ARTICLE
Imagination Stage’s 40th Anniversary Season kicks off with a classic story of delicious proportions September 28 - October 27, 2019 BETHESDA, MD (August 21, 2019). Beloved by children for generations, Eric Carle’s children’s books come off the page and onto the stage in this unforgettable theatrical experience, created by Jonathan Rockefeller and directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer. The global sensation The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show has been performed over 2,000 times worldwide including sold out shows in Australia, New York, the United Kingdom, Dubai, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands – and is now coming to Imagination Stage as part of its first ever U.S. tour. With seventy-five larger-than-life puppets and original music, this Drama Desk and Off-Broadway Alliance Award nominated production follows all your favorite characters from Brown Bear, Brown Bear, The Very Lonely Firefly, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, and – of course – The Very Hungry Caterpillar. From a lumbering brown bear, to a curious caterpillar, to a fleet of rubber ducks, and countless other critters, Carle’s beautiful illustrations come to life through puppetry and theatre magic. "I am so thrilled to bring out The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show to the Imagination Stage audience," says Associate Artistic Director Kathryn Chase Bryer. "I have loved this story for many years, having read it to my own children (who are now in their 20’s!) and brought it to life in countless drama classrooms over the years. The artistry of this production is thrilling, from the masterful puppet design to the sophistication of the music composition. I am looking forward to hearing audiences young and old chime in with our professional actors as they say 'and he was still hungry!'" The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, based on the beloved books by Eric Carle, is best for ages 3+ and runs from September 28 to October 27, 2019 in Imagination Stage’s Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Theatre. Tickets are $15-35 and may be purchased online at imaginationstage.org, in person at the Imagination Stage box office, or via phone at 301-280-1660. Group rates are available. The opening night and press performance is September 28, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. Press tickets and photos are available upon request. Contact [email protected] for more information. ABOUT THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM For Imagination Stage’s production, puppeteers Emily Whitworth (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at Synetic Theater, Annie Jump…Heaven at Rorschach Theatre), Alex Turner (Blue at Imagination Stage, Treasure Island with We Happy Few), and Daniel Glenn Westbrook (The Ballad of Mu Lan at Imagination Stage, Assassins at NextStop Theatre Company) manipulate the 75 magical puppets that make up this storybook production. Imagination Stage Associate Artistic Director Kathryn Chase Bryer, recipient of the 2018 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Direction in a Musical for Wonderland: Alice’s Rock and Roll Adventure and nominee for the 2019 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Direction in a Musical for Cinderella, directs The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. The production is stage managed by Thomas Nagata (Aquarium at Imagination Stage, Blood at the Root with Theater Alliance), set designed by April Joy (Vester) Bastian (Pirates of Penzance at Riverside Performing Arts Center, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible…Day at Adventure Theatre), lighting designed by Jason Arnold (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and The BFG at Imagination Stage), and sound designed by Robert F. Pike (The Ballad of Mu Lan and Balloonacy at Imagination Stage). Alex Vernon (The BFG at Imagination Stage, Milo the Magnificent with Alex and Olmstead) is the Puppet and Movement Director. SHOW SCHEDULE September 28 - October 27, 2019 Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Weekday field trip performances available Sensory-friendly performance: Sunday, October 13 at 11:00 a.m. For more information about Sensory-friendly performances, visit imaginationstage.org/shows-tickets/accessibility ASL-Interpreted performance: Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. Please call 301-280-1660 for more information and to ensure proper seat location for the ASL-Interpreted performance. Tickets: $15, $25, & $35+ Best for ages 3+ LOCATION 4908 Auburn Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 Parking: Metered parking in the adjacent public parking garage; parking is free on weekends Metro: Red Line/Bethesda Station SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook.com/ImaginationStage Twitter.com/I_Stage Instagram.com/imaginationstage #IStageCaterpillar ABOUT IMAGINATION STAGE Founded in 1979, Imagination Stage is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to inspire creativity through theatre and arts education programs that nurture, challenge, and empower young people of all abilities. It offers year-round professional theatre for young audiences and classes in creative drama/acting, musical theatre, dance, and filmmaking for ages 1-18. imaginationstage.org
Imagination Stage’s 40th Anniversary Season kicks off with a classic story of delicious proportions
September 28 - October 27, 2019
BETHESDA, MD (August 21, 2019). Beloved by children for generations, Eric Carle’s children’s books come off the page and onto the stage in this unforgettable theatrical experience, created by Jonathan Rockefeller and directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer. The global sensation The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show has been performed over 2,000 times worldwide including sold out shows in Australia, New York, the United Kingdom, Dubai, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands – and is now coming to Imagination Stage as part of its first ever U.S. tour. With seventy-five larger-than-life puppets and original music, this Drama Desk and Off-Broadway Alliance Award nominated production follows all your favorite characters from Brown Bear, Brown Bear, The Very Lonely Firefly, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, and – of course – The Very Hungry Caterpillar. From a lumbering brown bear, to a curious caterpillar, to a fleet of rubber ducks, and countless other critters, Carle’s beautiful illustrations come to life through puppetry and theatre magic.
