CONTACT Scalla Jakso (714) 556-2122 x4710, SJakso@SCFTA.org Laura Lanzi (714) 556-2122 x4371, LLanzi@SCFTA.org Images: SCFTA.org/media RELEASE DATE Segerstrom Center s Family 2016 2017 Series Guaranteed to Enchant, Inspire and Engage 24 th Street Theatre: Walking the Tightrope October 15 & 16 Mermaid Theatre: Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny October 30 & November 5 Some performances Sensory-Friendly and ASL Interpreted COSTA MESA, CA Segerstrom Center s Family Series opens with two shows entirely new to Center audiences: Walking the Tightrope performed by Los Angeles based 24 th Street Theatre on October 15 & 16 and Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, performed by Nova Scotia s Mermaid Theatre on October 30 & November 5 in Samueli Theater. The popular Family Series engages, enchants and inspires youngsters with the magic of live performance. International artists combine music, dance and theater that can be enjoyed by the entire family, creating experiences that instill an appreciation for the arts and create lifelong memories. Winner of three LA Drama Critics Circle Awards and written by one of England s leading writers for young audiences, Mike Kenny, Walking the Tightrope is a sweet and funny story of a grandfather who, while trying to tell his five-year-old granddaughter that Grandma is gone, goes about building a beautiful new relationship with her. With the help of a single clown, they discover the meaning of family. Recommended for grades 4 7, this acclaimed production uses sophisticated video, sound design and original music to transport audiences from Grandad s quaint 1959 English seaside cottage to the spectacular big top of the circus. The 10 a.m. performance on Saturday, October 15 will be sensory-friendly and the 1 p.m. performance on Sunday, October 16 will be ASL Interpreted. Delicately poised between children s fable and adult reverie at once, only to become another transcendent thing altogether, Walking the Tightrope delivers the evocative, cathartic goods. Los Angeles Times
Walking the Tightrope & Goodnight Moon NEWS 2/5 Adapted from Margaret Wise Brown s sixty-year-old classic, Goodnight Moon is a celebration of familiar nighttime rituals, while The Runaway Bunny tells the tale of a little bunny who can t seem to escape his mother s love, no matter how far he travels. Both feature the endearing animal puppets, stunning scenic effects and evocative music that have earned international recognition for Mermaid Theatre. Recommended for grades Pre-K 2, the hour-long staged adaptation brings a fresh appreciation of the stories and images that have delighted children for generations. The 1 p.m. performance on Sunday, October 30 will be ASL Interpreted. This entrancingly beautiful, masterfully designed production will touch anyone who appreciates theatrical excellence. Winnipeg Free Press For sensory-friendly performances, precautions are taken to reduce sound levels, particularly loud or startling sounds; reduce overwhelming stage lighting; provide low ambient lighting in the theater throughout the performance so patrons are able to see should they need to move around or exit the theater; modify seating to allow extra room for patrons who may need to move or exit during the performance; provide social story and other preparatory materials to parents and children so they know what to expect from the performance; allow use of ipads, other tablet devices and smart phones if needed as a communication device for a child; and break spaces for those who might feel overwhelmed and need a break from the performance. For more information about the sensory-friendly features, please call (714) 556-2787 or e-mail Access@SCFTA.org. Audiences are encouraged to arrive an hour before the performance for free creative activities. The Center s Education Department offers these enriching experiences to provide young people and their families more opportunities to play together creatively. Studies show that this is critical in helping to develop the ability to think and problem solve. Tickets are $20 and go on sale Sunday, September 11 and will be available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. The Center offers many services for patrons with disabilities including removable wheelchair locations, binoculars and assistive listening devices. To learn more visit SCFTA.org/accessibilityinformation. Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds The Charles & Mildred Schnurmacher Foundation, Inc. for its support of the Family Series. Parenting OC is the Media Partner of the Family Series. Kia is the Official Automotive Partner of the Center and United Airlines, Official Airline of the Center. Segerstrom Center s 2016 2017 Family Series continues with Swazzle s The Little Prince, Dallas Children s Theater s Mufaro s Beautiful Daughters, Doktor Kaboom Live Wire! and Compagnia TPO s The Painted Garden. About 24 th Street Theatre 24 th Street Theatre is a unique organization blending professional productions and world-class artists with quality arts education since 1997. They are one of the only professional Los Angeles theaters offering
