MOTHER GOOSE Begins This March at Imagination Stage

Imagination Stage will present Mother Goose, a fun and story-packed piece recommended for children ages one through five. Mother Goose is the latest creation from Janet Stanford and Kathryn Chase Bryer. The show runs March 1 - April 13.

Through innovative puppets, props, and original music, plus the talents of actors Pauline Lamb and Enrique Vargas, eight classic Mother Goose rhymes come gently and tunefully to life. The story of Mother Goose herself provides a framework, as she tends to various animals during the day and sweeps cobwebs from the stars at night. The magical Mother Goose invites the children in the audience to join in with each rhyme's story, teaching them that the very best way to do what needs to be done is to do it together. Among the rhymes the children will experience are “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” “Old King Cole,” and “Humpty Dumpty.” 

Performances are Saturdays and Sundays at 10:00 and 11:30, and some weekdays at 10:30. Tickets are $22.50, with a $5 lap seat for children under 12 months. Tickets may be purchased online at www.imaginationstage.org, at Imagination Stage's box office, or by calling 301-280-1660. The run time for the show is 45 minutes. 

Since 2008, Stanford and Bryer have written and produced several acclaimed pieces, including Wake Up, Brother Bear and Mouse on the Move. These shows have toured in the DMV and have been produced by theatres around the country, cementing Imagination Stage's reputation as a leader in Theatre for the Very Young (TVY). 

Imagination Stage Chief Artistic Programming Officer Joanne Lamparter believes that “one of the reasons Mother Goose works so well with very young children is that storytelling in our TVY shows is sensory friendly and experiential rather than primarily verbal and  linear. It allows for young ones to check out and check back in without missing crucial information. It engages children because it is geared toward how they  process and respond to information. ”

Bryer, who directed the piece and is Imagination Stage's Director of Theatre, adds that she is excited for children to “hear the traditional poetry, but experience it in a new, interactive way. Part of the magic comes from the stunning visuals of our Scenic Designer, Giorgos Tsappas.” Also on the creative team are Composer/Music Director Debbie Jacobson, Sound Designer Gordon Nimmo-Smith, Costume Designer Alysha DeVries, Props/Puppet Designer Matthew Pauli, and Lighting Designer Johnathan Alexander. Stage manager is Tori Schuchmann. 

The cast includes Pauline Lamb as Mother Goose and Enrique Vargas as the puppeteer. 

ASL-interpreted performance is March 15 at 10:00. 

Up next at Imagination Stage: Dory Fantasmagory, June 18 - August 8. 

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