Westport Country Playhouse's Family Festivities Series, featuring musical productions based on classic and contemporary children’s stories, will returns for its 2017-2018 series on selected Sundays from December through May. The six-show series includes musical versions of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic, “A Christmas Carol,” and the bestselling book, “Pinkalicious.” Performances are at 1 and 4 p.m. and are approximately one-hour in length. Tickets, at $20 each, are now on sale. Everyone in the audience requires a ticket.
In conjunction with the series, the Playhouse will once again host a book collection for Read to Grow, Inc., a statewide nonprofit organization that provides free children's books to families with limited access and to community resources that serve them. At each Family Festivities performance, bins will be located in the Playhouse lobby for donations of gently used and new children’s books which will be given to families and programs in the greater Fairfield County area through Read to Grow. During last season’s Family Festivities series, the Playhouse collected nearly 300 books.
One week before the Playhouse presentation, The Westport Library will offer a free-of-charge program of interactive book readings, called “Story Explorers,” to promote childhood literacy while also enhancing children’s experiences of attending the Playhouse’s Family Festivities shows. Each “Story Explorers” will include a reading of the book from the upcoming show, plus activities surrounding the book’s theme. Presenting partners for “Story Explorers” are Westport Country Playhouse, The Westport Library, and Westport Young Woman’s League. The program is approximately one hour.
Opening the 2017-18 series on Sunday, Dec. 17, will be “A Christmas Carol,” produced by TheatreWorks USA, appropriate for grades 1 through 7. The musical captures the humorous and touching moments of Charles Dickens’ classic tale with all the familiar characters, including the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, his clerk Bob Cratchit, the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come, and the frail Tiny Tim.
“Nugget and Fang,” on Sunday, Jan. 21, is ArtsPower’s under-the-sea musical about Nugget, a minnow, and Fang, a shark, who get along swimmingly — until Nugget’s first day of minnow school. There, Nugget learns that minnows are supposed to be afraid of sharks! To regain Nugget’s trust, Fang takes desperate and hilarious measures. Adapted from the popular book by Tammi Sauer, the musical is appropriate for grades Pre-K through 3.
“Junie B. Jones,” on Sunday, Feb. 11, stars outspoken, precocious, lovable Junie B. Jones in a musical about new friends, new glasses, sugar cookies, the annual kickball tournament, and other various first-grade angst-ridden situations. Follow her adventures as she writes down the story of her life in her “Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal.” Adapted from the bestselling series of books by Barbara Park, the musical is produced by Theatreworks USA and recommended for grades K through 5.
“How I Became a Pirate,” on Sunday, April 15, is a rollicking musical adventure about young Jeremy Jacob who joins Captain Braid Beard’s band of comical pirates on a quest for the perfect spot to bury their treasure. While Jeremy finds fun and adventure on the high seas, he soon learns that home and family are treasures that can’t be found on any map. Based on the bestselling book by Melinda Long and produced by Dallas Children’s Theatre, the musical is recommended for grades K through 5.
“Harry and the Dirty Dog,” on Sunday May 6, is a charming musical about Harry, who has everything a little white dog with black spots might want. His whole life is perfect with only one exception: Harry hates taking baths! He hates them so much that one morning he runs away and when he returns he is so dirty that he is now a little black dog with white spots. To his horror, his family doesn’t even recognize him. How will Harry ever win his family back? The story is based on the book by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham. Produced by ArtsPower, the musical is appropriate for grades K through 2.
Westport Country Playhouse is located at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1 in Westport. For more information and to buy tickets, visit westportplayhouse.org, or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529.
Photo courtesy of Vital Theatre Company