The Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, presents the world premiere of The Abominables, featuring music and lyrics by the late Michael Friedman, beginning September 12. Performances are scheduled to run through October 15.
The production begins just three days after Friedman’s passing at the age of 41, which was due to complications with HIV/AIDS.
Read: MICHAEL FRIEDMAN, COMPOSER OF BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON, DIES AT 41
Steve Cosson, artistic director of The Civilians (of which Friedman was a founding member), penned the book and directs; the two were frequent collaborators. The musical follows a group of young hockey players in the Midwest, including Mitch, a teammate on the Prairie Lake Blizzards faced with the fear of transferring down to the “B” team when a new star player shows up to tryouts.
“Michael was an extraordinary artist and an incredible human being,” said Children’s Theatre Company Artistic Director Peter C. Brosius in a statement. “He was brilliant, wildly funny and so deeply caring about other people. Michael was such a joy; his boundless energy, his infectious enthusiasm, and his ability to be so fearlessly self-critical and clear eyed in the pursuit of something truly extraordinary made him utterly unique. He never rested, was a brave explorer of new possibilities and was one of the most creative forces you would ever meet. We deeply mourn his passing and feel truly blessed to have had this opportunity to work closely with him and bring his work to our audiences.”
Performances of the world premiere production are dedicated to the late composer.
Leading the cast is young actor Henry Constable; among those joining him are Autumn Ness, Reed Sigmund, Natalie Tran, Valerie Wick, Ryan Colbert, Elise Benson, Bradley Greenwald, Alejandro Vega, Zachary Hodgkins, Carter Bannwarth, Stephanie Bertumen, and Doug Neithercott.
