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Inspiring
Story of Freedom Educates as it Entertains.
Addy:
An American Girl Story
Seattle
Children's Theatre Hosts 101st World Premiere.
Seattle
’s Own Cheryl West Adapts Popular Book Series for the Stage.
RUN
DATES:
April 13–June 17
SHOW
& TICKET INFO: www.sct.org
SPECIAL
EVENT:
American Girl Afternoon Tea at Kaspar’s
Sunday
May 6, 3:30; Sunday June 3 at 3:30.
(
Seattle
,
WA
) – Seattle Children’s Theatre is proud to present the story of Addy
Walker, a brave nine-year-old slave girl struggling for freedom and striving to
reunite her family. Based on the popular Addy
book series by Connie Porter, and adapted for the stage by celebrated
African-American playwright and Seattle resident Cheryl L. West, Addy:
An American Girl Story takes audiences on a journey with its young heroine
from the darkness of slavery, through the uncertainty of escape, and into the
bright lights of freedom in Philadelphia.
Addy:
An American Girl Story, directed by SCT’s Artistic Director Linda Hartzell,
opens on April 13th and runs through June 10, 2007 in the
Charlotte
Martin
Theatre
. Dozens of
Seattle
area schools will be visiting the theatre over the next few months and will
integrate topics from the play into their own history curriculum.
The
Addy books are a part of the
ever-popular American Girl series.
This collection of books skillfully educates about history as it tells the tales
of eight different American girls’ lives from
the eve of the American Revolution to the home front of 1944. Set
on a
North Carolina
plantation in 1864, Addy brings to
life the tale of a young girl and her mother who must flee the oppressive life
of slavery, enduring a terrifying separation from their family and the hardships
of escape on their journey to freedom.
On
May 6th and June 3rd The Seattle Children’s
Theatre will host a special American Girl Tea before the show. Select
cast members will make appearances at the tea which begins at 3:30 at Kaspars in
lower Queen Anne. Kids tickets are $53 and Adults are $60.
This price includes tea service and a ticket to the 5:30 performance.
Call the ticket office to reserve your space at the table.
Seating is limited.
Addy:
An American Girl Story stars Myxolydia
Tyler as Addy; Demene Hall as
Momma; Tanesha Ross as Harriet; Felicia
Vonshell Loud as Sarah; Peter Crook
and Bradford Farwell in multiple
roles as Master Stevens, Mr. Cooper and the Soldier; Lance
Spencer McQueen as Poppa and Uncle Solomon; Marianne
Owen in multiple roles as Missus, Miss Caroline and Mrs. Ford; Rachel
Pate in multiple roles as Aunt Lula, Miss Dunn, Mabel and Sally; and Damion
Rochester as Sam.
Cheryl
L. West (Playwright)
is the author of several plays including: Birdie
Blue; Before it Hits Home; Jar
the Floor; Play On! (Broadway and
PBS’s Great Performances); and Holiday
Heart (adapted for Showtime/MGM; earned a GLADD nomination and a Golden
Globe nomination for Alfre Woodard.). Ms. West has earned several playwriting
awards including the international Susan Smith Blackburn prize, the Helen Hayes,
AUDELCO, and the NAACP Playwriting Award. Her plays have been produced in
England, New York (Manhattan Theatre Club, Second Stage), and in numerous
regional theatres, including the Arena Stage, Goodman, Old Globe, Seattle Rep,
Bay Street, Syracuse Stage, Pasadena Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, South Coast
Rep, and the Alliance. She has worked in television and film with projects at
Sony,
Paramount
, TNT, HBO, MTV, and CBS. Ms. West is currently writing an original screenplay
for Disney and completing commissions for Oregon Shakespeare Festival and
New York
’s Second Stage.
Linda Hartzell
(Artistic Director) has been the Artistic Director of Seattle
Children’s Theatre and its Education Programs since 1984. She received her BA
in Education from the
University
of
Washington
. She has directed over 45 plays for SCT, over 35 of which were world premieres,
including Peter and the Wolf, The
Red Badge of Courage, Holes, Pink and Say, Still Life with Iris,
The Odyssey, Afternoon of the Elves, and The Rememberer.
She recently directed The Grapes of Wrath
at Intiman Theatre, and the Australian premiere of Afternoon of the Elves
for
Adelaide
’s Windmill Performing Arts and the Sydney Theatre Company. Ms. Hartzell was
formerly on the board of Theatre Communications Group, and she is a former vice
president of the
United States
Center
for the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (ASSITEJ/USA).
She was recently honored with the prestigious Gregory Falls Sustained
Achievement Award, given by Theatre Puget Sound, and the Mayor’s Arts Award.
She has also been inducted into the
College
of
Fellows
of the American Theatre. She was a recipient of the Distinguished Achievement
Award from UW College of Arts and Sciences in 1994.
Seattle
Children’s Theatre is located at
201 Thomas Street
in
Seattle
. Tickets range in price from $20 to $32 and may be purchased by calling the SCT
ticket office at (206) 441-3322 or by visiting www.sct.org. Addy:
An American Girl Story is recommended for ages 8 and older.
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