Author Charles Dickens is known to have said: “Little Red Riding Hood was my first love. I have the impression that, if I had been able to marry her, I would have known perfect happiness.”
Dickens’ Valentine is being given new life by The Amethyst Puppet Theater at the Whidbey Children’s Theater. The company presents the original musical version of “Little Red Riding Hood” as a sing-along with puppets. The audience friendly show opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23 and runs at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 and Sunday, Feb. 25 at the Martha Murphy Mainstage in the Porter Building, Langley The production is sure to delight audiences of all ages as “Red” skips her way through the musical enchantments of the dark woods while the woodsman strums a guitar, the grandmother sings a song entitled “I Am Alive,” and Red belts out “Red’s Song” with the woodsman while she tap dances and swings with a singing bird.
This version of the play focuses on the natural world and one’s affinity with it.
The grandmother begins the play expressing this sentiment to the audience: “Everything and everyone out in the world…lives with trees and the open sky and birds and animals. In cities and in the oceans and in the deserts and on the mountains. And out in space among the planets and stars — beyond where we even know. We’re all connected.”
Puppeteer Dawn Collins adds a colorful dimension to the production by creating puppets representing the Wolf, Grandmother and Red. The play shifts from the actors to the puppets in a seamless bit of whimsy that is unexpected and fun for the littlest audience members.
“It’s a nice way to blend the puppets and the skills of the young actors together,” said Collins.
The puppets and set are created by Collins, who also co-created the play with musical director, Talia Toni Marcus and composer Bill White.
In addition to the puppets the cast includes Audrey Digirolamo, Jack Hood, John Thompson, Julie McNeely, Nathan Simpson and Ana Carey Clark. The technical crew includes Jordan Knight and Rory Stewart.
According to Collins and Marcus, this play is ideal for school groups and other children’s groups.
All seats are $6 and can be reserved by calling 221-2282 or by visiting www.WCTonline.com.
The artists would like to thank the Whidbey Children’s Theater for making the production possible.
