The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati to Present POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL

This winter, The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT), the country's oldest professional theater for young audiences, invites schools and families to be a part of an important regional premiere on the Ralph and Patricia Corbett Showtime Stage: POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL.

Running February 21 - March 25, 2018, POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL will treat audiences to 49 up-close-and-personal performances in the small 152-seat performance space housed in the company's facility on Red Bank Road.

POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL follows 8-year-old Lily Polkadot who just moved to the "Squares Only" small town of Rockaway. As the first Polkadot in an all Square school, Lily faces an almost impossible task of gaining acceptance from her peers. From daily bullying, to segregated drinking fountains, Lily's quest seems hopeless until she meets Sky, a shy Square boy whose curiosity for her unique polkadot skin blooms into an unexpected pal-ship. Inspired by Civil Rights Pioneers Ruby Bridges and The Little Rock Nine, POLKADOTS serves as a colorful history lesson for the world, reminding us that our differences make us awesome, not outcasts.

Book written by Melvin Tunstall III. Co-composer and lyricist Douglas Lyons. Co-composer Greg Borowsky. Based on an original concept by Douglas Lyons. Directed by Nate Bertone.

Public show times include: Wednesdays at 10 AM and 12 PM; Thursdays at 10 AM and 12 PM; Fridays at 10 AM and 12 PM and 7 PM; Saturdays at 12 PM and 5 PM; and Sundays at 2 PM and 5 PM. Public performance tickets are $20 each. To order, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call 800-745-3000.

On Saturday, March 24, we are proud to welcome Ms. Carlotta Walls LaNier to TCT for a very special Q&A and talkback after the 5 PM performance of POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL. In 1957, at age 14, Ms. Walls LaNier was the youngest Little Rock Nine member to integrate Central High School. This act of courage and defiance became the catalyst for change in the American educational system. By ushering in a new order, she and her fellow warriors became 'foot soldiers' for freedom. Tickets for this special event will be $30 and are on sale now.

The four-person cast includes:

Sarah Huff as Lily Polkadot

Rocky Paterra as Sky Square

Zoe Jensen as Penelope Square

Shani Hadjian as Mrs. Square/Mama Square

In addition, school performances of POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL will be held February 21 - March 16 during the daytime hours. School performance tickets are just $10 per student. For school tickets, visit thechildrenstheatre.com or call 513-569-8080 x22.

TCT's Sensory Friendly performance of POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL will be held on Friday, March 2 at 7 PM. This performance is intended for individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as children (and adults) with other special needs who may benefit. To create a sensory-friendly performance, the show is performed in a welcoming, supportive environment for those with sensory challenges. Slight adjustments to lighting and sound are made and effects such as fog, strobes, and lights that extend into the audience are minimalized. A downloadable Social Narrative (in Word format) is made available on the TCT website one week before the performance. At the theater, TCT provides an area staffed by specialists in the field where patrons can take a break from the performance if necessary, and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has trained staff on hand.

For details about how to purchase tickets to Sensory-Friendly performances, visit www.thechildrenstheatre.com.

The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati's Ralph and Patricia Corbett's Showtime Stage is conveniently located in The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati's building at 4015 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227. Just off I-71, close to US-50/Columbia Parkway, as well as the Norwood Lateral.

The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati's production of POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL is made possible by PNC. Production Sponsors include Fifth Third Bank, Lasik Plus, William S. Rowe Foundation, and Superior Automotive. The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

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