Theater at Monmouth to Present TALES FROM THE BLUE FAIRY BOOK, Begin. 6/28

Theater at Monmouth's Family Show opens June 28 at 7 p.m. with a world premiere production Tales from the Blue Fairy Book based on Andrew Lang's Blue Fairy Book. Adapted by Dawn McAndrews, Tales from the Blue Fairy Book bursts with classic tales from around the globe, including East of the Sun, West of the Moon; The Bronze Ring; The White Cat; and The Stars in the Sky.

Stuck at her grandmother's house with no cell phone reception or internet, Violet reluctantly turns to The Blue Fairy Book for entertainment. Soon the characters come to life-literally-and pull Violet and her grandmother into their magical tales, leading this 21st-century young girl on a once-upon-a-time adventure of the imagination. "If your heart is truly set on reaching the stars, then you won't turn back," the Fairy Man tells her, "Go forward; go forward and mind you take the right road." Take the right road and come along for an adventure through these colorful tales. From princesses to fairies, kings to dwarves, there's a magical happily-ever-after for both girls and boys.

Luke Bartholomew returns to TAM for his second season to direct Tales from the Blue Fairy Book. Bartholomew, who played Wintergreen in the 2012 fall musical production, Of Thee I Sing, revels in the multi-layered story telling of the script, "It's an inventive, fun, and meaningful show for the whole family, perfect for today's audiences! The fairy tale characters take Violet and her grandmother on a journey of discover full of boundless joy, heart, and adventure..."

The first of Andrew Lang's Colored Fairy Books, The Blue Fairy Book was originally published in 1889 with illustrations by Henry J. Ford. The twelve Colored Fairy Books combined a myriad of stories from different cultures and sources, many of them appearing for the first time in English.

Each summer, TAM's Family Show features a children's literature classic produced for young people and the young at heart. Previous productions have included adaptations of Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach, Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince, and Margery Williams' The Velveteen Rabbit.

Tales from the Blue Fairy Book features Isabella Coulombe as Violet and Wendy Way as the Grandmother. Fairy Tales characters are portrayed by Ardarius Blakely, Anna Doyle, Michael Dix Thomas, and Graham Emmons. Set design Tricia A. Hobbs, costumes by Stephanie Peters, lights by Jim Alexander, and sound by Rew Tippin.

Performance Calendar: OPENING 6/28 at 7 p.m.; additional performance dates 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/5, 8/7, 8/12, 8/14, 8/19, 8/21 at 1:00 p.m. Running time is 50 minutes. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children. Discounts available for groups of 10 or more. For calendar and reservations, please contact the TAM Box Office at 207.933.9999 or visit www.theateratmonmouth.org.

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