- Wood and Strings Theatre’s performance of “Ananse!…Early in the Day” opens the Children’s Prime Time Theatre series on Sept. 16 at The Center.
The many cultures of Western Africa provide the images for a magical tale about a mythological mischief maker at the dawn of time in the season-opening performance of the Children’s Prime Time Theatre performing arts series on Sept. 16 at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset.
The legendary story of Ananse the spider, trickster of Ashanti folklore, comes to stage through the art of puppetry in Wood and Strings Theatre’s performance of “Ananse! … Early in the Day,” presented by Lake Cumberland Performing Arts in partnership with The Center.
The performance, set to begin at 7 p.m. in The Center’s theatre, is the first show to be presented this season during the 2011-12 Children’s Prime Time Theatre series.
“Wood and Strings Theatre, a professional touring company, brings the magic of West African culture to life through the creative use of body puppets some as large as eight feet,” Dianna Winstead, associate director of arts, culture, and events for The Center, said. “Audiences of all ages are sure to enjoy this Children’s Prime Time Theatre performance with its vibrant splendor and rich narratives.”
In “Ananse! … Early in the Day,” Ananse the spider witnesses the early day when animals and life are new. Sharing comical adventures with dozens of other characters, he leaves his mischievous mark on life, or “so the story goes.”
The performance draws inspiration from West African music, masks, costumes, and oral traditions.
For more information or tickets to “Ananse! … Early in the Day,” contact The Center’s Box Office at 606-677-6000 or order online by clicking here. Also, make sure to visit and “like” The Center’s Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/centercrd to get access to exclusive ticket giveaways for this season’s performances.
Other Children’s Prime Time Theatre performances include:
“The Gift of the Magi,” Monday, November 28
Can a memorable Christmas be made with a $1.87? Getting caught up in the commercialism of Christmas, Della and Jim begin to lose sight of the true joy of gift giving and friendship. In this classic tale, based on the short story by O. Henry, we
follow the young couple on their selfless journey to make each other’s holiday dreams come true.
Click here to purchase tickets for this show.
“The Three Little Pigs,” Friday, Feb. 10
A gentle tale of how three little pigs set out on their own and their neighborly wolf who doesn’t know his own strength. Houses of straw, sticks, and bricks are built along with lessons of a job well done and understanding.
Click here to purchase tickets for this show.
“Four Score and Seven Years Ago,” Friday, Feb. 17
To young Lemuel, who has escaped slavery in Georgia, life in Gettysburg is everything he had dreamed it would be. His ideas about the North and the South, as well as what it means to be a free man, are challenged when he unexpectedly befriends Jacob, a young Confederate soldier. The two men may be of different races and different sides of the of the Civil War, but they have much to teach each other about bravery and loyalty in this exciting and suspenseful musical.
Click here to purchase tickets for this show.
A.A. Milne’s “House at Pooh Corner” Adapted by Bettye Knapp, Friday, March 23
Whether we are very young or wise to the ways of the world, every so often each of us has to “get back to the House at Pooh Corner” to spend some tender time with faithful friends. You know their names by heart: Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga and Roo, Rabbit, Christopher Robin, and of course, the lovable bear called Winnie-the-Pooh. This production is faithfully based on the A. A. Milne classic of the same name.
Click here to purchase tickets for this show.
“Alice in Wonderland,” Friday, March 30
Step through the looking glass with this rollicking musical based on Lewis Carroll’s enchanting classic. Delighting audiences nationwide, this sparkling production is filled with colorful sets, inventive costumes, creative staging, and special effects and is sure to enchant children of all ages.
Click here to purchase tickets for this show.
All Children’s Prime Time Theatre performances begin at 7 p.m. and include a pre-show event from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in The Center’s front lobby.
These performances are also funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Kentucky Arts Council.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to Lake Cumberland Performing Arts with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
