THE LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS SPECIAL SATURDAY MORNING THEATREREACH PERFORMANCES APRIL 21 & MAY 12 AS PART OF
THE 2007 IMAGINATION CELEBRATION OF ORANGE COUNTY
Performances of Charlotte’s Web (April 21) and By the Great Horn Spoon (May 12)
will be held in The Laguna Playhouse’s Moulton Theatre
MARCH 27, 2007 - LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA – The Laguna Playhouse is pleased to present a pair of its acclaimed TheatreReach productions for young audiences as part of the 2007 Imagination Celebration of Orange County, a family-oriented festival of performing and visual arts events that take place at various venues throughout the county during April and May.
On Saturday, April 21 at 10 a.m., The Laguna Playhouse presents a TheatreReach performance of Charlotte’s Web, adapted for the stage by Joseph Robinette from the book by E.B. White and featuring original music by Mark Turnbull. This heartwarming tale about a little girl named Fern, her pet pig Wilbur, and an extraordinary spider named Charlotte has become a literary classic. Now, the book is brought to life on the stage of the Laguna Playhouse’s Moulton Theatre in a professional production suitable for ages 5 and up. Tickets are $5 each.
On Saturday, May 12 at 10 a.m., The Laguna Playhouse presents a TheatreReach performance of By the Great Horn Spoon, adapted by Donna Inglima and Joe Lauderdale from the book by Sid Fleischman and featuring original music and lyrics by Mark Turnbull. The year is 1849 and the California Gold Rush is surging forward. Together with his fearless butler, Praiseworthy, young Jack Flagg sets out to save his Aunt Arabella’s fortune. The two stow away on a ship bound from Boston to the California gold fields and the wild, swashbuckling adventure begins! Young audience members will be used in this production, which is suitable for ages 5 and up. Tickets are $5 each.
Both Charlotte’s Web and By the Great Horn Spoon are directed by Donna Inglima, Laguna Playhouse Director of Youth Theatre, Education and Outreach. Each performance begins at 10 a.m. and runs approximately one hour. A brief Stage Talk with the actors will be held after each performance.
Donna Inglima (Director) has been with Laguna Playhouse since 1998. During that time, Donna has written and directed adaptations of three California core literature books: By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman, (adaptation co-authored with Joe Lauderdale and Mark Turnbull), The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare, and Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. She also wrote and directed the world premiere of Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser. Other Laguna directing credits include: Spinning Into Butter, by Rebecca Gilman, The Good Times Are Killing Me by Linda Barry, The Homecoming by Earl Hamner, Jr., The Quiltmaker’s Gift with Book by Alan J. Prewitt, Music by Craig Bohmler, and Lyrics by Steven Mark Kohn, Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Kling & Kevin Henkes, and Ramona Quimby by Len Jenkins.
TheatreReach is a touring program of The Laguna Playhouse that brings professional productions into area schools. The plays are one-hour stage adaptations of books included in the K-6 literature and history school curriculum, with content similar to G-rated films. Teachers are provided with study guides in advance and post-performance question and answer sessions further enrich the educational value of the visit. The Laguna Playhouse is one of the only theatre companies in Southern California offering a professional theatre touring program that directly supports California State Frameworks for English-Language Arts, History-Social Studies, and Visual and Performing Arts.
Imagination Celebration of Orange County is the largest arts festival of its kind in the Western United States. The concept was created in 1986 by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC, and Orange County was named as one of a handful of satellite sites in the United States. The focus of the festival is to reach young people and their families through the arts, encourage them to use their imaginations, create their own works of art, and help them develop an appreciation of a wide variety of visual and performing arts. Arts Orange County, a countywide arts council that serves as a resource and advocate for the arts community and as a sponsor of programs and services which enable public awareness of arts activities, and the Orange County Department of Education, are the presenters of the Imagination Celebration. More information: www.OCImaginationCelebration.org
TheatreReach Performance & Ticket Information
Ticket Prices
All ages: $5
Performances
Charlotte’s Web: Saturday, April 21, 2007 / 10 a.m.
By the Great Horn Spoon: Saturday, May 12, 2007 / 10 a.m.
FOR INFORMATION & TO PURCHASE TICKETS:
CALL: 949.497.ARTS (2787) / VISIT: www.lagunaplayhouse.com
MOULTON THEATRE: 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, California
LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE PRESS CONTACTS:
Christopher Trela
949/497-2787 x 220
Greg Patterson
949/497-2787 x 216
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