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Oregon
Children’s Theatre announces the 2008-2009 Season
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5 shows for the whole family: from
world premieres of original commissioned plays to timeless literary classics
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20th Anniversary Season in
a new home!
Portland, Oregon –Oregon
Children’s Theatre is pleased to announce our 2008-2009 season. With nearly two million children, teachers, and families
served, OCT is celebrating our 20th Anniversary Season in a new
space: we are now a resident company of the PCPA’s Hatfield Hall (home of the
Winningstad and Newmark Theatres). This
change enables us to alter the theater experience for our audiences. They will now be closer to the stage and hear real voices
instead of amplified sound. The
smaller theaters allow us to add a fifth show to our season—an expanded line
up designed to appeal to all ages—and will offer playgoers more dates and
times from which to choose.
Oregon Children’s Theatre
2008-2009 Season: 20 years old…still
young at heart!
Gossamer
October 18 – November 9, 2008
By Lois Lowry, based on her novel
Directed by Stan Foote
Best for ages 10 and
up
Co-commissioned by Oregon Children’s Theatre and First
Stage Children’s Theater, Milwaukee.
Newbery Award-winning
author Lois Lowry adapts her own book for the stage. This world premiere
explores the depth of dreams and how they shape the lives of an old woman and
young boy in this beautiful, lyrical play.
Gossamer is the story of dream-givers, mystical
creatures who work in the shadows of night to impart dreams to those in need,
and counteract the influence of nightmares. Continuing OCT’s commitment to
bringing the best writers in the country to develop scripts for our audiences, Gossamer
is a sensitive and compelling play for thoughtful youth and their families.
James
and the Giant Peach
November 1 – 23, 2008
By Roald Dahl, adapted for the stage by Richard R. George Directed
by Greg Tamblyn
Best for ages 7 and up
Evil aunts, magical
crystals, insect, and more storm the stage as James steers his giant peach on a
fantastical journey! This beloved Roald Dahl story comes to life in true OCT
fashion with high-flying special effects, brilliant costumes, and memorable
characters.
Click, Clack, Moo:
Cows that Type
January 24 – February 15, 2009 By Doreen
Cronin (Author), Betsy
Lewin (Illustrator)
Book
by James E. Grote, Music by George Howe, Lyrics by James E. Grote and George
Howe
Directed
by Stan Foote
Best for ages 4 and up
Typing
cows and a labor disputing duck join forces to stand up to Farmer Brown in this
Broadway-style barnyard blockbuster. Based
on the comical, witty, and sometimes wry picture book, Click,
Clack, Moo is fun, fun, fun! Great music, hilarious dialogue, and dancing farm
animals will have the entire family laughing along with these
literate bovines organizing to protect their rights.
Honus
& Me: A Baseball Card Adventure
February
28 – March 22, 2009 By
Dan Gutman, adapted by Steven Dietz
Best
for ages 8 and up
Twelve-year-old
Joe Schostack is down on his luck, striking out in his favorite pastime, and
stuck having to clean his neighbor’s attic. That is, until he discovers a very
rare baseball card. With an original 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card in his
possession, Joe soon learns that the card is not only valuable but magical as
well. As Honus and Joe find friendship across the decades, they teach each other
the true value of believing in your dreams.
Petite
Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood
April 25 – May 17, 2009
By Mike Artell, Illustrated by Jim Harris
Adapted by Arrangement with Ina Kahn Assoc.
Best for ages 5 and up
A Cajun croc, a
less-than-dainty duck, and a swamp full of fun make up this bayou-flavored
version of Little Red Riding Hood. The classic fairy tail gets a Southern twist,
complete with a basket full of gumbo, hot sauce, and a sidekick cat. Told in
rhyming Creole dialect and rich in Cajun culture, a saucy swamp chorus sings
backup in the Zydeco-driven score to this spicy new family musical from the
writer/composer of Junie B. Jones and the Miss Nelson musicals.
Founded in 1989, Oregon
Children’s Theatre is Oregon’s largest non-profit professional children’s
theater company and a resident company of the Portland Center for the Performing
Arts. Performances
are held weekdays for school audiences and on weekends for family audiences.
OCT serves more than 111,000 children of all ages each year.
OCT offers numerous school services including in-school workshops
and an extensive outreach program. OCT’s
year round Acting Academy offers theater classes for children ages 4-17.
Funding
for the 2008-2009 season will be provided in part by the Regional Arts &
Culture Council, the Oregon Arts Commission, and Work for Art.
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