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Children's Theatre of Charlotte Announces 2008-09 Season

Highlights include world premiere production, spectacular classics and emphasis on work for teens  

A strong 10-play lineup for the 2008-09 season continues Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s commitment to providing theatre that entertains, challenges and inspires young people and families. In its 61st year, the Theatre presents a wide range of shows, including a world premiere play commissioned from a North Carolina playwright, a dazzling and technically ambitious trip to Neverland, two works specifically for teens and several returning audience favorites. Children’s Theatre will also host several guest artists, including African drum and dance ensemble Djembe Fire! making their debut at ImaginOn.  

The season opens with Peter Pan, the musical version of James M. Barrie’s celebrated tale about a boy who never wants to grow up. This production’s spirited songs and sense of adventure have enchanted audiences since the play first appeared on Broadway in the 1950s. Children’s Theatre’s version promises to bring the story’s magic to life with a spectacular staging in the McColl Family Theatre, including the Theatre’s first-ever use of flying technology.  

The Tarradiddle Players, Children’s Theatre’s Resident Touring Company, begin their season with A Thousand Cranes, the true story of Sadako Sasaki. When she developed leukemia from exposure to the atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima , Sadako devoted herself to folding one thousand paper cranes in hopes of curing herself and sending a message of peace to the world. This affecting play showcases the Tarradiddle Players’ intimate and powerful storytelling style.  

After presenting world-premiere holiday events for the past two years, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte returns to two beloved audience favorites for the 2008-09 holiday season. In The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the horrible Herdman kids take over the annual town pageant, with outrageous, hilarious, and surprisingly heart-warming results. The Tarradiddle Players will perform The Velveteen Rabbit for the holidays, one of the most treasured tales in their repertoire.  

A Year With Frog and Toad, the first production of 2009, celebrates the joy of true friendship, as best chums Frog and Toad enjoy the simple pleasures life brings their way throughout the course of a year.  This charming musical adaptation of Arnold Lobel’s stories won a regional Tony award on Broadway when first produced by the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis . When the Tarradiddle Players return to the Wachovia Playhouse with the rock ‘n’ roll musical The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, the big, bad wolf finally gets a chance to tell his side of the story - and he has an entirely different take on this familiar tale.  

Spring brings two works for middle and high school audiences, including a powerful world-premiere production by North Carolina playwright Bob Inman. With inspiration drawn from the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case, The Drama Club explores racial prejudice in a modern high school setting, raising questions about how people truly connect with each other and what the stakes are if they fail. Part of the US Airways New Plays Festival for Families, this production is also supported by the 2007 McColl Award from the Arts and Science Council. Next up, The Secret Life of Girls takes a brutally honest look at cyber-bullying among female students and continues the Theatre’s commitment to producing relevant and thought-provoking work for teens.  

Alice in Concert brings the well-known stories of “ Alice ’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” to life in a new way. Using a wide variety of musical styles and the fabulous characters from Lewis Carroll’s prodigious imagination, this whimsical musical follows Alice down the rabbit hole and into the magical world of Wonderland. The Tarradiddle Players finish their season in the Wachovia Playhouse with The Commedia Aladdin, a hilariously slap-stick addition to their repertoire of Commedia dell’arte favorites.  

For the 2008-09 season, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte also offers some new ways for families to save on tickets. In addition to the traditional Early Bird Discount (order by September 1 and save $1 per ticket), the Theatre will offer a new season-long program through which families can save $2 per ticket by ordering tickets for three or more productions at one time. In addition, tickets to select Friday night performances throughout the year, designated as Fab Fridays!, will be half-price.

All performances will be in the McColl Family Theatre or Wachovia Playhouse at ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center , 300 E. 7th Street . For more information call the Box Office at 704-973-2828 (10 am to 5 pm, Mon.-Fri.). Information will be available on the Children’s Theatre website (www.ctcharlotte.org) in early May. For general questions about Children's Theatre of Charlotte or to request our 2008-09 season brochure, call 704-973-2800 (9 am to 5 pm, Mon.-Fri.). Details on all productions follow.  

