THE SNOWY DAY Will Be Performed Live at The Coterie and Streaming Online

This holiday season, The Coterie presents Mesner Puppet Theater's production of The Snowy Day and other stories by Ezra Jack Keats, an all masked, socially distanced, live show running at The Coterie Theatre with an online streaming option available for those who are unable to attend in person. The endearing adaptation of Ezra Jack Keats' award-winning book for families with ages three and older will be performed live on The Coterie's stage in Crown Center, November 27, 2020 - January 3, 2021, with the streaming version available for families and virtual school field trips beginning December 1, 2020.

The Snowy Day and other stories by Ezra Jack Keats celebrates the magic and boundless possibilities of the first snowfall. The story follows Peter and his friends as they romp and play, starting snowball fights, and making snow angels in this uplifting musical play about childhood joys and living life to the fullest each day. Told through inventive puppetry and charming songs, Keats' little boy in the red coat comes to life for families with ages three and older in a collection of the stories Whistle for Willie, Goggles!, A Letter to Amy, and The Snowy Day, all originally written by children's author and illustrator, Ezra Jack Keats.

Keats' The Snowy Day was originally published in 1962 as a children's picture book that featured Peter, a young African American boy exploring his neighborhood as the season's first snowfall signals the beginning of winter. The book received the 1963 Caldecott Medal for Keats' collage artwork, making The Snowy Day the first picture book with an African American protagonist to win a major children's award. In 2016, Jerome Hairston created a captivating stage adaptation featuring puppets that received its world premiere at Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, MN. Star Tribune hailed the show as, "a quiet joy." Subsequent productions around the country have been called, "...delightful... the comforting and fun-loving songs create a sense of home..." (DCTheatreScene) and have been credited for "...bring[ing] Keats' characters and stories to life with imagination and heartfelt emotion that endures..." (BroadwayWorld.com-Nashville). The Coterie's producing artistic director Jeff Church says, "In 2017, Mesner Puppet Theater mounted an irresistible version of The Snowy Day -- so we are excited to invite them to remount the show for Coterie audiences this winter, with the dialogue recorded and the charming puppetry live."

The Snowy Day and other stories by Ezra Jack Keats at The Coterie will run approximately 45 minutes and is recommended for families with ages three and older. The Coterie is funded in part by Missouri Arts Council, ArtsKC Fund, Theater League, and Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund. The production is sponsored by Compass Minerals, which can be found online at www.compassminerals.com.

The Snowy Day and other stories by Ezra Jack Keats will be performed live at The Coterie Theatre in Crown Center. If ticket holders are unable to attend in person, the performance will be available to stream at home at no additional cost. Patrons may indicate their choice to view virtually when purchasing tickets or by contacting The Coterie's box office to make arrangements prior to their selected performance date. The Snowy Day is also available to educators as a virtual field trip for PreK - 3rd grades. Virtual field trips are booking now for performances December 1, 2020 - January 3, 2021. Booking details are available at www.thecoterie.org.

For those attending in person, masks and social distancing are required of all staff, performers, and patrons, including children of any age. Patrons whose accompanying children are unable to wear a mask - or whose children are two years or younger and cannot wear a mask for safety reasons - should choose the virtual option when purchasing. In person attendance is limited to 100 people, or one-third of The Coterie's normal capacity. The puppetry in The Snowy Day will be performed live, but all dialogue and music will be pre-recorded to avoid talking and respiratory droplets inside the theatre. The Coterie's theater HVAC system has been optimized to exceed ASHRAE air change recommendations and the theater will receive a complete surface disinfection after every performance. Detailed information about safety and ticketing information for patrons is available at www.thecoterie.org.

The Snowy Day and other stories by Ezra Jack Keats is a ticketless, socially distanced event for families with ages three and older. Families who would like to view the performance at home virtually should indicate their preference at check out. Whether attending live or streaming online, admission to The Snowy Day is $13.00-$15.00 for youth under 18, students, and seniors 60 or older; and adults are $17.00-$19.00, depending on performance date. Purchase admission through The Coterie's box office at 816.474.6552 or www.thecoterie.org.

Unlike past Coterie productions, seating is not General Admission. Instead, socially distanced seating pods will be assigned so patrons are asked not to congregate in The Coterie lobby prior to the show. The theater will open for seating 30 minutes prior to the performance.

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