Westport Country Playhouse to Present STELLA, QUEEN OF THE SHOW, 1/18

Westport Country Playhouse's Family Festivities Series will present "Stella, Queen of the Snow," based on the book by Marie-Louie Gay, the award-winning creator of "Stella and Sam," on Sunday, January 18, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Produced by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, the show is recommended for ages three to seven. Running time is approximately one hour. Tickets are $20.

Using puppetry, original music, and scenic effects, "Stella, Queen of the Snow" tells the story of an endearing sister and her younger brother as they spend the day playing in the snow. The forest, snowballs, snow angels, and the mysterious white stuff itself provide fuel for Sam's questions and Stella's answers as they embrace the world of winter. First published in 2000, the book remains a world-wide favorite and was adapted for television.

Pre-show activities will begin one hour before each performance, at noon and 3 p.m. Children will play a series of environmental theater games, using their imaginations to create a winter wonderland. Through acting games, they will explore their newly created world.

Author Marie-Louise Gay, one of Canada's best-loved creators of children's books, has published more than 60 titles and achieved international acclaim for her work, now available in more than 15 languages. She has been widely recognized as both an author and illustrator, earning the Governor General's Award and the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, and has been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Award. She is a resident of Montréal.

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, founded in 1972, has performed shows for more than five million children in 16 countries on four continents.

The Playhouse's Family Festivities Series is presented on selected Sundays from November through March. Upcoming shows are: "The Lightning Thief," on Sunday, February 8, about mythological monsters and the theft of Zeus's master lightning bolt; "Dog Loves Books," on Sunday, March 1, a musical about the irresistible Dog who decides to open his own bookstore; and "Curious George," on Sunday, March 29, about the inquisitive, lovable little monkey of books, movies, and the award-winning PBS television show.

At each Family Festivities performance, Westport Country Playhouse will once again host a book collection for Read to Grow, Inc. Bins will be located in the Playhouse lobby for donations of gently used and new children's books which will be given to families with limited access and to community resources that serve them in the greater Fairfield County area.

Family Festivities Corporate Sponsor is Pitney Bowes. Family Festivities Partner is Darlene Krenz. The series is also supported in part by Westport Young Woman's League.

Everyone in the audience requires a ticket. For more information or tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets are available online 24/7 at www.westportplayhouse.org.

Photo Credit: Margo Ellen Gesser

To post a comment, you must register and login.