Peter Pan

Musical based on the play by James M. Barrie

Music by Mark Charlap • Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh

Sept. 26 - Oct. 26, 2008 • McColl Family Theatre

Front Orchestra $24.00 • General Admission $18.00

One night, young Wendy Darling wakes up to find a mysterious boy outside her nursery window, looking for his shadow. His name is Peter Pan and he lives on the magical island of Neverland , where no parents or rules are allowed and children never have to grow up. Peter invites Wendy to return with him and take care of the Lost Boys, his troop of runaways. Wendy and her brothers John and Michael fly with him beyond the stars to his mystical realm, where fabulous adventures await them. Will the Lost Boys decide that it might be nice to have a mother after all? Will the malicious Captain Hook make the Lost Boys walk the plank? Will Peter Pan ever have to grow up? We kick off our 61st season with the musical version of James M. Barrie’s celebrated tale, which first appeared on Broadway in the 1950s. This production’s beloved songs and thrilling action will enchant the entire family. For Ages 6+/Grades 1+.  

A Thousand Cranes

By Kathryn Schultz Miller

Oct. 24 - Nov. 2, 2008 Wachovia Playhouse

Front Orchestra $18.00 • General Admission $14.00

This delicate and beautiful play tells the true story of Sadako Sasaki, a story of personal strength, courage and love of life. Sadako was 12 years old in 1955 when she developed leukemia from exposure to the atomic bomb that devastated her city. Once a star runner, Sadako finds herself confined to a hospital bed. A friend reminds Sadako of the Japanese legend that if a sick person folds 1,000 origami paper cranes they will be healed. With the help of her friend, Sadako pours all of her energy into folding the cranes, of which she wrote “I will write Peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world.” Performed by the Tarradiddle Players. For Ages 7+/Grades 2+.  

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

By Barbara Robinson

Dec. 5-21, 2008 McColl Family Theatre

Front Orchestra $24.00 • General Admission $18.00

The Herdman kids are probably the meanest, nastiest, most inventively awful kids in the history of the world … so who decided to cast them in the annual church Christmas pageant!? You won’t believe the mayhem – and the fun – when the Herdmans meet the Christmas story in a head-on collision. Their interpretation will make this year’s pageant the most unusual anyone in town has seen, and, just possibly, the best one ever. This holiday gem is always one of our most popular shows, so get your tickets early! For Ages 5+/Grades K+.  

The Velveteen Rabbit

Adapted by Scott Davidson from the story by Margery Williams

Dec. 12-22, 2008 Wachovia Playhouse

Front Orchestra $18.00 • General Admission $14.00

The Velveteen Rabbit is an ordinary stuffed bunny filled with sawdust. All the other toys in the nursery snub him for being boring and old-fashioned, but once the Boy discovers the forlorn little rabbit they become instant friends. As their friendship grows, the Velveteen Rabbit learns what it means to be truly loved – and the joy and pain of what it means to be real. Adapted from the classic book by Margery Williams, this poignant story of the transformative power of love has charmed generations of families and continues to be one of our most popular productions. Performed by the Tarradiddle Players. For Ages 3+/Grades PreK+.  

A Year with Frog and Toad

Music by Robert Reale Book & Lyrics by Willie Reale

Based on the books by Arnold Lobel

Jan. 23 - Feb. 15, 2009 McColl Family Theatre

Front Orchestra $24.00 • General Admission $18.00

Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad books have been favorites of early readers since 1971. The tales find the two amphibious friends spending their days swimming in the river, planting gardens, flying kites and telling spooky stories in front of the fire. Life is good in the tender, joyful stories of true friendship and simple pleasures. When first produced by the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis , A Year With Frog and Toad won a regional Tony award on Broadway. Since then it has been seen by adoring fans all over the country. For Ages 3+/Grades PreK+.  

