Laguna Playhouse Presents TREASURE ISLAND, 4/22-5/1

The Laguna Playhouse Youth Theatre is pleased to present the swashbuckling theatrical adventure Treasure Island, April 22 - May 1 at the Laguna Playhouse. The production is directed by Donna Inglima and features members of the Laguna Playhouse Youth Conservatory as well as adult actors.

Based on the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and adapted by Ken Ludwig, Treasure Island is a stunning tale of pirates and buried gold. The story begins at an Inn on the Devon coast of England in 1775 and quickly becomes an unforgettable tale of treachery and mayhem as young Jim Hawkins, a 14-year-old boy, goes on a quest to find the notorious Captain Flint's treasure.

The play features legendary characters including the dangerous Billie Bones, two-timing Israel Hands, the famous woman pirate, Anne Bonney, the evil, murderous Blind Pew, and, perhaps the most famous hero-villain of all time, Long John Silver. Silver is an unscrupulous buccaneer-rogue whose greedy quest for gold, coupled with his affection for Jim, cannot help but win the heart of every soul who has ever longed for romance, treasure and adventure.

Written by playwright Ken Ludwig, Treasure Island had its world premiere in May 2007 at the Alley Theatre in a production directed by Gregory Boyd. Ludwig is an internationally acclaimed playwright whose many hit shows on Broadway, in London's West End and throughout the world have made his name synonymous with modern comedy. He has won the Laurence Olivier Award, England's highest theatre honor, as well as three Tony Award nominations and two Helen Hayes Awards. His work has been commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and has been performed in at least thirty countries in over twenty languages. His musical Crazy For You ran for over four years on Broadway and in London. Lend Me A Tenor, originally produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and recently revived on Broadway, was called "one of the two great farces by a living writer" by The New York Times. Among his many plays and musicals are: Moon Over Buffalo, Twentieth Century, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Sherlock!

Regular performances are Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Single tickets are $18 to $20. The show is suitable for ages 5 and up. To purchase tickets, call (949) 497-2787, or visit www.LagunaPlayhouse.com.

PIRATE ADVENTURE
In celebration of its 90th anniversary, The Laguna Playhouse is also hosting A Pirate Adventure, on Saturday, April 30, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. This family event will feature pirate-themed activities and a ticket to the 2 p.m. matinee performance of Treasure Island. The day's activities include: Pirate Hat Making, Treasure Island Storytelling, Stage Combat Demonstrations, Pirate and Maiden Face Painting, a Treasure Hunt, and box lunch. The $25 per person ticket price includes all activities, lunch and the Treasure Island performance. Kids and parents are invited to attend.

ABOUT THE Laguna Playhouse YOUTH THEATRE
Since its early days, The Laguna Playhouse recognized the value of offering plays for young audiences. In the 1980s, what had been a sporadic history of producing children's theatre was transformed into a formal program called The Laguna Playhouse Youth Theatre. The current program offers a two play subscription series of plays and musicals based upon popular books or stories aimed primarily for children of elementary and middle school ages.

What makes the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theatre Season unique in the region: the plays are directed and designed by theatre professionals and are fully-mounted with The Playhouse's technical resources. The staff for each production is drawn principally from The Playhouse's Youth Conservatory Program. Open casting is "age-appropriate," which means that young people play young people in the plays. The content of the plays is typically similar to G-rated or PG-rated films.

ABOUT Laguna Playhouse
Founded in 1920, the Laguna Playhouse is one of the oldest continuously-operating theatres on the West Coast, and has evolved from an amateur theater into a professional League of Resident Theatres (LORT).

More than 100,000 theatergoers annually attend performances at the Laguna Playhouse. Noted for its Award Winning Youth Theater, Education and Community Outreach programs, The Playhouse's continued growth, expansion, artistic excellence, audience popularity and critical acclaim have helped make it one of Southern California's most important nonprofit theatre companies.

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