"I am so thrilled to bring out The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show to the Imagination Stage audience," says Associate Artistic Director Kathryn Chase Bryer. "I have loved this story for many years, having read it to my own children (who are now in their 20’s!) and brought it to life in countless drama classrooms over the years. The artistry of this production is thrilling, from the masterful puppet design to the sophistication of the music composition. I am looking forward to hearing audiences young and old chime in with our professional actors as they say 'and he was still hungry!'"
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, based on the beloved books by Eric Carle, is best for ages 3+ and runs from September 28 to October 27, 2019 in Imagination Stage’s Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Theatre. Tickets are $15-35 and may be purchased online at imaginationstage.org, in person at the Imagination Stage box office, or via phone at 301-280-1660. Group rates are available.
The opening night and press performance is September 28, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. Press tickets and photos are available upon request.
Contact [email protected] for more information.
ABOUT THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM
For Imagination Stage’s production, puppeteers Emily Whitworth (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at Synetic Theater, Annie Jump…Heaven at Rorschach Theatre), Alex Turner (Blue at Imagination Stage, Treasure Island with We Happy Few), and Daniel Glenn Westbrook (The Ballad of Mu Lan at Imagination Stage, Assassins at NextStop Theatre Company) manipulate the 75 magical puppets that make up this storybook production.
Imagination Stage Associate Artistic Director Kathryn Chase Bryer, recipient of the 2018 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Direction in a Musical for Wonderland: Alice’s Rock and Roll Adventure and nominee for the 2019 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Direction in a Musical for Cinderella, directs The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. The production is stage managed by Thomas Nagata (Aquarium at Imagination Stage, Blood at the Root with Theater Alliance), set designed by April Joy (Vester) Bastian (Pirates of Penzance at Riverside Performing Arts Center, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible…Day at Adventure Theatre), lighting designed by Jason Arnold (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and The BFG at Imagination Stage), and sound designed by Robert F. Pike (The Ballad of Mu Lan and Balloonacy at Imagination Stage). Alex Vernon (The BFG at Imagination Stage, Milo the Magnificent with Alex and Olmstead) is the Puppet and Movement Director.
SHOW SCHEDULE
Sensory-friendly performance: Sunday, October 13 at 11:00 a.m.
For more information about Sensory-friendly performances, visit imaginationstage.org/shows-tickets/accessibility
ASL-Interpreted performance: Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 1:30 p.m.
Please call 301-280-1660 for more information and to ensure proper seat location for the ASL-Interpreted performance.
Tickets: $15, $25, & $35+ Best for ages 3+
LOCATION
4908 Auburn Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814
Parking: Metered parking in the adjacent public parking garage; parking is free on weekends
Metro: Red Line/Bethesda Station
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook.com/ImaginationStage
Twitter.com/I_Stage
Instagram.com/imaginationstage
#IStageCaterpillar
ABOUT IMAGINATION STAGE
Founded in 1979, Imagination Stage is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to inspire creativity through theatre and arts education programs that nurture, challenge, and empower young people of all abilities. It offers year-round professional theatre for young audiences and classes in creative drama/acting, musical theatre, dance, and filmmaking for ages 1-18.
imaginationstage.org