This ain't your mama's fairy tale.
"We are definitely mixing things up," says Megan James, Trike Theatre education director.
FAQ
‘Three Billy Goats Gruff’
WHEN — 10 a.m. today; 9 a.m. & 4 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. Tuesday through June 5; 9 a.m. & 4 p.m. June 6; 2 p.m. June 7
WHERE — Trike Theatre’s Black Box Studio in Bentonville, 209 N.E. Second St.
COST — $5
INFO — 464-5084 or triketheatre.org
James is directing the upcoming production of "Three Billy Goats Gruff," which is this year's Little Trike Series performance. The series is geared toward children ages 2 to 5.
"We are telling the story from the perspective of the trolls," James says. "They are carrying a mysterious trunk. They don't know what's inside; they just know they are supposed to protect whatever is inside. Then the trunk starts making goat noises, so they decide to open up the trunk and discover what's inside."
Inside they find the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff and then they retell the story -- with help from the audience.
"There's a lot of interactive moments," James says. "We worked on those things in rehearsal, but they don't really come alive until the kids are there and they are part of it."
The company performed the play 66 times for pre-kindergarten centers and libraries in January and February.
"You really need the audience to make the show what it is," she adds.
The Little Trike Series strives to create unique theatrical experiences for young children, James says.
In "Three Billy Goats Gruff," the children "get to go up on stage and become the characters. They get to help create the world of the play and pull things out of the trunk and explore them."
-- Kelly Barnett
NAN What's Up on 05/29/2015