MY FATHER'S DRAGON Brings a Magical World to Madison

Following its premiere performance in Philadelphia, My Father's Dragon comes to Capitol Theater at Overture Center in Madison, Wis. on Sun., Oct. 22 at 3 p.m., bringing to life in vibrant color Ruth Stiles Gannett's beloved stories about talking animals, flying dragons and the loveable, clever boy named Elmer Elevator who courageously rescues a captive baby dragon. My Father's Dragon features over 30 puppets that seem to have popped right off the pages of Ruth Chrisman Gannett's beautiful book illustrations.

Based on Ruth Stiles Gannett's award-winning and best-selling Dragon trilogy, Enchantment's My Father's Dragon features talking animals, flying dragons and buried treasure! Elmer sets off on a daring adventure to rescue a baby dragon being held captive by the ferocious animals of Wild Island. With pluck and ingenuity Elmer makes his way to the island, outwits the wild animals and saves Boris, the dragon. But can they find their way back home? Using life-size puppets, expressive masks, magical scenic effects and original music, Enchantment brings to life this remarkable tale that reminds us all that we are never too young to make a difference.

My Father's Dragon - Honors, Inclusions and Accolades

Newbery Honor Book

ALA Notable Book

100 Best Children's Books of All Time

NY Public Library 100 Great Children's Book List

NEA Teachers' List: Top 100 Books for Children

Common Core Standards Exemplar Text

Common Core Standards Recommended Reading List

"Delightfully logical nonsense, appealing characters, and irrepressible humor" (The New York Times)

"A true work of art." (The New York Herald Tribune)

"I've rarely seen anything like it. Class after class of third graders sat there, jaws literally agape, as I read from [My Father's Dragon] a book that was a good 60 years old. Doubt you the power of a great story? Look no further. This title has a hold on kids that most folks would kill to achieve." (Elizabeth Bird, School Library Journal, 100 Top Children's Book)

"The power of My Father's Dragon lies in the author's assurances that while the adults in our lives can set things right some of the time, children will also become strong and clever enough to take care of themselves, and, when the time comes, will rescue their own children. In fact, one day, the child will become as powerful as the father." (Horn Book)

Enchantment and Purdue Convocations are leading a national research study examining the impact of a live performance on a student's literacy skills. This is an important opportunity to gather significant data related to the live performing arts and literacy learning, based on My Father's Dragon. Although research suggests involvement in the arts has positive academic impacts, few studies with experimental designs are exploring the impact of live performances on literacy initiatives. This study seeks to broaden the understanding of the ability of arts integration in supporting literacy in early readers, broaden the types of tools used to assess educational outcomes, and understand the role cultural institutions play in producing educational outcomes. This national study will include nearly 20 communities and an estimated 10,000 children across the country. More information: http://enchantmenttheatre.org/education/purdue-research/

Area students can also see a tailored version of the show on Mon., Oct. 23 through Overture's OnStage Student Field Trip program, which provides schools and homeschools access to content across the curriculum while offering a diverse range of performing art forms and various cultural perspectives. Tickets (and sometimes bus transportation) are subsidized and schools receive Resource Guides for each show filled with curricular-focused lesson ideas.

Tickets start at $22 and are on sale now at overture.org, in person at 201 State Street or by phone at 608.258.4141. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for discounted tickets; contact608.258.4159. My Father's Dragon is part of the American Girl's Fund for Children Family Series in the Overture Presents 2017/18 season.

OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS in Madison, Wis., features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, ten resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly 700,000 educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture.org

ENCHANTMENT THEATRE COMPANY has been inspiring children for nearly 40 years to DREAM, EXPLORE, THINK and CONNECT by transforming extraordinary literature into extraordinary theatre. The company breathes life into stories by creating evocative rather than realistic interpretations of stories, using dance/movement/pantomime as the main tools for communication interlaced with stunning masks, puppetry, magic and music. Enchantment blends these traditional art forms with the goal of putting children's imaginations at the center of the storytelling process. A colorful, awesome world explodes off the page like a 3-D popup book: a character is played by a puppet; a piece of blue silk becomes a river; shadows and projections portray an epic journey. Children actively participate in the story by "translating" in their minds what they see onstage. They become captivated co-creators of the action.

Enchantment Theatre Company was founded by Landis Smith, Jennifer Blatchley Smith and Leslie Reidel as a touring company in 1979 with a commitment to giving children a meaningful and often first ever experience of quality theatre, and a philosophy that the best of theatre for children should be judged on the same high standards as the best of adult theatre. Today, Enchantment is a leading professional theatre company for young audiences, dedicated to pushing the boundaries of imagination. Enchantment serves over 120,000 children and their families every year both on and offstage across the United States and Canada. Their work has been seen in theaters around the world and across the country ranging from sophisticated venues like the Lincoln Center and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to community centers in rural towns in North Dakota and Texas. Over 3 million children worldwide have experienced Enchantment's signature style of storytelling since 1979.

During the 2017/18 Season, Enchantment Theatre Company will be in 65 communities across the United States September 2017 - May 2018. For other tour dates visit: http://enchantmenttheatre.org/north-american-tours/tour-dates-tickets/

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