Walking the Tightrope & Goodnight Moon NEWS 3/5 after school programming for elementary school children and one of the very few organizations approved by both the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission as arts education providers. About Mermaid Theatre Mermaid Theatre ranks among North America s most respected theaters for the young, and plays an important ambassadorial role for Nova Scotia and for Canada. Mermaid Theatre has been in continuous operation since it was founded in 1972. Each year they present more than 400 performances for 200,000 spectators many of them new to the theater experience. Mermaid regularly tours Canada and the United States, and has represented Canada in more than a dozen countries. Recorded narration featuring outstanding international artists facilitates performances in English, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, French, Cantonese and Mandarin. The company s choice of material is based on the belief that young people can benefit substantially both in their emotional and aesthetic development, from early exposure to literature, the arts, and the power of imagination. Segerstrom Center s Education Programs Segerstrom Center s Education Departments offer a variety of programs to students from elementary school through the university level, teachers, arts administrators and individuals who simply want to broaden their own experiences but not in a structure that is strictly academic. These programs achieve two especially important objectives. First, they develop the audiences of the future. Second, they integrate the arts into the standard curriculum and enhance learning, creative thinking, cognitive and social skills. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is an acclaimed arts institution as well as a beautiful multi-disciplinary cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence on all of its stages, offering unsurpassed experiences, and to engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live performance and a diverse array of inspiring programs. Previously called the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Center is Orange County s largest non-profit arts organization. In addition to its six performance venues, Segerstrom Center is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School, where students ages 3 14 are taught by acclaimed teachers utilizing the renowned ABT National Training Curriculum in studios utilized by the world s greatest dancers and choreographers. The Center presents a broad range of programming for audiences of all ages, including international ballet and dance, national tours of top Broadway shows, intimate performances of jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, familyfriendly programming, free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza and many other special events. The Center s community engagement and education programs are designed to inspire young people through the arts and reach hundreds of thousands of students each year. In addition to the presenting and producing institution Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the 14-acre campus
Walking the Tightrope & Goodnight Moon NEWS 4/5 also embraces the facilities of two independently acclaimed organizations: Tony Award -winning South Coast Repertory and a site designated as the future home of the Orange County Museum of Art. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is also proud to serve as the artistic home to three of the region s major performing arts organizations: Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and the Pacific Chorale, who contribute greatly to the artistic life of the region with annual seasons at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. 24 th Street Theatre: Walking the Tightrope Segerstrom Center for the Arts Samueli Theater Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday, October 16, 2016 at 1 p.m. The 10 a.m. performance on Saturday, October 15 will be sensory-friendly. The 1 p.m. performance on Sunday, October 16 will be ASL interpreted. 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA www.scfta.org Tickets - $20 In person - The Box Office 600 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Online - SCFTA.org Phone - (714) 556-2787 Group Sales - (714) 755-0236 Mermaid Theatre: Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny Segerstrom Center for the Arts Samueli Theater Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, November 5, 2016 at 1 p.m. The 1 p.m. performance on Sunday, October 30 will be ASL interpreted. 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA www.scfta.org Tickets - $20
Walking the Tightrope & Goodnight Moon NEWS 5/5 In person - The Box Office 600 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Online - SCFTA.org Phone - (714) 556-2787 Group Sales - (714) 755-0236 Information provided is accurate at the time of printing, but is subject to change. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is a private, nonprofit organization. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is a registered trademark. # # #