The Selfish Giant
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL, Monday, November 26, 2007 -
Contact
Carol Fox & Associates
(773)327-3830
http://www.chicagochildrenstheatre.org/pr
TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY, NOV. 19 FOR CHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE'S PRODUCTION OF THE SELFISH GIANT COMING TO THE FIELD MUSEUM JAN. 26 – MARCH 9, 2008
Created and adapted by Blair Thomas and Fast Fish Puppet Theater,
Oscar Wilde's The Selfish Giant comes to life with original puppets and music
CHICAGO – Chicago Children's Theatre launches their 2007-2008 season with The Selfish Giant adapted from the short story by Oscar Wilde and produced in association with The Field Museum in the museum's Levin Exhibition Gallery, Jan. 26 – March 9, 2008. The production, created and adapted by Blair Thomas and Fast Fish Puppet Theater, uses puppets and music to bring to life Wilde's beloved children's tale about the power of friendship and generosity. Tickets go on sale Monday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased through The Field Museum box office by calling 312.665.7400 or online at www.chicagochildrenstheatre.org.
“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with the Field and a respected artist such as Thomas,” says Chicago Children's Theatre Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell. “It is part of our mission to inspire young people and families to lead lives of adventure, courage and curiosity so this production and location create a perfect kick off for our season.”
The Selfish Giant, featuring original puppet design by Jesse Mooney-Bullock, costume design by Meredith Miller and music by Michael Smith, tells the story of a grumpy old giant who forbids the children in his village from playing in his beautiful garden. After the children are locked out, the trees and flowers refuse to grow and the garden plunges into eternal winter. Finally, the children of the village sneak back into the garden, bringing with them the rebirth of spring.
Blair Thomas is the founder and artistic director of Blair Thomas & Company, which creates Chamber Puppet Theater for adults, and for children under the name Fast Fish Puppet Theater. As co-founder of Redmoon Theater in 1989, Blair Thomas spent a decade leading a vision to create large-scale spectacle theater. Blair has served as curator for Chicago's International Puppet Festival, as an Associate Adjunct Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and was the first recipient of the Jim Henson Fellowship at the University of Maryland. Along with composer Michael Smith, he created The Snow Queen, which will be performed for the second year at Victory Gardens this fall.
The Selfish Giant is produced in association with The Field Museum, one of the world's foremost natural history museums. Theatre goers can make a day of it by also seeing the Field's many permanent exhibitions that are popular with young families, such as Sue, the largest T. rex ever found, Underground Adventure, a bug's-eye view of the world beneath our feet, and What is an Animal?, an exploration of the diversity of animal life.
In addition, the Museum's Crown Family PlayLab is a new, hands-on learning center specifically designed for children ages 2-6; it features art and music studios, a Native American pueblo, an Illinois woodland, and other fun-filled activity areas that help children learn about the natural world and diverse cultures. Visit the website www.fieldmuseum.org to learn more.
Tickets for The Selfish Giant go on sale Monday, Nov. 19, 2007. Tickets are $15 for children and $25 for adults; free admission to The Field Museum will be awarded with every paid ticket to The Selfish Giant. The performance schedule is as follows; Fridays at 1 p.m.; Saturdays at 10 a.m., 12 and 2 p.m. and Sundays at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m.
All performances will take place at The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. For tickets call The Field Museum box office at 312.665.7400 and for more information visit www.chicagochildrenstheatre.org. Student groups visit www.fieldmuseum.org/theselfishgiant for tickets or call 312.665.7500. Groups or birthday parties of 10 or more, call GroupTix: 877-4-GRP-TIX (877-447-7849).
About Chicago Children's Theatre
Chicago Children's Theatre aspires to enrich our community through diverse and significant theatrical programming that engages and inspires the child in all of us. Chicago Children's Theatre focuses on the production of first-rate children's theater in Chicago, with top writing, performing and directorial talent and high-quality design and production expertise. Led by Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell, Executive Director Claude Binder and Board Chair Todd Leland, the company is supported by a dynamic Board of Directors comprised of dedicated individuals from the fields of entertainment, philanthropy and business, and a committed Artistic Council of Chicago-based actors, directors, musicians and designers.
Founded in 2005, Chicago Children's Theatre strives to provide affordable and accessible theater for families and area school children. To enhance the impact of any given production's themes, Chicago Children's Theatre offers educational materials and programs for families and educators. Beginning with their Inaugural Production of A Year With Frog and Toad in 2006, Chicago Children's Theatre continued to produce top-tier theatre for families during their first full 2006-2007 season which included Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine; 4-ISH; Go, Dog. Go! and Honus and Me.
Productions scheduled for Chicago Children's 2007-2008 season include The Selfish Giant, adapted from the story by Oscar Wilde; Hana's Suitcase, adapted from the book by Karen Levine; and Esperanza Rising, based on the book by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
For more information about Chicago Children's Theatre visit www.chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call 773.227.0180.
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