now, and many of them haven’t developed cynicism yet,” he shares. “They experience the work fully in the moment. They talk back, they laugh, they question it and it’s electric.”

That sense of engagement is central to CTC’s programming. Some productions even invite direct participation.

“One of the shows in my first season is called ‘Forts,’” Dildine says. “It invites young people to build their own forts during the performance using cardboard boxes, blankets and flashlights. They become part of the storytelling.”

Reimagining a classic

CTC’s upcoming production of “The Wizard of Oz” promises a fresh take on the beloved story.

Without giving too much away, Dildine said the production leans into both nostalgia and innovation.

“Some of the big questions are always: How do we handle color? Will there be a real dog? Is there flying? The answer is yes to all three.”

Dildine said the creative team approached color as a central storytelling device.

“We see Dorothy as a young woman whose world feels dull and without purpose, so it begins in muted, dusty tones,” he explains. “As the journey unfolds, color becomes increasingly bold and intentional. Audiences may find themselves wondering what color comes next.”

Visually, the production blends classic elements with contemporary design influences.

“We’re working with an incredible creative team with Broadway experience,” Dildine says. “It meets the nostalgia of the original film with the visual vocabulary audiences now associate with productions like ‘Wicked.’”

The show also incorporates projection and design elements to enhance the storytelling.

“I think audiences will be captivated by what they see,” he says.

To balance honoring the original story with a new perspective, Dildine encourages actors to bring their own experiences to their roles.

“We don’t ask them to recreate Judy Garland,” he says. “We ask, ‘What does this journey mean to you?’”

The role of Dorothy will be shared by two 17-year-old actors, alternating performances.

“By grounding the work in their lived experiences, it keeps everything fresh,” Dildine says.

Dildine said the story’s emotional core continues to resonate across generations, including LGBTQ+ audiences.

“This is a story about becoming and transformation. Those are universal experiences.”

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Dildine said the story holds personal meaning.

“The questions at the heart of it — ‘Am I brave? Am I loved? Do I belong?’ — those never age,” he says. “They resonate deeply with me and with many others.”

Inclusivity also plays a role in the production’s casting and staging.

“When we think about what the community of Oz looks like, we’re very intentional,” Dildine says. “We’re fortunate to have a diverse group of actors and young people come out for auditions.”

He emphasized the importance of representation for young audiences.

“One of my goals is that young people can look at the stage and see themselves as part of the story,” he shares.

Among the production’s more playful elements: a real dog. “There’s a rule in theater — never share the stage with a dog — and we have two,” Dildine says.

Dildine says more is on the horizon for CTC: “We’ll be announcing our next season very soon. There’s a lot to look forward to.”

“The Wizard of Oz” will run from April 21 to June 14. Tickets are available on CTC’s website, with prices ranging from $25 to $129.