THE BERENSTAIN BEARS MUSICAL, One World Theatre, April 23, 2013

[One World Theatre, 7701 Bee Caves Road -- click for map]

presents

Berenstain Bears, the musical

Saturday, April 23, at noon
Tickets $12 for adults, $9 for children
Purchase on-line





The Berenstain Bears have enchanted young readers for generations. Matt Murphy Productions presents a fun-filled new musical featuring Stan and Jan Berenstain's most popular books. Join Mama, Papa and the cubs on a treehouse caper as Mama tries to figure out who keeps hiding things in the cookie jar!

(Click to go to the AustinLiveTheatre front page)

DISNEY'S ALADDIN, Jr., Love to Live and Palace Theatre, Seguin, January 25- 27, 2013

(







Palace Theatre, 314 Austin Street, Seguin, TX)

and Love to Live present

Disney's
Aladdin, Jr.
January 25 - 27, 2013

The Palace Theatre with Love to Live, is happy announce the Aladdin Jr. with the Palace Youth Players! All the performers are ages 3-15! The young performer have worked to put this show on for the family and friends of the community! Please come out to support them. Tickets are $19 & can be purchased at the door. Show dates and times are Friday Jan. 25th at 7:30pm, Saturday Jan 26 with a mantinee at 2:30pm & a 7:30pm, & Sunday has a matinee at 2:30pm.





(Click to go to the AustinLiveTheatre front page)

Original Family Theatre in Austin -- Playground Superhero and Mariachi Girl

by Michael Meigs


Children's theatre -- sometimes passed off as 'family theatre' -- is not easy, despite the deceptive appearance of ease when it's well done. And there's not that much of it in Austin.


Visiting companies set up shop for a single day's performance at the One World Theatre out on Bee Caves Road or at the Paramount and State theatres downtown. And of course, studios such as KidsActing, Buzz Productions, Easy Theatre and Center Stage offer young persons their first experience of performance. There's even the Flying Theatre Machine that will initiate them in improv.


Very often purveyors of children's theatre or theatre by children are offering authorized adaptations of familiar stories, successful children's books, and movies. Lots of these studios and various schools are doing Disney scripts -- for example, the MacTheatre at McCallum Fine Arts Academy performed Disney's Beauty and the Beast this past September and the Buzz Productions did Disney's Alice in Wonderland, Jr. this past May.


There's some piracy, too -- not the Long John Silver type but copyright infringement. To date those occasional offerings by community groups and others have remained below the radar (luckily for them, because Uncle Walt's administrators and their ilk are little inclined to tolerance or mercy).


Last week I attended two productions of original scripts for family theatre, done by uniquely Austin theatre companies in partnership with well-established Austin arts institutions. Judy Matetzschk-Campbell's Pollyanna Theatre Company has been performing since 2002; Teatro Vivo of Rupert and JoAnn Reyes, established at about the same time to serve, entertain and reflect Austin's Tejano community, has now moved into family theatre with a script submitted by Roxanne Schroeder-Arce to their first Latino New Play Festival in 2011.

Click to read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Upcoming: It All Began with a Little Blue Spot on His Forehead by Alex Garza, City Theatre, April 23

Received directly:

Alex Garza’s award-winning family show about nine-year old Trevor and how his world turns upside down when his skin starts turning blue. A funny and touching story about family, friends, forgiveness and who we are, spots and all. Fun stage entertainment for all ages. April 23. 2:00 p.m. The City Theatre, 3823 Airport Blvd. Suite D. – east corner of Airport Blvd. and 38 ½ Street. For reservations, call 512-524-2870 or e-mail starlextheatre@yahoo.com. Tickets $7. www.citytheatreaustin.org

Upcoming: Disney's The Aristocats, Tex-Arts, Lakeway, April 30 - May 1

Found on-line:

presented by TexARTS
April 30 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
May 1 at 2 p.m.
TexARTS Kam and James Morris Theater
2300 Lohmans Spur, Lakeway (click for map)
Ticket sales $15. General admission.
Buy tickets on-line through NowPlayingAustin


When a jealous butler cat-naps Duchess and her Aristokittens, a bunch of rag-tag Alley Cats come to their rescue! This feline adventure is sure to get your paws tapping with Disney favorites such as "The Aristocats," "Scales and Arpeggios" and "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat.”

Upcoming: Pinocchio, Wimberley Players, November 19 - December 12

Found on-line:

present

Pinocchio

November 19 - December 12, 2010
Friday and Saturday evenings 8:00 p.m., Sunday matinees 2:30 p.m.

Wimberley Playhouse, 450 Old Kyle Road, Wimberley

Not just for the kiddos, this insightful retelling of a children's classic tale explores what it takes to become a real human being. Perfect holiday outing for families, but no age limit on enjoyment.

Relive the much-loved traditional fairy tale of a woodcarver named Geppetto who resides in a small Italian village, where one day he carves a puppet from a piece of pine. The puppet is of course, Pinocchio, whose dream is to be a real boy. The entire family will enjoy a magical night watching his dream come true.

Buy tickets on-line