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

Book and Lyrics by Robert Kauzlaric

Music by Paul Gilvary and William Rush

Adapted from the book by Jon Scieska and Lane Smith

© 1989 by Jon Scieska and Lane Smith

Feb. 13 - Mar. 1, 2009 Wachovia Playhouse

Front Orchestra $18.00 • General Admission $14.00

Everyone knows the story of the Three Little Pigs, right? Three piggies build houses, but two of them choose lousy materials and get devoured by a Big Bad Wolf. The third builds with brick and lives to see another day. The End. But have we heard the whole truth, or is this porcine propaganda? Jon Scieszka raises that question in this brilliant parody of the Three Little Pigs, brought exuberantly to the stage by Robert Kauzlaric. This rock ‘n’ roll musical finds the Big Bad Wolf on trial for his purported deeds, and, believe me, he has an entirely different version of the story. The audience becomes the jury and helps decide: guilty or not guilty!! Your vote could change the fate of the Big Bad Wolf (or, is it the poor, innocent Wolfie) forever... Performed by the Tarradiddle Players. For Ages 5+/Grades K+.  

The Drama Club

By Bob Inman

Mar. 13-22, 2009 McColl Family Theatre

Front Orchestra $24.00 • General Admission $18.00

It’s the beginning of a new school year, and the high school drama club is holding auditions for its fall production. As the acknowledged leader of the club, Emily is sure she will be offered the lead role – until the arrival of an equally talented transfer student named Tasha challenges Emily’s position as the best actress in school. A volatile rivalry between the two becomes more than a contest for a part in a play, and tensions between the Caucasian and the African-American girls spread from the drama club to the entire school. Students wrestle with their peers, their racial prejudices and themselves. Cracks in the social strata reveal the simmering complexity beneath. What will boil over and what will be left … for better or worse? With inspiration drawn from the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case, The Drama Club explores a modern dilemma that schools continue to face: how do we truly connect with each other and what are the stakes if we fail? NOTE: This production contains mature themes and strong language and is recommended for middle and high school audiences.  

The Secret Life of Girls

By Linda Daugherty

Mar. 26 - Apr. 4, 2009 Wachovia Playhouse

All seats $10

Abby wants to be accepted as a new member of the school’s championship volleyball team. But Stephanie, the popular team captain, is upset that her friends have been spending time with Abby, so she begins an IM campaign to keep Abby off the court. As the girls jockey for position within their peer group, they use IM, text messaging and chat rooms to play off each other’s emotional insecurities. All the bullying, rumors, secret alliances and backstabbing spin out of control, throwing the girls’ lives into chaos. Parents and teachers, meanwhile, haven’t got a clue. Linda Daugherty, playwright and mother of teenage girls, conducted extensive interviews with girls on the giving and receiving end of bullying to create this brutally honest look into The Secret Life of Girls. NOTE: This production contains mature themes and language and is recommended for middle and high school audiences.  

Alice in Concert

Book, Words & Music by Elizabeth Swados

Based on “ Alice in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” by Lewis Carroll

Apr. 17 - May 3, 2009 McColl Family Theatre

Front Orchestra $24.00 • General Admission $18.00

This spectacular musical tells the beloved stories of “ Alice ’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” like you have never seen them before! Using a wide variety of musical styles and the fabulous characters from Lewis Carroll’s prodigious imagination, well-known playwright and composer Elizabeth Swados follows Alice down the rabbit hole and into the magical world of Wonderland. There she encounters some of the most memorable creatures in children’s literature, among them the time-challenged White Rabbit, the tea loving Mad Hatter and the mysterious Cheshire Cat. With catchy tunes, witty lyrics and a remarkable cast of Carroll’s creatures, Swados takes us on the most whimsical trip imaginable. For Ages 6+/Grades 1+.  

