Shows & Tickets
Geffen Playhouse 2011/2012 Family Programming Kicks Off on November 5
LOS ANGELES, Sept 21, 2011 – From rock ‘n roll presidents and swashbuckling Shakespeare to bilingual tricksters and crazy jugglers, the Geffen Playhouse’s line-up for its 2011/2012 Saturday Scene season not only entertains, but enlightens. With nods to the classics, the folkloric and even the circus, this year the Geffen Playhouse is providing a stimulating alternative to Saturday morning cartoons. Through music, workshops and engaging performances for kids ages two to 12, the Geffen’s Saturday Scene programming brings theater to the whole family. This year’s season presents shows by the multiple Ovation Award-winning Troubadors, lauded children’s theater visionaries Boxtales Theater Company and Childsplay, as well as a variety of shows by the Geffen Playhouse Story Pirates.
"Saturday Scene is such an important part of what we do at the Geffen Playhouse, said Artistic Director Randall Arney. “Not only are the programs wonderful in their own right, but they are also an amazing opportunity to teach children at a young age the unique power and excitement of live performance.”
Saturday Scene performances are on select Saturday mornings at 11:00 a.m. in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse (the one exception is Brilliance!, which will run four consecutive Saturdays in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse) and are followed by complimentary snacks donated by Gelson’s Market and Pretzel Crisps. Tickets for individual shows are $12 for children and $17 for adults, and subscriptions (which package three or more shows) begin at $30. All tickets for Saturday Scene can be purchased through the Geffen Playhouse box office and online at geffenplayhouse.com.
This year’s complete Saturday Scene season includes:
SAT, NOV 5, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.
THEODORE BOONE and the THRILL OF RIGHTS! (recommended for ages 5 to 11)Twelve-year-old Theo Boone is on trial for stealing the Bill of Rights! With a signed letter of permission from his parents, Theo decides that the best lawyer to try his case is himself. Join the Geffen Playhouse Story Pirates as they team up with Penguin Young Readers Group for this legal comedy in which kiddos in the audience join professional actors on stage to become the jury, witnesses and lawyers in a high-stakes trial. With the help of a no-nonsense judge and an overly-emotional security guard, Theo will have to think on his feet to prove it was impossible for him to steal the document. He may even stumble upon the true culprit!
SAT, NOV 12, NOV 19, DEC 3, and DEC 10, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. (Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater)
Brilliance! (recommended for ages 5 to 11)Everyone knows that Marie Curie was brilliant. But most people don’t know that she was also the silliest and most hilarious scientist that ever existed! Okay, so maybe she wasn't. But we can pretend she was, right? In Brilliance!, the Geffen Playhouse Story Pirates will inspire audiences of all ages to laugh and cheer their way through a fast-paced and interactive exploration of Madame Curie's radioactive discoveries, which made her the first woman ever to win a Nobel Prize. This companion piece to Alan Alda's Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie, is intended for families and pretty much anyone who could use a laugh while learning about the mysteries of the universe and the sheer brilliance of Marie Curie.
SAT, JAN 28, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
Silly Rabbit, Tricksters Are for Kids (recommended for ages 5 to 11)Join us on a humorous and magical journey filled with wily creatures who teach folk wisdom, morals and life lessons. In this collection of trickster tales from around the world, including Brer Rabbit, Brer Alligator in Trouble, Tio Conejo and Raven and the Man Who Sits on the Tide, Boxtales Theater Company inspires self-reliance and creative problem solving. Donning their signature masks and weaving in bilingual elements, Boxtales draws from a variety of cultures to make this show a global adventure.
SAT, FEB 25, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
Tall Tales: Myths of Magical Trees (recommended for ages 5 to 11)Come out on a limb with us to explore different cultures through their tree mythology. Through clowning acts, puppetry and the magic of shadow theater, the Geffen Playhouse, in partnership with UCLA, presents a celebration and rediscovery of timeless tales from around the world.
SAT, MAR 3, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
The Funky Punks! (recommended for ages 5 to 11)Get ready for nonstop, knee-slapping, belly-laughing fun as the Troubador Theater Company’s ‘Punks’ share their delightful world of wonder and whimsy. The silly and the spectacular join forces for this high-energy, interactive circus extravaganza which includes everything from puppets, stilt-walkers and jugglers to trampoline tricksters, super slippery table sliders and even a plunger!
SAT, APR 14, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
Rock the Presidents (recommended for ages 10 to 14)You too can become president! Or at least enjoy a rollicking, multi-media-filled musical revue of the 44 men who already have. From George Washington to Barack Obama in under an hour, this world premiere by nationally recognized youth theater company Childsplay features stories spanning the 223 years of the American presidency, brought to life by an all-original rock, pop and folk music soundtrack.
SAT, APR 21, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (recommended for ages 5 to 11)Over-the-top theatrics, live footnotes and all-out comedy accompany the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company as they bring this classic story (abbreviated and in modern language) to youngsters. Stop on by for a fantastical tale following castaway Viola as she’s separated from her twin brother by a disastrous shipwreck, leading to mistaken identities, harmless trickery and surprise weddings.
SAT, APR 28, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
Don’t Just Sit There! An Interactive Musical for Toddlers and Big Kids (recommend for ages 2 to 5)Are you little? Do you have trouble sitting still? If so, we have the show for you! The Geffen Playhouse Story Pirates will sing, dance and encourage even the littlest of you to get involved with the action. With stories and songs that are based on participation from kids in the audience, Don’t Just Sit There! is specially calibrated for the tiniest of attention spans. So don’t just sit there! Sing and dance along, why doncha?
SAT, JUN 9, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
A T-Rex is Loose! (recommended for ages 7 to 11)You know what they say – the show must go on, even if there’s a Tyrannosaurus rex loose in the theater. Roar! In partnership with the Natural History Museum, the Geffen Playhouse Story Pirates are putting on a show made up of stories written by kids about dinosaurs and prehistoric life. So join us to learn a thing or two about the way dinosaurs lived, and if that T-Rex interrupts the show, we’ll probably figure out a way to stop him from eating us. In addition to Saturday Scene, the Geffen Playhouse Story Pirates host a separate family show, The Flageship Show, in the Geffen Playhouse Kinross Annex. Most Saturdays from September 10 to December 17, the Pirates present a sketch comedy musical based entirely on stories written by elementary-age kids. Described as “Monty Python meets Schoolhouse Rock,” these weekly performances are not only for their authors, but mom and dad too. For more information on all our family programming options, please visit www.geffenplayhouse.com/family.
EDITORS PLEASE NOTE FOR SATURDAY SCENE:Geffen Playhouse10886 Le Conte AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90024310.208.5454www.geffenplayhouse.com
ABOUT GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE’S EDUCATION AND OUTREACHThe Geffen’s education and outreach programs seek to make the cultural resources of the Geffen Playhouse available to all of Los Angeles’ diverse communities. The wide range of programs focuses on serving populations in need from ages 3 to 100 through programs such as Saturday Scene, School Tours, Student Matinees and the theater’s award-winning CREATE program.
ABOUT THE GEFFEN PLAYHOUSEThe Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and musicals, the Geffen Playhouse continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company is helmed by Producing Director and President of the Board Gilbert Cates, Artistic Director Randall Arney, Managing Director Ken Novice and Chairman of the Board Frank Mancuso. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen Playhouse welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains an extensive education and outreach program, designed to engage young people and the community at large in the arts. For more, visit geffenplayhouse.com.
