Civil Lawsuit Filed Against Children’s Theatre Company

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Two people who say they were sexually abused years ago by former employees of the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis are filing a civil lawsuit.

St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson says the two were theater students; one was abused about 1977 and the other about 1983.

A news release from Anderson says numerous children were sexually abused during the tenure of John Clark Donahue. The former artistic director was charged in 1984 with molesting three boys, 12 to 15 years old. He served 10 months in jail.

The Children's Theatre Company calls the allegations "misdirected" and says it doesn't believe the theater was negligent. The organization, Donahue and another former employee are defendants in the lawsuit.

A person who answered the phone at Donahue's home says he doesn't want to comment.