When Stillwater actor Reed Sigmund chose a production for his debut directing adults, he went with a show he’s quite familiar with, “Robin Hood.”

“I always like looking at a classic and asking why it stood the test of time,” said Sigmund, who starred in a 2010 production of the musical at Children’s Theatre Company. “Usually it’s because its relevance is evergreen. I think, right now, the story of Robin Hood is about an abuse of power, relentless oppression, ruling with a complete lack of empathy and understanding for the people who you represent. I won’t get too specific here, but I think anybody in this world who’s willing to open their eyes and take a look around will see exactly how relevant this story is to this time in history.”

Sigmund, who is best known for playing the Grinch at CTC, is directing the show for Stillwater’s Zephyr Theatre, where he’s been director of education since 2021. It’ll be staged outdoors at Aamodt’s Apple Farm in Stillwater from July 25 through Aug. 3.

Here’s what else Sigmund had to say about the experience.

On directing adults for the first time >> “I’ve directed students several times, but I’ve never directed professionals. I’ve always loved directing. With students, it’s different because it’s very exciting to watch them grow and to not spoon feed them anything, to just lay out some pebbles and lead them down a path where they can make the discovery themselves.

“You always try not to give them answers because I don’t think any actor likes being told what to do. Part of the reason actors do this is because discovery is fun. Exploring is fun. Creating is fun. As a director, your job is to pave the path for all those things to happen in a healthy and exciting environment.”

On his approach to the craft of directing >> “All you can do is pave the way and let people make decisions. It’s like if you’re in the woods, you can chop down some trees. You can clear a little bit here, you can clear a little bit there. But ultimately, you have to say OK, you can come down this path, but there’s going to be places where I’ve not carved the path and you need to figure it out.

“That’s when it’s a fulfilling experience. And then when the show is created, the actors don’t feel like they’re puppets, simply reenacting all these impulses that were fed to them. They feel like the show belongs to them, that the character is their creation. There’s something really exciting about sharing something that you have a sense of ownership with instead of sharing something that ultimately belongs to somebody else.”

On how this opportunity came about >> “At the Zephyr Theater, we have a lot of fantastic programs. We work with Stillwater Community Education and some other schools in the St. Croix Valley. We’re trying to make sure that arts education is accessible to anybody who’s interested. That’s been the focal point, but last summer, the executive director asked if was interested in doing some other projects and projects with professionals. And I said I’d love to.”

On casting “Robin Hood” >> “It’s the type of show that doesn’t happen at an audience, it happens with them. That’s something that always excites me. I wanted to bring along a team of artists who I know and trust and love creating with. I reached out to Brandon Brooks, who had been a student actor with me at CTC for almost a decade, and asked him to come play the Sherrif of Nottingham.

“There’s an extraordinary performer named Antonisia Collins who was a production assistant at Children’s Theater a couple years ago, and she’s phenomenal as Robin Hood. I really wanted her to have a space to really take the reins of a show, show every viewer what she can do and let viewers experience the joy that she brings to any moment.

“And then there’s a couple other young, beyond talented performers who wow me and surprise me every time I see them in a show or any time I have the pleasure of just interacting with them. And that’s Grace Hillmyer, who’s playing Maid Marian, and Jeffrey Nolan, who’s playing a variety of parts. They’re also both theater arts educators. And then there’s a former CTC educator and educator in the Twin Cities named Jay Scoggin, who is a wildly talented musician who plays all sorts of instruments. I’ve lucked out with this team that’s willing to go on this ride with me.”

On how working outdoors as a teen with the Trollwood Performing Arts School in Fargo influenced this production >> “I think the outdoors are exciting and, you know, unpredictable. Nature is alive and theater is a live art form. Indoor theater is great, but you have complete control over your environment and, to some degree, that does rob theater of its immediacy and its unpredictability. And I think immediacy and unpredictability is what makes theater different from film or television. Anything can and will happen. And that’s part of what makes it thrilling.

“I think if there’s ever a piece that belongs next to the mysterious and thrilling and somewhat dangerous woods, I think ‘Robin Hood’ is that show.”

On what he’s learned while directing adults >> “I think being a professional actor now for 25 years, you start to develop your own aesthetic and you work with a variety of directors. You start to develop and create your own style unknowingly. You also learn how you like to be spoken to as an actor and how you like to be included and invited to the table as an actor and how you want your contributions or ideas to be part of the process, not outside of it. That’s been something that’s really important to me.”