Long Wharf Theatre Hosts Annual Family Friendly Discovery Day Today

Almost every single theatre person remembers what hooked them in the first place. It could be a show they did in high school, or the first Broadway hit they saw. For others, it's a moment in a classroom with a particularly inspiring teacher.

For artistic resident Emily Breeze, that moment happened at Long Wharf Theatre, during a production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream when she was in 7th grade. "It was a completely different world. I had the experience of no longer being in a theatre. My disbelief was completely suspended. I was engaged with the theatre in a completely different way. It was really magical for me," she said.

She and her colleagues, the Next Stage residents, a group of early career professionals training at Long Wharf Theatre in their respective disciplines for a season, want to give children a chance to have their own transformative theatrical experience.

They start off with LWT's eighth annual Discovery Day: Time Jumpers from Dinos to DeMille." The event will take place today, January 17 at 9:30 am to noon. Doors open at 9 am.

Children will have the opportunity to move from prehistoric times, through ancient Egypt, to Medieval Europe, to old time Hollywood, hopping across time and space in a theatrical time travel adventure. They'll learn how to become dinosaurs, build their own crowns and princess hats, make coats of arms, create the soundscapes for silent movies, and more. Over the course of the day, through the various activities, kids will get a glimpse into the inner workings props, costumes and scene shops, and take a fun acting workshop with a member of the Long Wharf Theatre artistic team.

The suggested age range is three and up. There is a $5 suggested donation per family. All of the funds will go towards funding a play for young audiences performed in the spring. For information about the event, visit http://longwharf.org/discovery-day-2015.

For more information visit www.longwharf.org or call 203-787-4282.

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