The Commedia Aladdin

By Lane Riosley

May 1-10, 2009 Wachovia Playhouse

Front Orchestra $18.00 • General Admission $14.00

Hop on a magic carpet with Aladdin as he summons the powerful Genie of the Lamp and changes his fortunes forever. With The Commedia Aladdin, our Tarradiddle Players continue their tradition of bringing classic stories to the stage with a hilarious twist. The centuries old Italian Commedia dell’arte theatre style inspired such modern day comedians as Abbott and Costello and the Marx Brothers. Fresh, fast-paced and full of physical humor, our Commedia shows are always faithful to the original tale – but with an irresistible mix of naivety and silliness that leaves audiences helpless with laughter. Performed by the Tarradiddle Players. For Ages 5+/Grades K+.  

 

 

Billy Jonas
Nov. 1-2, 2008 • McColl Family Theatre

Front Orchestra $14.00 • General Admission $12.00
Back for his TENTH consecutive season is composer, songsmith, and multi-instrumentalist Billy Jonas. Billy performs his original songs, stories, and improvisations with voice, guitar, and “Industrial Re-percussion” – a collection of instruments he made from found, foraged, and recycled objects. The audience joins in with singing, dancing, and banging-a-long! For Grades K+  

Tarradiddle Tales (preschool performance)
By Flora B. Atkin
Nov. 22-23, 2008 • Wachovia Playhouse

Front Orchestra $12.00 • General Admission $10.00
A great introduction to live theatre for our youngest audiences, Tarradiddle Tales explores four simple folk tales from four different countries: “The Magic Tree,” a Bantu folk tale; “Peter the Fool,” a Danish story; “Spider Talk,” an Anansi story from Ghana ; and “Tiger Trap,” from India . Three actors tell the tales in a playful storytelling style that makes clever use of colorful prop pieces and involves audience interaction. For Grades PreK  

The Best of Omimeo
Written and performed by the Omimeo Mime Theatre
Jan. 16-18, 2008 • Wachovia Playhouse

Front Orchestra $14.00 • General Admission $12.00
For 30 years the Omimeo Mime Theatre has offered audiences a cornucopia of creativity and imaginative theatre. This season Hardin Minor, Eddie Williams and the Omimeo regulars will present a special performance featuring favorite vignettes from the Omimeo repertory. From circus arts to acrobatics, mime to vaudeville, this show will keep you on the edge of your seat. For Grades K+  

A Tangle of Tales
Performed by the Grey Seal Puppets
Jan. 31 - Feb. 1, 2009 • Wachovia Playhouse

Front Orchestra $14.00 • General Admission $12.00
This whimsical show from the Grey Seal Puppets brings three folk tales from around the world to life ...”The Frog Prince” from Germany, “Three Billy Goats Gruff” from Scandinavia and “The Three Little Pigs” from England. Along with these familiar tales, you’ll see a skinny ant dance a jig; “block heads” learning how to get around; and the zany “Wobblies” opening the show with an extraordinary ballet choreographed to Kablevsky’s “The Comedian’s Suite.” For Grades PreK+  

Djembe Fire!
African drum and dance ensemble
Mar. 6-7, 2009 • Wachovia Playhouse

Front Orchestra $14.00 • General Admission $12.00
Feel your body move and your spirit soar as the master drummers and dancers of Djembe Fire! take you on a rhythmic journey across Africa . Authentic instruments, costumes, stories and songs come together in this unique performance that will delight young and old alike. Audiences join in the show, adding their energy to that of the talented performers. For Grades PreK+  

Animal Tales (preschool performance)
By Joanna Gerdy
April 25-26, 2009 • Wachovia Playhouse

Front Orchestra $12.00 • General Admission $10.00
Animal Tales, one of our special performances for preschoolers, features a variety of different animal stories, poems and songs drawn from fables, folk tales and legends. The stories teach universal lessons and spark youthful imaginations. Animal Tales is a wonderful introduction to the joys of live theatre. For Grades PreK


   

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