He's the man of 1,000 faces: Meet Twin Cities actor Reed Sigmund's 10 favorite characters

February 9, 2017 at 10:45PM
Reed Sigmund as Diggitch in "Dr. Seuss' The Sneetches" at Children's Theater.
Reed Sigmund as Diggitch in "Dr. Seuss' The Sneetches" at Children's Theater. (Glen Stubbe — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

In "Sneetches," Reed Sigmund plays Diggitch, a character who has been oppressed so long that "his light is on life support but he wants to find a way to help people and change society," he said. We asked him to comment on some of the characters he's played in 17 years as a Children's Theatre Company member:

The Grinch in "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

Reed Sigmund plays The Grinch in "Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas" at The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis November 4, 2012. (Courtney Perry/Special to the Star Tribune)
(Special to the Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

"It's one of those roles that allow me to have fun and do some audience interaction. It's also such a well-rounded role. I get to explore the psyche of a character and find the heartbeat there."

Dorcas (pictured at right) in "Cinderella"

Dean Holt Autumn Ness Reed Sigmund...A new Dr. Seuss musical will premiere at the Children's Theatre next year, the company has announced. Playwright Philip Dawkins' adaptation of "The Sneetches," with music by David Mallamud, is one two new shows and four musicals in the company's just-announced upcoming season. The 2016-2017 roster includes revivals of "Cinderella," "Pinocchio," and "A Year with Frog and Toad," the Tony-nominated show that premiered there. The other premiere is "The Last Firefly," playwright Naomi Iizuka's epic drawn from Japanese folktales.
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

"While most of the world tells her she's ugly and worthless, she maintains a sense of self-confidence. She's loud and proud of who she is."

Ernie (left) in "Bert & Ernie, Goodnight!"

joel koyama'jkoyama@startribune.com stag0911 20009383a]  Directed by Peter C. Brosius (CTC's Artistic Director).  Bert is played by Bradley Greenwald (right) and Ernie is played by Reed Sigmund. Bert & Ernie, the odd puppet couple of "Sesame Street," have gotten a human embodiment. Twin Cities actor-singers Bradley Greenwald and Reed Sigmund are playing the pair in a world premiere stage musical at the Children's Theatre. How the show came about is a story of talent and tenacity.
(Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

"He's a playful, pure soul who looks for the best in everyone and celebrates others' differences. He has such a big heart."

Tybalt (right) in "Romeo and Juliet"

"I'm a bit of a pacifist even though I have a black belt in karate. To play a character with so much fire and aggression was a challenge, but a fun and exciting one."

The Boy in "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"

"Growing up, I was a big fan of physical comedy, whether Three Stooges, Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin. I also loved the comedic duos of Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy. To get to do this show with Dino [Dean Holt], the absolute master at physical comedy, and to work with [director Peter Brosius], spending 90 minutes onstage making an absolute mess, what a good time. And the kids' squealing because they were thrilled and appalled at what we were doing is unmatched in my time."

Rooster in "Annie"

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

"He's a con man but not a very successful one, since he served time in prison. A lot of my characters are clumsy, but he was slick and a very good dancer. For a slimy character, he was so much fun."

Prince John (left) in "Robin Hood"

Reed Sigmund (left) as John in "Robin Hood"
(Dan Norman Photography 2010/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

"Another baddie, but one who's a complete weakling. Everyone does everything for him, including bathing him. But he had one of the evilest minds, getting everyone to pay taxes, taxes, taxes, and he used the sheriff as muscle."

The Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz"

"He's supposed to be brave, but feels like a failure until his friends' lives are at stake. As the saying goes, bravery is not the absence of fear, but the overcoming of it."

Toad in "A Year With Frog and Toad"

Reed Sigmund, seated, as Toad with Bradley Greenwald.
(Rob Levine, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

"In today's society, whether it's high school sports or whatever, you're pushed to be tough, to win but not be vulnerable. Toad manages to capture the insecurities that we all have. He's beautifully vulnerable."

Genie in "Disney's Aladdin, Jr."

"When I was a kid, I wanted to be the voice in cartoons. This show allowed me to go wild with creating voices. I learned to tap dance, too."

about the writer

about the writer

Rohan Preston

Critic / Reporter

Rohan Preston covers theater for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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