Litchfield, Minnesota, native Tim Nelson bringing 'Robin Hood' to the Bernie Aaker stage

Jul. 26—LITCHFIELD

— Sherwood Forest and its most famous residents are coming to Litchfield. This troupe of outlaws isn't being led by Robin Hood, though, but by director and show composer Tim Nelson, a native son of Litchfield and a successful theater composer, director and educator based in California.

Nelson in no way has forgotten his Minnesota roots. While the family moved away when he was in sixth grade, the town has always held a special place in Nelson's heart, and not just because quite a bit of his family resides in and around the area. Nelson learned to play the oboe, his primary instrument, at the local school, from former band teacher and mayor Keith Johnson.

"I got my musical background from here. I did a show here when I was 8," Nelson said. "It's cool to be back working here, where it all started."

"Robin Hood and the White Arrow" will be the third musical Nelson has directed with the Litchfield Community Theatre, though it is the first time he is directing a show that he had a hand in creating. Nelson wrote the score and songs for the show, while Kent Johnson wrote the script.

"It is exciting for me, for the first time, to show some of my composing to the Litchfield community, where I started," Nelson said.

Performance dates for Robin Hood and the White Arrow are 7 p.m. July 27, 28 and 29 and at 2 p.m. July 30 at the Bernie Aaker Auditorium in Litchfield. General admission tickets are $15 with balcony seating available for $10. Tickets can be purchased online at

litchfieldcommunitytheatre.com/tickets

, by phone at

320-693-2354

or at the door prior to the show.

The show takes the legends, stories and myths of Robin Hood, King John and the Merry Men and gives them the musical theater treatment, something the tales have never really gotten before.

So far, there has never been a Broadway musical based on the Robin Hood tales, though there have been many movies, TV shows and books about them. Both Nelson and Johnson felt the stories were the perfect starting point for a musical production when they wrote the show.

"It has the elements we want. It has well-defined characters, public appeal," Nelson said. "It's got lavish costumes, a lot of energy with sword fighting and, now that I have composed the score, it's got lush music to go with it."

The play has a large cast, the largest Nelson has ever pulled together for a production of the show. He even added additional songs, voices and dancers to make room for more performers.

"I wanted as many community members involved as possible," Nelson said.

He has been very impressed with the cast. It can be difficult sometimes to find enough men willing to perform in a show with as many male parts as Robin Hood, but Nelson said the theater community of the region stepped up in a big way and he was able to find great actors and singers for the roles. Actually, the entire cast is impressive, Nelson said, and the members are willing to put the work in to make a great show.

"They are hard workers. Good actors, really great musicians," Nelson said. "I always thank them at the end of every rehearsal" for their hard work.

Assisting with the show are fellow theater colleagues from the Rose Center Theater in Winchester, California, where Nelson serves as the managing and artistic director. Choreographer Jenn Matthews has created the dance routines for the show, while Kristin Henry and Chris Caputo have helped with the technical side of the show, including building sets.

"It has been a labor of love," Nelson said. "Everyone comes out and falls in love with it."

It is a good thing Nelson loves the show and his work, since throughout the production of "Robin Hood" he has been traveling back and forth between California and Minnesota.

At the same time as the Litchfield show has been in rehearsals, Nelson has also been directing a production of "Mary Poppins" at the Rose Center and getting an original show he has composed based on "Alice and Wonderland" ready for visit to Scotland.

Nelson is also the musical theater chair at Huntington Beach High School's Academy for the Performing Arts and is the resident director of Park Playhouse Inc. in New York.

"The travel hasn't been a problem," Nelson said. "I'm kind of used to it."

It is also helpful that Nelson has a base of operations in Litchfield. A few years ago Nelson purchased a home in town, on the same street where he grew up. It came in handy when the world shut down due to the coronavirus in 2020.

"During COVID I moved here," Nelson said. "I got here and stayed here for six months."

The travel is a small price to pay for Nelson to be able to do what he loves. Since his earliest days in Litchfield, Nelson has loved music and there was little question about whether he would make a career out of it.

"I was always a musician," Nelson said. "It came from the enjoyment I had for music really. That turned into the enjoyment of theater and all performing arts."

Nelson is a firm believer in the physical and mental good the arts can do for people. The arts are a very important part of any community and its quality of life. He points to the months after the pandemic hit, when everything was shut down. One of the things people missed most was the arts such as live concerts and plays. Theater, in particular, is a great way to leave the real world behind.

"Theater takes you to a different spot and lets you get away for a couple of hours," Nelson.

For Nelson, a vibrant art scene in rural communities has a more personal connection. He continues to do his part to make sure the art scene in and around Litchfield continues to have opportunities for all.

"If the arts weren't as rich in our community when I was young, I wouldn't be where I am today," Nelson said.