THE VELVETEEN RABBIT Brings Love And Magic To Young Audiences At South Coast Rep

The tale of a stuffed rabbit who longs to be real has charmed readers of all ages for more than a century. The Velveteen Rabbit will be the final show of South Coast Repertory's Theatre for Young Audiences season. Beth Lopes directs the production, an adaptation by Janet Allard from the Margery Williams book, on the Julianne Argyros Stage, May 24-June 9. Tickets are on sale now: www.scr.org.

The story follows a lonely and forgotten stuffed rabbit who longs to be real. He was "fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen." When another toy is lost, he quickly becomes a little boy's new favorite. As the rabbit's dapper appearance gets worn and shabby from play, a wonderful change begins to happen. This moving story about the power of love-and a little bit of magic-is perfect for the whole family.

"I grew up reading and loving The Velveteen Rabbit," said Beth Lopes, who is directing the show. She previously directed Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook (SCR, 2018). "The story is sweet, even bittersweet, about love and loss with a tremendous amount of pathos I think it's important that we introduce kids to concepts that aren't necessarily sunny, but that are told to them in a warm and inviting way."

Allard has written numerous plays including Vrooommm!, Speed Date, Incognito, Loyal, Untold Crimes of Insomiacs, and musicals including Into the Wild, Poor Boy, Driving West and The Unknown.

Williams wrote The Velveteen Rabbit in 1922; it became her best-known work and received a Newbery Honor. The majority of her books feature toys that come to life or animals that express human emotions or feelings.

The cast includes Amielynn Abellera, Ricky Abilez, Joseph Abrego, Nicole Cowans, Paul Culos, Nicole Erb and Carina Morales.

The design and creative team includes Keith Mitchell, scenic design; Kathryn Wilson, costume design; Karyn D. Lawrence, lighting design; Ears Up Sound Design (Matt Glenn, Mark Caspary), sound design; and Joann DeNaut, CSA, casting. The production manager is Holly Ahlborn and the stage manager is Kathryn Davies.

The Velveteen Rabbit is generously supported by Honorary Producers Olivia and Alan Slutzky, and Timothy and Marianne Kay.

Tickets start at $23 for children ages 4-12; $28 for adults. Following each performance, the cast will meet with children and parents on Ela's Terrace at SCR. For complete information, visit www.scr.org

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