NOT YOUR MOTHER’S GOOSE! is a high-energy, laugh-out-loud romp through Gooseville, where nursery rhymes come to life—and fall apart in the most delightful way! When Hickory the clock-mouse ditches his post, the enchanted Tickety-Tock Clock grinds to a halt, unleashing chaos: time unravels, day turns to night without warning, and rain refuses to fall. With the 100th Annual Peter Pumpkin Eater Harvest Festival at stake, it’s up to the ever-rhyming Mother Goose, the mischievous Itsy-Bitsy Spider, precocious Jack, contrary Mary, and a lovable cast of nursery rhyme characters to restore order. Full of clever wordplay, wild schemes, magical mishaps, and heartwarming lessons about friendship and community, NOT YOUR MOTHER’S GOOSE! is a fast-paced theatrical farce that turns childhood classics upside down—and right-side up again.
Category: Theatre for Young Audiences
The Name Jar
After her first day of school in America, a young, Korean, immigrant girl decides to change her name to something “easer to pronounce.” With the enthusiastic help of her new classmates, she soon has a jar filled with exciting new names. Will she choose a new name? Or will she find value in her own?
The Little Mermaid
Awakened by a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, a family passes the time by weaving their own wonderous and joyful mermaid tale, using comedy, music, and dance to bring the timeless story of love and adventure to life. Hans Christian Andersen’s once cautionary tale about a disobedient girl is transformed into a magical journey that encourages young people to listen to their hearts and choose the right path even when it’s a difficult one.
Hoopla!
The fifth-grade talent show is approaching, and everyone at Baldwin Elementary is abuzz. Winston wants to win the show with his cheerleading routine and prove he’s more than the awful nickname everyone calls him: Fishboy. Introverted artist Gina wants nothing to do with the show, and she knows the overzealous (and unpleasant) twins, Randy, and Brandy, will probably win anyway. But with the persistence of Elliott, the school’s new kid and resident rebel, these unlikely friends form “Hoopla,” a dazzling hula hooping trio and help each other navigate the pressures of being a kid.
The Mole Hill Stories
Based on the work of award-winning children’s author Lois Ehlert, THE MOLE HILL STORIES takes you on a journey with Mole as she discovers, with the help of her friends, that there is more to life than one can see at first glance and that our dreams are within reach if we believe.
American Prom
Set in a small town middle American town called Principal, this is the story of teenaged best friends Jimmy T. and Kia B. Jimmy wants to take Kia to prom, but it’s complicated. Jimmy is white and Kia is black, and Principal has been holding racially segregated proms for decades. In this contemporary coming of age story, filled with music and magic, rhymes and beats, Jimmy and Kia work to hold fast to their friendship. With a little help from a musical superstar, they both fight to envision a different future for themselves and their town.
The Boy Who Kissed The Sky
Set in the heart of Seattle’s Central District to the rhythms that shaped a generation, THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY, is inspired by the early life and influences of Seattle native and musical icon Jimi Hendrix. The early era of rock ‘n roll music sets the stage as a young Black boy conjures his creativity as a budding guitarist. Guided by the spirit of music itself, the boy learns to find harmony inside the challenging noises of his life. Told with vibrant music and daring imagination, this play inspires us to dream big when it matters most.
The Velveteen Rabbit: A Toy Story
Margery Williams’s classic toy story gets a vibrant retelling in this brand new adaptation. When the Child gets the Rabbit for Christmas, she is at first disappointed in her gift. But as the two quest and adventure through her storybooks, both Rabbit and Child grow and care for each other. And they discover that love is the greatest force in the Universe and can make impossible things Real.
Shakespeare Young@Part®: Some Comedies
SHAKESPEARE YOUNG@PART®: SOME COMEDIES introduces the audience to six of Shakespeare’s comedies. The shortened comedies that are included are TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, AS YOU LIKE IT, TWELFTH NIGHT, and THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.
Ghost
Running is all that Castle Cranshaw, a.k.a. “Ghost”, has ever known, but he runs for all the wrong reasons—until he meets Coach, who sees something in him: raw talent. The story follows Castle as he tries to stay on track, literally and figuratively, harnessing his aptitude for speed on an elite local track team while battling the difficult realities of his past and present. Based on the award winning bestseller by Jason Reynolds, Ghost also highlights the importance of allyship. As his teammates become friends and Coach stands in as a father figure, Castle finds a place where he belongs.
Jacked!
Inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk and designed and developed for children, Jacked! fuses storytelling and poetry with hip-hop and break-beat music to encourage a dialogue about substance abuse and the overwhelming effects the opioid epidemic is having in our communities.
Jabari Dreams of Freedom
10 year old Jabari loves to paint. With his Forever President Barack Obama as a guide, Jabari escapes the violent reality of an encounter with the police through his colorful paintings where he meets children from the past who teach him how to be fearless. He then meets his hero, Barack Obama, as a 6 year old boy on the eve of the assassination of MLK, Jr. Will Jabari be able to instill in young Barack the lessons he’s learned and therefore ensure that Barack will have the necessary tools to become president? Will he learn to take these lessons back into his own life and heal his community? JABARI DREAMS OF FREEDOM is a 45 minute dream, a piece for ages 8 and up, using rap, freedom songs, hip hop dance, history, and humor to tell the story of a young Black boy from the South Side of Chicago who is afraid to leave the house, but learns to dream of freedom.