Cathedral City, CA
It’s not easy to breathe new life into a story the world thinks it already knows. But that’s exactly what Coachella Valley Repertory (CVRep) has done with its Conservatory production of Pinocchio, adapted by Greg Banks and directed by Howard Shangraw. This is not Disney’s singing puppet nor the glossy moral fable of our childhoods—it’s something braver, smarter, and far more human.
Shangraw’s Pinocchio reminds us that hard work and honesty—not wishful play—are what make us real. It’s a story about effort, temptation, and transformation, delivered with a sense of theatrical wonder that only a troupe of true actors could conjure. What unfolds onstage feels less like a fairy tale and more like an act of rediscovery—an invitation to see an old truth through new eyes.
A Theater with a Mission
If you’ve ever stepped into CVRep’s Cathedral City playhouse, you know it’s not just a theater—it’s a laboratory for empathy. Founded with the mission to “present thought-provoking, innovative theater of substance,” CVRep stands as one of the only Actor’s Equity Association houses in the Coachella Valley. Under the leadership of Executive Artistic Director Adam Karsten, the company has earned a national reputation for pairing professional craft with community inclusion.
Its Conservatory and Youth Outreach Program, helmed by Shangraw, is one of its crown jewels. It offers young artists and emerging actors professional-level experiences, fostering not only technique but also purpose. CVRep’s Conservatory seasons are where mentorship meets mastery—and Pinocchio is a testament to that philosophy.
A Story Reborn
Playwright Greg Banks—known for his vibrant adaptations of The Jungle Book, Robin Hood, and The Odyssey—has a gift for reimagining classics through a modern theatrical lens. His Pinocchio, first staged at the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis, is no exception. Banks pares the story down to its essence: a small troupe of stagehands who decide to tell the tale with whatever props they can find. The result is as much about the art of storytelling as it is about the puppet who learns to become a boy.
Shangraw leans into that conceit beautifully. The stage becomes a workshop—not Geppetto’s, but the actors’. Paintbrushes become donkey ears; a mop transforms into the Blue Fairy’s hair. The entire production is a metaphor for imagination itself, for the way creativity can shape the ordinary into the extraordinary.
The Ensemble: Craft and Heart in Motion
Douglas Scott Sorenson anchors the show with commanding ease, slipping between narrator, Punch, the Fox, the Coachman, and Old Man with charm and precision. His narrator is warm, knowing, and never indulgent; he draws us in as though whispering a secret.
Opposite him, Chuck Yates—a Coachella Valley favorite and CVRep veteran—brings humor and bite to his turns as Geppetto, Donkey, and the Cat. His chemistry with Sorenson makes their portrayal of the Fox and Cat duo delightfully devious, equal parts cunning and vaudevillian.
Then there’s Haley Kooyman, who nearly steals the show as both the Cricket and the Fairy. Her physical work is a study in detail—every movement crisp, every gesture alive with intent. Kooyman embodies the moral compass of the play without ever lapsing into sermon; her Fairy radiates empathy wrapped in playfulness.
Joshua Rich adds texture and tone as Lampwick, the Snowman, and the Policeman. His ballad about “poor ole Pinocchio” resonates deeply—a simple melody that reveals the show’s deceptive sophistication.
And at the heart of it all is Joseph Kolody as Pinocchio. His wide-eyed innocence never drifts into caricature; it feels earned. Kolody’s performance carries both the fragility of childhood and the restless energy of someone desperate to prove himself. He moves with the uncertainty of a puppet still learning to stand—and when he finally becomes “real,” we feel it as triumph, not cliché.
The Art Behind the Magic
As with all CVRep productions, the design team delivers artistry without excess. The sets, minimal but evocative, allow imagination to fill the gaps. The sound design creates an atmosphere that moves seamlessly from whimsy to danger. Lighting shifts moods like brushstrokes—soft gold for hope, deep shadow for temptation.
But the standout this time is Marian Jacobs’ costume design, which threads the show together like a storybook collage. Every costume hints at its character—a scrap of fabric here, a color cue there—yet always reminds us that these are stagehands creating art from what they have on hand. Jacobs’ work embodies the production’s spirit: resourceful, inventive, profoundly human.
A Director’s Touch
Director Howard Shangraw deserves particular praise. A seasoned educator and actor himself, Shangraw approaches Pinocchio not as a fairy tale, but as a fable for the present moment. His staging is kinetic yet clear, his blocking a dance of purpose. Every movement onstage has meaning, from the flick of a brush to the way Pinocchio reaches for the light.
Shangraw’s greatest success lies in his restraint. He trusts the text and his actors. There’s no attempt to gild the lily; instead, he allows the performers’ honesty to carry the narrative. In doing so, he achieves what great directors always strive for: a story that feels both timeless and alive, ancient and brand new.
Why It Matters
In an era of digital overstimulation, when entertainment is often disposable, a live performance like Pinocchio feels revolutionary. It reminds us that the simplest stories—the ones we think we’ve outgrown—often carry the lessons we need most.
We live in a world of shortcuts and instant gratification, and yet this production quietly insists that real transformation takes work. You have to earn your truth. You have to stumble, fall, and get back up. You have to carve yourself into something whole.
That’s the deeper gift of CVRep’s Pinocchio: it mirrors the journey of every artist, every student, every human who has ever tried to find their voice
CVRep: A Home for Storyteller
Beyond this single production, CVRep continues to prove why it’s one of the cultural pillars of the Coachella Valley. Founded in 2008, the company has grown from a small, itinerant troupe into a fully realized professional theatre with a year-round season of plays, musicals, and educational programs. Its state-of-the-art Cathedral City venue, which opened in 2019, features 208 seats of exceptional sightlines and acoustics—a jewel box of a house where every performance feels personal.
The Conservatory program, through which Pinocchio is presented, embodies the organization’s belief that art and education belong together. Students and emerging artists work alongside professionals, gaining the kind of hands-on experience that shapes both skill and confidence. Productions like this blur the line between learning and mastery; they show that excellence and mentorship can—and should—share the same stage.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to be a child to fall in love with this show. You just have to remember what it felt like to believe you could become something more than you are.
By the time the curtain falls, Pinocchio has done what the best theater always does: it gives us back a piece of ourselves. We leave a little more hopeful, a little more human, and maybe—just maybe—with hearts carved from something real.
For families, this is perfect holiday-season fare. For artists, it’s a quiet masterclass in storytelling. And for anyone who believes the Coachella Valley deserves world-class theater—Pinocchio at CVRep is proof that it’s already here.
If You Go:
- What: Pinocchio by Greg Banks
- Presented by: CVRep Conservatory, directed by Howard Shangraw
- Where: Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre, Cathedral City, CA
- When: November 6–15, 2025
- Tickets: “Pay What You Want” – details at www.cvrep.org
