Shows & Tickets
Geffen Playhouse 2010/11 Family Season Kicks Off with Story Pirates on October 16
LOS ANGELES, Sept 17, 2010 – From ancient eastern folklore to featured stories written by children, the Geffen Playhouse ushers in the old and new for its 2010/2011 Saturday Scene season. With a wide range of productions that provide an eclectic alternative to Saturday morning cartoons, the Geffen Playhouse’s family programming includes music, workshops and engaging performances for kids ages 2 to 12. This year’s season presents shows by the multiple Ovation Award-winning Troubadors, as well as lauded childrens theater visionaries Boxtales and Will & Company.
“Nothing is more basic than telling a story” says Geffen Playhouse Director of Education Debra Pasquerette. “By exposing young minds to old tales like How the Raven Stole Fire or Mukashi Muakshi and by providing workshops with the Story Pirates to develop their own voice, we’ve designed this season to engage children in theater at its most basic form – story telling.”
"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. on the Geffen Playhouse’s main stage and are followed by complimentary snacks donated by Gelson’s Market. Tickets for individual shows are $10 for children or $15 for adults and subscriptions (which package 4 or more shows) begin at $40. All tickets for Saturday Scene can be purchased through the Geffen Playhouse box office and online at geffenplayhouse.com.
An hour before each performances will be pre-show activities designed to give children a broader understanding of what they are about to see. These activities may include a dialogue with the Geffen Teaching Artist, theater games or arts and crafts and do not cost anything on top the normal ticket price.
This year’s complete Saturday Scene season includes:
SAT, OCT 16 at 11:00amStory Pirates: The Blue Story and Other Stories (recommended for ages 5 to 12)The Story Pirates will take the stage armed with furry monsters, flying cats and giant bugs for an experience that will show kids the power of writing in a way they'll never forget. That's right -- everything the Story Pirates perform is based on a story written by a kid. Called "crazy entertaining" by The Daily Show's Jon Stewart, every Story Pirates show features the debut of several stories by young authors in the audience!
SAT, NOV 13 at 11:00amBeethoven’s Wig (recommended for ages 4 to 11)Created by lyricist, lead vocalist and producer Richard Perlmutter, Beethoven's Wig features zany lyrics set to the greatest hits of classical music. Filled with fact and fancy about the world's greatest composers and their compositions, Beethoven's Wig opens the door to "serious music" and provides a foundation for classical pieces that will last a lifetime.
SAT, FEB 5 at 11:00amStory Pirates: CREATE-A-SHOW (recommended for ages 5 to 12)When the Story Pirates take the stage, you’ll be amazed at what happens next…and so will the Story Pirates! That’s because the show they’re performing has not yet been written! In Create-a-Show, the Story Pirates steal kids’ ideas and incorporate them on the spot into an interactive, improvisational show that validates the imagination of every child in the audience. Laugh as your sons and daughters invent monsters, dancing ninjas, superhero tomatoes -- or anything else they call out, and watch as the Story Pirates bring their ideas to life!
SAT, FEB 12 at 11:00amRomeo and Juliet (recommended for ages 7 to 12)Known for making classic drama and literature accessible to all ages, Will & Company brings this age old tale of star crossed lovers to the stage. A troupe of colorful actors blends historical and cultural materials to provide a clear understanding of this Shakespearean standard.
SAT, FEB 19 at 11:00amFunky Punks Circus Spectacular (recommended for ages 3 to 12)A mix of clowning, physical comedy and zany mishaps, the Troubadour’s Funky Punks Circus takes slapstick to a new level. All of the characters are here: overly-ambitious jugglers, a family of acrobats, contortionists and even a sly ring master. This is a circus like you’ve never seen before!
SAT, MAR 5 at 11:00amHow the Raven Stole Fire and Other Stories (recommended for ages 3 to 10)How did the sun get in the sky? How was the earth made? Where did we come from? Come along with tricksters Raven and Coyote and discover Native American tales of how the world was created through animation, puppetry and performance.
SAT, APR 4 at 11:00amPrince Rama and the Monkey King (recommended for ages 5 to 12)The Santa Barbara-based theater troupe, BOXTALES, tells the story of Prince Rama & the Monkey King using music, masks and movement. When Rama's wife Sita is abducted by a demon king, he embarks on a journey to win her back and defeat the powers of darkness.
SAT, APR 30 at 11:00amGwendolyn and the Goodtime Gang (recommend for ages 3 to 7)Sing along with Gwendolyn as she brings old favorites as well as hits from her new album to the Geffen Playhouse stage!
SAT, MAY 7 at 11:00amMukashi Mukashi: Asian Tales from Long Ago (recommended for ages 5 to 11)This colorful production features classic Asian tales told by Hoichi, the blind poet, about a mysterious Crane Maiden and Chu, the wily trickster. People and puppets perform these famous tales from China and Japan and prove that magic is all around you every day!
SAT, JUNE 18 at 11:00amStory Pirates: Marshmallow the Dinosaur and Other Stories (recommended for ages 5 to 12)While many children’s theater troupes tell stories to kids, the Story Pirates believe that every child has a story to tell. Whether it's a world where cats can fly or a rock opera about fuzzy alien tickle monsters, this sketch comedy musical is based entirely on stories by elementary schoolers and adapted by professional comedians and musicians. Each show features several new stories by kids in the audience!
EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:Geffen Playhouse10886 Le Conte AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90024310.208.5454www.geffenplayhouse.com
ABOUT GEFFEN’S STAGE FOR ANY AGEThe Geffen’s Stage for Any Age 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 to100 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 information, please visit geffenplayhouse.com.
