Jack Barkla’s creative history with The Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis began in 1968 (its fourth season) and continued, on and off, for an additional two decades. All told, Jack created designs (primarily sets and props, with just a handful of costume designs) for 50 shows, the most of any designer in the company’s history.
1968-69 Season.
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. A Christmas Carol. The Little Mermaid. How Could You Tell? Johnny Tremain. Chekhov’s “A Wedding” and Variations.
Housed within The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the 646-seat lecture hall/auditorium offered a proscenium width of 26 feet, a shallow forestage, and a depth of 12 feet behind the proscenium. No fly loft. Wing space approximately 6 feet. A toilet and sink located upstage right. A narrow corridor behind the stage provided crossover and the “stage door” — a standard size doorway at the top of a fire escape. This second-story stairway demanded that the scenery be created in sections at the shop located three blocks away on Nicollet Avenue and then transported and assembled on the stage.
1969-70 Season.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Cinderella. Kidnapped in London. Good Morning, Mr. Tillie. Alice in Wonderland. Goldilocks and the Three Bears & Little Red Riding Hood. The Lower Depths.
The Lower Depths.
1970-71 Season.
Rip Van Winkle. The Little Match Girl. Moliere’s Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. The Princess and the Pea. The Three Little Pigs & The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Jerusalem. Little Women. The Adventures of Huck Finn. A Wall. Technical School “Magic Flute” Marionettes.
1971-72 Season.
Robin Hood: A Story of the Forest. Spoon River Anthology. Sleeping Beauty. Peter and the Wolf & The Ugly Duckling. The School for Scandal. Hansel and Gretel. The Cookie Jar. The Sitwells at Sea. Madeline and the Gypsies. Hang On To Your Head. Potpourri. Commedia dell’Arte Traveling Stage.
1973-74 Season.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. A Christmas Carol. (Remounts. CTC in residence at Jeanne d’Arc auditorium, College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN.)
In autumn of 1974, The Children’s Theatre Company of the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts moved into a new facility as part of the renovation and expansion of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The new theatre now housed a 746-seat auditorium with state-of the art lighting and sound equipment, shops located within the building, rehearsal studios, and administrative offices. The stage now boasted a proscenium opening of 24 X 36 feet with an apron/pit lift and a 90 foot fly loft.
1975-76 Season.
Renaissance Festival Italian Bakery. The Little Match Girl. (Remount)
1976-77 Season.
Romeo and Juliet.
1978-79 Season.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. A Christmas Carol. (Remounts)
1979-1980 Season.
Dr. Seuss’ The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.
The links to the YouTube video for “Cubbins” is not available at this time. Please click on the links below to download a copy (offered in three parts) to your computer and view the world-premiere production of this truly delightful show — the first time a theatre production of his work was authorized by Theodor Geisel (“Dr. Seuss”)….
http://www.mediafire.com/file/8f64cbpx161vky7/Hats_Part_One_of_Three.mp4/file
https://www.mediafire.com/file/5nnd2bo94kg2fgm/Hats_Part_Two_of_Three.mp4/file
https://www.mediafire.com/file/7fxw496au622s11/Hats_Part_Three_of_Three.mp4/file
1980-81 Season.
The Marvelous Land of OZ.
1981-82 Season.
Puss in Boots. The Cookie Jar (remount).
1982-83 Season.
Mr. Pickwick’s Christmas. Pippi Longstocking.
1983-84 Season.
The Secret Garden. The Adventures of Babar. Frankenstein. The Nightingale.
1984-85 Season.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Madeline and the Gypsies. The Little Match Girl. The Mystery of the Tattered Trunk. The Princess and the Pea.
1985-86 Season.
King Arthur and the Magic Sword. The Adventures of a Bear Called Paddington. Peter Pan.
1986-87 Season.
Beatrix Potter’s Christmas.
Acknowledgements.
There are countless dear colleagues and friends who enabled me to realize my designs while collaborating with CTC. Here are but a few of the many I wish to recognize and express my sincere gratitude….
Stephen Ayers, Jon Baker, Chris Beesley, Ricia Birturk, Bain Boehlke, Gene Davis Buck, Jay Bush, Maggie Belle Calin, Rita Carlotto, Roberta Carlson, Vicki Christianson, Gary Costello, Terry Crabb, Jon Cranney, Scott Crosbie, John Donahue, Jerry & Kathie Drake, Tom Dunn, Mark Freij, Fred Gaines, Bennett Harrison, Mark Hegnauer, George Heinrich, Loyce Houlton, Veda Hyde, John Jenkins, Linda Jenkins, Myron Johnson, Warren Jorgenson, Veda Hyde, Lila Jacob, Jill Larson, Sarah Lawless, Ilona Lazar, Wendy Lehr, Timothy Mason, Paul Maurer, Carol Metz, Frank McGovern, Kathy Mitchell, Chris Mulkey, Barbara Nosanow, Pat O’Leary, Tom Olson, Ollie Osterberg, Karlis Ozols, Guy Paul, Rick Paulaha, Mike Pittman, Don Pohlman, Peg Ritter, Lynne Rubel, Don Ruble, Steven Rydberg, Kay Schimke, Fran & Al Siftar, Paul Short, Michael Sommers, Betsy Staber, Lisa Stanley, Julie Stoneberg, Kate Sullivan, Jeffry Thomas, Hiram Titus, Barbara Tyirin, Michael Vennerstrom, Victor Walter, Cate Whittemore, Mary Winchell, Don Yunker.