New Family Series Brings Theatre to Young Audiences
The New Year brings a new family series to Starlight. Beginning in March, the Performances for Young Audiences and Families Series will feature international theater companies putting their own twists on classic tales such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Snow White, Hansel & Gretel, and more.
Performances will take place inside the climate-controlled stage house with seating for more than 400 people. Tickets are $15 and required for all attendees.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. | Saturday, March 2. Recommended for families and children ages 4-8.
Show Description:
Silas is from a family of shepherds and has to do right by his mum and granddad as he reluctantly takes on the responsibility of watching their sheep up on the mountain over the winter. But he’s bored, lonely, and missing out on the fun of the annual knitting competition in town, so he cries – “Wolf!”
Written by playwright Mike Kenny and inspired by Aesop’s famous fable, this is a beautiful wintry tale about a boy who learns that “nobody believes a liar, even when they’re telling the truth.” A gifted ensemble of actor-musicians play instruments and sing live as they embody all the delightful characters, including hilarious sheep and perhaps a scary wolf or two. It all takes place in a village of knitters with fingers flicking, needles clicking, and where every new jumper tells a tale! Ultimately, Silas finds a place for himself (and his imagination) in his warm woolly community.
Mike Kenny of Tutti Frutti Productions is an award-winning English writer specializing in young people’s theatre. He has adapted the classic ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ from one of Aesop’s Fables into a rip-roaring all-sensory delight for the entire family, which brings a new dimension to the famous tale.
“Sheep fans, young mums and their lambs should escape the rain, embrace the snow and flock to this winter winner.”
The York Press
About Tutti Frutti Productions:
Tutti Frutti Productions have created high-quality, inventive theatre performances for children aged 3+ and their families for over thirty years. From their base in Leeds, England, they produce a mix of delightful shows that are either brand-new stories or fresh adaptations of much-loved fairy tales and fables, which tour to schools and theatres around the UK, and internationally to the USA, Hong Kong and Singapore.
GRIMMZ Fairy Tales
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. | Saturday, April 13. Recommended for families and children ages 7-12.
Show Description:
A hip-hop revelation for the younger generation! Meet two modern-day hip-hop street performers, Jake and Will, who bring the stories of the Brothers Grimm to life with a contemporary spin, as they and a few of their friends turn records and dance circles around some of the most beloved and well-known fairy tales collected by the famous German brothers of old.
Featured tales include “Cinderella,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “The Frog Prince,” “Rapunzel,” “Snow White & the Seven Shawties,” “The Brave Little Tailor,” “The Six Swans,” and “The Elves and the Shoemaker.” These tales include R&B, pop, reggae, and rap, with a little Run-D.M.C.-inspired rock and roll.
Performances will take place inside the climate-controlled stage house with seating for more than 400 people. Tickets are $15 and required for all attendees.
“Grimmz Fairy Tales puts the rap in Rapunzel, leaves Cinderella hip-hoppin’ in new shoes, gets Snow White slammin’ and Hansel and Gretel jammin’.”
The Charlotte Observer
About Children’s Theatre of Charlotte & Experiential Theater Company:
Experiential Theater Company is dedicated to creating high-quality theater opportunities for young audiences. Student and family audiences typically come to the theater expecting to see a play, but what they find out very quickly is that they are there to be in a play. They are co-creators and collaborators who sing, dance, and act alongside professional performers. It is a safe environment, so whatever our audience’s interest in participating, everyone feels just as welcome to watch as those who come up and play. Experiential Theater Company tours nationwide, as well as to the United Kingdom and Ireland. The content of our productions is intended to be both entertaining and educational, featuring evocative and thought-provoking storytelling.
Performances will take place inside the climate-controlled stage house with seating for more than 400 people. Tickets are $15 and required for all attendees.