The Yellow Boat at Childsplay

A Scandinavian folksong tells of three little boats: "One was blue, one was red and one was yellow as the sun. They sailed far out to sea. The blue one returned to the harbor. The red one sailed home, too. But the yellow boat sailed up to the sun." Based on a true story, The Yellow Boat tells the story of a young artist named Benjamin. Born with hemophilia, Benjamin died of AIDS-related complications in 1987 at the age of 8. The play celebrates the creative spirit of all children. Through his art, Benjamin is able to express his joys and his fears. In doing so, he navigates his journey, leading his family, friends, doctors, and the audience through this amazing, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always heartfelt experience. This iconic, multi-award-winning play was first produced by Childsplay in 1992 and changed the face of children’s theatre across America. In honor of the company’s 40th anniversary season, we celebrate Benjamin’s remarkable voyage by sharing it with today’s audiences.