Saturday, August 18, 2012

Emerald City Theatre’s 17th Season

CHICAGO—After a critically acclaimed premiere at The National Theatre in London, Katie Mitchell’s stage adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat is crossing the pond for its Chicago premiere at Emerald City Theatre. The Cat, Fish, and Things One and Two all come to life on stage in this script that the Evening Standard calls “faithful to the chaotic exuberance of the original, yet also winningly fresh.”


Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat joins three premieres of favorite family stories to complete Emerald City’s 2012-2013 Subscription Season at the company’s Lincoln Park home, the Apollo Theater. It brings outstanding artists to Emerald City’s stage, including composer Ryan Scott Oliver (Disney Theatricals’ Freaky Friday, 35mm, Darling) and writer, illustrator, and playwright Mo Willems (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Elephant and Piggie). A season made up entirely of titles new to Chicago, the United States, or the world, 2012-2013 will bring Chicago-area families on a whole new adventure.

The season kicks off this July with Alice in Wonderland, adapted and directed by Emerald City’s Producing Artistic Director, Ernie Nolan especially for Emerald City’s young audience. A series of Ice Cream Party performances (Saturday shows in July and August) celebrate this playful, joyful, and utterly frabjous journey.

Mo Willems’ Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical will open in October, adapted from the celebrated picture book by the author himself. Knuffle Bunny was toured nationally by The Kennedy Center and will make its Chicago premiere at Emerald City. Mo Willems has collected many honors for his writing for early learners, including three Caldecott Honors, two Geisel Medals, and six Emmys.

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Alice in Wonderland and Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical will run in repertory with each other during the fall and holiday seasons of 2012.

In January, the world premiere of the musical adaption of The Frog Prince Continued with music and lyrics by the acclaimed Ryan Scott Oliver will run in repertory with The Cat in the Hat. Ryan Scott Oliver is a 2008 Richard Rodgers Award Winner and a 2009 Jonathan Larson Grant recipient. In addition to this commission from Emerald City, Oliver is currently writing the score for Disney Theatricals’ Freaky Friday. This adaptation of the favorite John Sciezka (The Stinky Cheese Man, True Story of the Three Little Pigs) story will have its world premiere at Emerald City.

Frog Prince Continued and Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat will run in repertory with each other during the winter and spring of 2013.

Following is the lineup for Emerald City Theatre’s 2012-2013 Season at the Apollo Theater:

Alice in Wonderland

July 17-December 29, 2012

By Ernie Nolan

Based on the books by Lewis Carroll

Practical Alice follows a peculiar rabbit down his hole and finds herself in a magical, frabjous world. Join her for tea with the Mad Hatter, a croquet match with the Red Queen, and a wild journey with the Cheshire Cat. Emerald City adapts Lewis Carroll’s classic story to the stage for the whole family to enjoy. Alice is going on the adventure of her life and you are invited to the tea party!

Invited Press Opening: Saturday, July 21, 2012, 10:30am

Special Ice Cream performances on all Saturdays in July and August.

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical

October 2, 2012-January 6, 2013

Script and Lyrics by Mo Willems

Music by Michael Silversher

In a world where a trip to the Laundromat threatens to separate Trixie from her beloved bunny, a girl needs a hero to help - Dad. Can her parents understand what she’s saying in time to rescue Knuffle Bunny? This nationally acclaimed musical written by Mo Willems brings a small heroine with big problems to the Emerald City stage.

Invited Press Opening: Saturday, October 2, 2012, 1:00pm

Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat

January 26-June 9, 2013

Adaption by Katie Mitchell

The Cat in the Hat is the perfect friend for a boring rainy afternoon. From games and mischief to Thing One and Thing Two, The Cat brings all sorts of trouble to this grey day--but will Sally and

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her brother be able to explain the mess to Mother? Dr. Seuss’ classic leaps onto the stage with chaotic exuberance in this Chicago premiere of the National Theatre in London adaptation.

Invited Press Opening: Saturday, January 26, 2012, 10:30am

Frog Prince Continued

January 26-June 9, 2013

Book by Ernie Nolan

Music & Lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver

Based on the book by John Scieszka

When happily ever after isn’t what he expected The Frog Prince heads out for a new adventure. While searching for his true amphibian self, he meets witches from Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, and Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother. This musical tour through the enchanted forest is an Emerald City world premiere.

Invited Press Opening: Saturday, January 26, 2012, 1:00pm

About Emerald City Theatre

Named the 2009 and 2010 Nickelodeon Parents’ Pick Award for Best Theater Group for Kids, Emerald City creates theatre experiences that inspire early learners through play. Emerald City Theatre is one of Chicago's most attended non-profit theaters with an annual programing reach of nearly 100,000 between its performances at Apollo Theater, The Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, regional tours, and educational programming. Emerald City is proud to be the home of 28 world premiere productions. Emerald City employs nearly 100 of Chicago's top artistic and teaching talents to bring magical, interactive productions and programs that entertain children and their grown-ups to all parts of Chicagoland. The company's year-round programming includes live productions at the Apollo Theater and The Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, theatre class offerings, summer theatre camps, an extensive touring program, and literacy initiatives.

Emerald City continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Executive Director Karen Cardarelli, Producing Artistic Director Ernie Nolan, Managing Director Gillian Gorra, and a sixteen-member Board of Directors. Emerald City is a non-profit company, supported by Beermann Swerdlove, Chicago Community Trust, Deloitte, Illinois Arts Council, Katten, KPMG, BeechTree Partners, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, Winston & Strawn, The MacArthur Fund for the Arts and Culture, National Endowment for the Arts, Arts Work Fund, and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.

Emerald City's Lincoln Park performance home is the Apollo Theater, located at 2540 N. Lincoln Ave. Subscriptions are on sale now for the 2012-2013 Season. Single ticket prices begin at $16 for adults and $13 for children. A limited number of $10 tickets are available for each

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performance. Single tickets can be purchased online or by calling the Apollo Theater Box Office at 773-935-6100.

The 2012-2013 Mainstage Season includes Alice in Wonderland, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat, and Frog Price Continued.

For more information, visit www.EmeraldCityTheatre.com

2936 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago 60657
P 773.529.2690
F 773.529.2693

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