Canadian stage lures Mpls. Children's Theatre chief

Tim Jennings, managing director of the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, will leave at the end of September to take over the Shaw Festival of Canada.

During the past four years, Jennings has worked to put Children's Theatre on sounder financial footing, more than doubling its endowment.

"When I walked in the door it was about $4.8 million in cash and now it's at over $10.5 million" with pledges for another $7 million, he said. "We're making good progress."

Jennings is returning to his native Canada but says he'll be making return trips in the coming year to help celebrate the Children's Theatre's 50th anniversary season.

"It's a huge season. It's going to be wonderful," he said. "I'm going to be attending the shows whether or not I'm living here because it's all very exciting stuff I've been working on for the past two years."

The Minneapolis theater company said it will begin its search soon to find Jennings' replacement.