The Hobbit

For his 13th show in the past 18 years at the Children's Theatre Company, British director Greg Banks has gone both big and small. He has adapted "The Hobbit," J.R.R. Tolkien's epic mountain adventure about a reluctant hobbit who leads a group of determined dwarves on a quest to get back their home and treasure from a dragon, for a cast of just five. Most of the actors do double, triple and quadruple duty in this two-act, which premieres Friday. Joy Dolo plays the wizard Gandalf and the Elven King. H. Adam Harris is the dragon Smaug and the dwarf Kili. Becca Hart plays bowman Bard and a troll, among others, while Reed Sigmund depicts king Thorin and Spider and Dean Holt plays battle leader Bilbo Baggins, who steers the crew on their fight for their patrimony. The production also has live musical accompaniment by Victor Zupanc.

(7 p.m. Tue.-Fri.; 2 & 5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends April 14. Children's Theatre, 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls. $15-$64. 612-874-0400 or childrenstheatre.org.)