Arden Children's Theatre presents the Philadelphia premiere productions of The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) and Ferdinand the Bull as part of Arden Theatre Company's 2006/2007 season. The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) will run November 29, 2006 to January 21, 2007 and Ferdinand the Bull will run April 11 to May 13, 2007. Both shows are most enjoyed by families with children ages 5 and up.

Arden Children's Theatre is produced with the same standards of artistic excellence as our mainstage productions for adults. Every Arden Children's Theatre performance features an informative post-show "Question and Answer" session with the cast. In addition, all children receive a free commemorative production poster upon exit.

Subscriptions to Arden Children's Theatre are now available! Subscribers enjoy significant savings on tickets, the best choice of seats and a liberal ticket exchange policy perfect for busy schedules. Children's theatre subscriptions range from $26 to $50 which includes a ticket to both children's productions. The Arden also offers significant discounts for groups of 20 or more with tickets priced from $12 to $14.

In addition to presenting Arden Children's Theatre, Arden Theatre Company is proud to announce Arden Kids' Crew, the roster of popular theatre classes for kids offered in our 2006/2007 season. Arden Kids' Crew provides fun, high-quality, interactive theatre classes that enliven imaginations, get kids working together and instill a lifelong love of theatre. Arden's classes are taught by professional theatre artists with a penchant (and talent!) for teaching kids. Offerings include one-day workshops, four- and eight-week classes - perfect for any schedule! In the summer, Arden Theatre Company will offer THREE sessions of Summer Day Camp where children entering grades one through six partake in a week-long theatre intensive. Last year's Summer Camp hit a record number of participants, so we have added an extra session of camp this season.


The BFG (Big Friendly Giant)
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
Nov 29 - Jan 21
By Roald Dahl
Adapted by David Wood
Directed by Whit MacLaughlin
On the Haas Stage
Journey with Sophie into Giant Country in Roald Dahl's beloved children's story

From the award-winning author Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach) comes the beloved tale of The BFG, the Big Friendly Giant! Join the young orphan Sophie and the 24-foot Big Friendly Giant on their magical journey from Giant Country to Buckingham Palace, as they team up to save the children of England from menacing, decidedly unfriendly giants. A smash on London's West End and at theatres across the United States, The BFG was declared "boisterously enjoyable" by Britain's The Guardian. The BFG is full of zany, mixed-up language, fantastical dreamscapes, and eye-popping puppets created by acclaimed Philadelphia puppeteer Aaron Cromie. Starring as the BFG is Barrymore Award-winning actor Peter Pryor, a star of the Philadelphia stage last seen in Arden's Daedalus.

Ferdinand the Bull
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
April 11 - May 13
Based on The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson
Adaptation and lyrics by Karen Zacarias
Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma
On the Arcadia Stage
A hilarious musical romp about the bull who loves flowers

A classic tale of individuality set in 1930s Spain, Ferdinand the Bull is a hilarious, Flamenco-flavored family musical about a bull who doesn't want to fight and butt heads like all the other bulls: he just wants to take care of his beloved flowers. Young Duquito Danilo dreams of being a dancer, while his father - the belligerent Duque Dodó - plans to make Danilo a great Spanish bullfighter. When the Duque comes looking for the toughest toro for his son's bullfight in Madrid, he mistakenly picks Ferdinand. This fun, imaginative adaptation highlights messages of non-violence and uniqueness. Based on the classic book The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson, Ferdinand the Bull is an exuberant romp about being yourself and refusing to be bullied into acting like someone you're not. Kids and adults will love the clever wordplay, comical characters and lively music.
ONE-DAY WORKSHOPS - $25
No time to commit to a full eight-week session? We have one-day workshops to fit into any aspiring actor, writer or designer's schedule. All workshops are from 1 pm - 3 pm and for grades 1 - 5 unless otherwise noted.

• Saturday, October 7 - IMPROVISATION **grades 2 - 5**
• Saturday, October 14 - CHOREOGRAPHY / DANCING MUSICAL THEATRE
• Saturday, October 28 - HALLOWEEN/STAGE MAKE UP *extra $12 charge for take-home makeup
• Saturday, November 4 - SCENIC PAINTING AND DESIGN
• Saturday, December 9 - ACTING SHAKESPEARE **grades 3-5**
• