Acorn Productions Presents 3rd Season Of FAIRY TALE PLAYERS

This October, Acorn Productions' "Fairy Tale Players," an ensemble of children, teens and adults who have studied at the Acorn Acting Academy, opens its third season of productions for kids in the Acorn Studio Theater. The troupe's first production of the season is Peter Pumpkin Eater, Keith Anctil's adaptation of the classic Mother Goose rhyme into a full length play that dramatizes the clash of cultures that takes place when a girl from a rich family marries a sweet and hard-working pumpkin farmer. In keeping with the season, Peter Pumpkin Eater features a giant pumpkin and spooky stage effects that will enjoyed by audience members of all ages. Keith Anctil also directs a company of 12 young actors in the production, which runs from October 15 to 30 in the Acorn Studio Theater in Westbrook, with tickets $7 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under. Call Acorn at 854-0065 or visit www.acorn-productions.org for more info or to order tickets.

The action of Peter Pumpkin Eater begins when Penelope Stanwick's rich and powerful parents discover that she has married Peter, the hard-working pumpkin farmer. In order to undo what they feel to be an unacceptable match, they hire a pair of bumbling private investigators to bring her back to the family mansion. After finding out that his marriage is in jeopardy, Peter has the inspiration to hide Penny in a giant hollow pumpkin, which just happens to be located right smack in the middle of a pumpkin patch that local legends say is haunted. This spooky celebration of autumn will have everyone in the audience longing for a tasty pumpkin scone and hot mug of cider after the show.

Peter Pumpkin Eater features 12 students from the Acorn Acting Academy in a production that offers them a chance to showcase the talents that they have been honing in Acorn's after school classes, which help kids practice their acting skills in a safe and nurturing environment. The cast members come from a variety of communities in Greater Portland, and many of them have been featured in previous productions by the Fairy Tale Players. The following student actors will be appearing in Peter Pumpkin Eater : Adrienne Cordes, Gus Febles, Nate Jacobs, Ansel Knight, Abigayle Milewski and Jaedyn Smith, who reside in Westbrook, Maeve and Connor Donnelly, Gorham residents, Angela Moline from Lyman, Sophia Olore and Frances Sheehy from Portland, and Cameron Wood, who resides in Yarmouth.

The third season of Fairy Tale Players is part of Acorn's Studio Series, a year long schedule of plays presented in the company's Acorn Studio Theater in Westbrook. The mission of the Studio Series is to offer Metro-West audiences the opportunity to see live professional theater in their own community. Acorn's plays showcase the work of local playwrights and actors, allowing for a more comprehensive training program at the Acorn Acting Academy, a theater school offering classes for adults and kids. Acorn Productions is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1998, and dedicated to increasing awareness of and participation in the performing arts by all members of the community.

What: Peter Pumpkin Eater
adapted and directed by Keith Anctil

When:
Saturday, October 15 at 11 a.m.
Sunday, October 16 at 2 p.m.
Saturday, October 22 at 11 a.m.
Sunday, October 23 at 2 p.m.
Saturday, October 29 at 11 a.m.
Sunday, October 30 at 2 p.m.

Where: Acorn Studio Theater, 90 Bridge St. in Westbrook

How Much: $7 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and under

FMI: 854-0065 or www.acorn-productions.org

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