The world-famous Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia introduces three Caldecott Honor Books by Leo Lionni, "Swimmy," "Frederick" and "Inch by Inch" to the Young Audience Sunday Series (grades pre-K-3) at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, Sunday, October 14 at 1 & 3 p.m. and to the ArtsBound Outreach series audience on Monday, Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. and noon. The Outreach series is sponsored in part by the Herman Goldman Foundation.

The well-loved and instantly recognizable Lionni characters come alive onstage through Mermaid Theatre's emphasis on original music, the use of challenging texts, innovative puppetry styles and imaginative lighting techniques.  All of these elements provide a rich opportunity to acquaint young spectators with the visual and performing arts as well as with the pleasures of reading.

Swimmy, a tiny fish who uses ingenuity to fend off danger - Frederick, a poetic mouse who makes everyday life an artful experience - and the lovable inchworm in "Inch by Inch" who shares his facility for measuring absolutely everything - all perform their antics to an original musical score.

Lionni's exquisite collage works are ideally suited for Mermaid's unique approach to stage adaptation. The three stories provide wonderful scope for the translation from page to puppet-filled stage. They are all the more accessible to young audiences as a result of using the gentle storytelling style and evocative music for which the Mermaid Theatre has earned international acclaim.

Tickets for Young Audience Sunday are $15 for adults, $12 for children. There is a subscription discount available. Tickets for the ArtsBound series are $7 and study guides are available. For tickets, please contact the Quick Center Box Office at (203) 254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396 or buy tickets online at www.quickcenter.com. For further information visit the website at www.quickcenter.com.

Posted On: 09-24-2007 10:09 AM

Volume: 40 Number: 55