"Babes in Toyland" takes the stage at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts | Press Releases

Image: Babes in toyland The enchanting family musical "Babes in Toyland" comes to Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on Sunday Dec. 15 at 1 and 3 p.m. Appropriate for all ages, the show will be repeated on Monday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. as part of the Quick Center's "Artsbound" Schoolday series, a program funded in part by Regina A. Quick, The Educational Foundation of America, the Kiwanis Club of Fairfield and the Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation.

Staged by American Family Theater, the Christmas-time classic has entertained generations of children since its creation in 1903. The show brings Little Boy Blue, Simple Simon and a host of other fairytale and nursery rhyme characters to life in the magical world of Toyland.

"Babes in Toyland" begins with the evil Barnaby bullying the good Widow Piper for her mortgage payment. When she tells him she can't pay, he says he'll forgive the debt - if she agrees to let him marry her lovely daughter Mary. Mary doesn't want to marry a man twice her age, so she and her true love Alan devise a plan to get around the wedding with a little help from Jack and Jill.

This production includes the timeless music of Victor Herbert with 11 memorable songs from "Where There's a Will" and "I Can't Do That Sum" to the classic "Toyland."

The show is part of the Broadway for Kids line of performances from American Family Theater, which has created family friendly selections in 350 cities for the past 30 years. Don Kersey, a veteran stage writer and director, is artistic director for this production.

"Their shows burst with energy, song and special effects," Leslie Bennett of the New York Times wrote of the troupe. "Their engaging productions wonderfully command the attention of young audiences and the spirit is contagious."

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for children. Tickets to the "Artsbound" Schoolday show are $5 and study guides are available for school groups. For tickets, call the Quick Center box office at (203) 254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396. For more information, visit the website, www.quickcenter.com.