2009 Season

Anansi the Spider is the resourceful hero of many West African trickster tales. This show is based on two stories, From Tiger to Anansi and Anansi and the Talking Melon. Colorful, larger-than-life-size puppet characters such as King Lion, Snake, Elephant, Wart Hog, Turtle, and Ostrich learn important lessons from the wily spider. The nationally-honored Tears of Joy Theatre Company was founded in 1971, and uses an adaptation of Japanese bunraku puppetry.

The Newbery award-winning book by E. L. Konigsburg is the basis for this fascinating stage adapta­tion about bright, almost 12-year-old Claudia and her younger brother, Jamie. They run away from home, hide out and sleep over in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, and investi­gate whether a certain statue was truly sculpted by Michelangelo. The museum serves as a natural curricular tie-in with ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, and Medieval times. This fast-paced musical features sixteen characters, thirteen of which are played by a single actor!

Golden curls and mood swings do not necessarily mix with an over-pampered, but adorable, baby bear. Can a famished little lost girl put her spoiled behavior on the back shelf and learn how to be a friend to a lonely baby bear who hungers for a playfellow? Through listening and taking turns, these two misfits discover the power of being a friend. This company is an OJP favorite, known for lively audi­ence participation, clever songs, on-stage musician and sophis­ticated humor appreciated even by older students and adults. They have previously performed Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, and The Three Little Pigs in Olympia.

C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia have been enthralling readers for over 50 years with imagina­tive stories of wondrous things that happen to ordinary children. This musical fantasy adventure is about four children of war-torn England who accidentally enter the land of Narnia by climbing through an enchanted wardrobe. They defeat the witch and restore sunshine and peace to the land. From the company that brought highly-acclaimed Paul Revere to Olympia last year.