“Pinocchio” Opens the Season at the Children’s Theatre Company

For the first show of its 2026–2027 season, the Children’s Theatre Company is bringing Pinocchio to the stage. Adapted by Greg Banks from the 1883 Carlo Collodi novel, Pinocchio tells the story of a living marionette puppet, carved from wood by the craftsman Geppetto, who goes on a series of misadventures to prove he is worthy of becoming a “real boy.”

The eponymous role is played by Antonisia “Nisi” Collins, a recent addition to the CTC core company. I spoke with Collins, who said the show is a classic story of “growth, change, mischief, and learning from mistakes.” She described the positive and important moral of Pinocchio as “People can change. They are malleable. Making mistakes is okay as long as you learn from them.”

Nisi Collins as Pinocchio. Kaitlin Randolph

Collins moved from Alabama to Minnesota to be a performing apprentice for the Children’s Theatre Company in 2023 and joined the core company in 2026. Her credits at CTC include Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Alice in Wonderland, and Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical. Of these, she told me Frozen was her favorite. For Pinocchio, Collins promised a good time for kids and families, saying they could expect “good spectacle” and “good laughs.”

Pinocchio is currently running previews and opens officially on September 11, with performances through October 18, 2026. The show is around an hour and 35 minutes with a 15-minute intermission and is recommended for ages 5 to 10. You can find more information on tone, themes, and sensory elements of this production and book tickets on the Children’s Theatre Company website.