Westport Country Playhouse presents “Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales,” on Sunday, January 29. westportplayhouse.org
Westport Country Playhouse announces its 2012 Family Festivities Series, featuring classic and new twists on fairytales, a popular musical and an introduction to Shakespeare, on selected Sundays from January through April, 1 and 4 p.m. Tickets are $18. Birthday party facilities may be scheduled in advance.
Opening the 2012 series will be “Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales,” on Sunday, January 29, 1 and 4 p.m. Recommended for ages 4 to 10, the show is produced by the Griffin Theatre Company, based on the book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Jack must use his wits to save himself from the terrible Giant, but a host of familiar fairytale characters keep messing up his plans---and then there's that annoying Stinky Cheese Man! Very different from the traditional fairy tale, characters slide in and out of tales. Cinderella rebuffs Rumpelstiltskin, and Goldilocks meets the Three Elephants. Nothing is quite the same as you remember it.
“Pinkalicious: The Musical” will take the Playhouse stage, Sunday, February 12, 1 and 4 p.m. Recommended for age 6 and up, the show is produced by the Vital Theatre. Pinkalicious can't stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor's office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe---a dream come true for this pink-loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this predicament.
“The Ugly Duckling” and “The Tortoise and the Hare” will be presented on Sunday, March 18, 1 and 4 p.m. Recommended for age 6 and up, the show is produced by CORBiAN/Lightwire Theater. In “The Ugly Duckling,” of the five eggs in Mother Duck's nest, one is the largest and last to hatch. Bigger and paler than the others, this last hatchling is treated as an outsider by Mother Duck and her ducklings. He may be the best swimmer of the brood, but this alone is not enough to ensure his acceptance. Knowing only rejection, this Ugly Duckling goes out into the wild alone. Reflecting upon his plight under the glow of a remote willow tree, he sees a wily cat creeping in the direction of Mother Duck's nest. The Ugly Duckling follows and watches as one lagging duckling is captured and taken back to the cat's lair. Will the Ugly Duckling save the day and be a true hero, or will he remain an outcast?
The story of “The Tortoise and the Hare” tells of the Tortoise, ridiculed by the Hare, challenging him to a race. They set off and the Hare takes a commanding lead right away. Thinking he will win easily, the Hare allows himself to be distracted with many modern day activities; texting, video games and the paparazzi, of course. The Tortoise continues to trudge along at his methodical pace. Will the swifter creature win or the one with discipline and fortitude?
“Nearly Lear,” on April 1, 1 and 4 p.m., is recommended for grades 4 and up, and produced by Susanna Hamnett. What if the great and tragic story of King Lear were to be told by the King's closest companion - his own fool? This is “Nearly Lear.” Seen through the eyes of the Lear's devoted clown, Norris (who, in good Shakespearean tradition, is actually Noreen disguised as a boy), the story is not only poignant and tragic, but also mischievous, tender and achingly funny.
The production is an emotional rollercoaster ride that will entrance both lovers of Shakespeare as well as newcomers to the Bard. “Nearly Lear” confounds expectations of what a Shakespeare play 'should' be and uses exuberant storytelling, music and film, as well as Shakespeare's magnificent text to take its audience firmly into the heart of this great story.
Currently underway, the 2011 Family Festivities Series continues with “GrooveLily in Striking 12,” on Sunday, December 4, 1 and 4 p.m. The concert-with-a-story, band-is-the-actors GrooveLily secular holiday show put the band on the map of the musical theater world. The show is co-written by GrooveLily and Rachel Sheinkin, who was a Tony Award winner for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
“A Season of Miracles,” by Pushcart Players, will be presented on Sunday, December 11, 1 and 4 p.m. A sparkling collection of holiday tales from different cultures including Christmas (“The Gift of the Magi” and “The Nutcracker”), Kwanzaa (“The Kwanzaa Kite,” set in Nigeria), and Chanukah (“A Chanukah Miracle,” a Chelm story), the show is set to music and filled with beauty and magic, laughter and love - the perfect gift of theater to celebrate the winter holidays!
Family Festivities Corporate Sponsor is First Niagara/Pierson & Smith. Family Festivities Board of Trustees Sponsors are Meredith and David Bukzin, with additional support from the Peterson Foundation.
Everyone in the audience requires a ticket. For more information or tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets are available online 24/7 at www.westportplayhouse.org. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), view Playhouse videos on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse) or get an insider’s peek on The Playhouse Blog (www.theplayhouseblog.org).
