It’s never too late to make yourself a better person

SCT opens The Hundred Dresses 

(Seattle, WA) –Seattle Children’s Theatre (SCT) is excited to announce the opening of The Hundred Dresses on Friday February 22, 2008 at 7:00pm in SCT’s Charlotte Martin Theatre. The play, directed by Allison Narver and adapted from Eleanor Estes’ Newberry Honor Book, runs through April 6, 2008. 

            The Hundred Dresses is a story of bullying, courage and the meaning of friendship. Wanda Petronski just wants to join the fun of having friends, like everyone else. But in 1930s small town America, a Polish immigrant doesn’t easily fit in. When Maddie’s best friend, Peggy, starts to tease Wanda, Maddie knows this isn’t right. When the teasing doesn’t stop and the Petronskis move to get away from the town’s prejudices, Maddie is wracked with guilt. She soon realizes that allowing her friend to be a bully can be just as bad as acting that way herself. Determined not to let her fear get the best of her again, Maddie braves the scorn of her classmates and stands up to them, making an unlikely friend in the bargain. 

            SCT Artistic Director Linda Hartzell says, “This is a truly charming and well-told story, important for our kids to see and hear, giving them an understanding that history can impact the present.” And she hopes to reach out to boys as well as girls. “Even though it is about a young girl and has the word ‘dresses’ in the title, I ask you to encourage the children in your life to keep their minds open to stories told from a different point of view—we all have so much to learn and enjoy from this tale.” 

This is Director Allison Narver’s first production with SCT. Narver was previously Artistic Director at Empty Space Theatre and Annex Theatre in Seattle. Her recent local directing credits include Clean House at ACT, Memory House and Bad Dates at Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Little Women at Book-It Repertory Theatre. 

The Hundred Dresses features an outstanding cast of local actors, including Susanna Burney, Emily Cedergreen, Philip Davidson, Troy Fischnaller, Tim Gouran, Sarah Harlett (who also appeared in The Neverending Story this season at SCT), Marianne Owen, Sharia Pierce, and Betsy Schwartz, with Peter Dylan O’Connor and Tracy Repep as understudies. 

Other members of the production’s artistic staff include Costumer Designer Melanie Taylor Burgess, Lighting Designer Rick Paulsen, Dialect Coach Judith Shahn, Scenic Designer/Composer Carey Wong, and Sound Designer Chris Walker. 

The Hundred Dresses will be presented in SCT’s Charlotte Martin Theatre. Seattle Children’s Theatre is located at 201 Thomas Street, under the Space Needle at Seattle Center. Tickets for The Hundred Dresses range in price from $17 to $33 and may be purchased by calling the SCT Ticket Office at (206) 441-3322 or by visiting www.sct.org. The Hundred Dresses is recommended for ages 8 and older. 

Seattle Children’s Theatre would like to thank season sponsors Microsoft and Boeing, show sponsors Dorsey & Whitney and PONCHO, and season affiliate Target for their generous support.