The 2009/2010 Rogers season starts with an adaptation by Ian Wooldridge of George Orwell’s classic, Animal Farm. Felicity Enas will direct.

Felicity Enas has selected a group of actors from elementary through college age to portray the animals in the initial production in the Rogers Theatre 2009/2010 season. George Orwell wrote Animal Farm in 1945 as a satire on the ultimate effects of communism (in the book, "animalism"). The TCTC actors will play Ian Wooldridge's adaptation with transparent heads made by the director and Caitlin Dean, TCTC alumnus and a theater major at Stephen F. Austin State University. The heads will show the actor's character but allow for clear transmission of facial expressions and speech.
 
Cast as the pigs are Ryan Castner of Tyler as Minimus, Lisa Morgan of Tyler as Major, Hannah Morris of Tyler as Squealer, Justin Purser of Lindale as Napoleon, and Hunter Regian of Tyler as Snowball.
 
Playing the horses are Tyler residents Kenny Davis as Boxer, Jacquelyn Richardson as Clover, and LeeAnna Burgdorf as Mollie.
 
Ryan Cargill of Mineola will play Benjamin, the donkey, with Lexie Rains of Flint as Moses, the raven.  Morgan will make a double appearance as Pilkington, the only human character.
 
Katie Cargill of Mineola will be the storyteller, with Katie Simms of Tyler as a farm animal. Hannah Johnson of Tyler will be the stage manger. Chris Abraham will produce the play, which opens Friday, October 9, for ten performances. For individual tickets, click here. To arrange to bring a class to one of the four morning performances, e-mail education@tylercivictheatre.com.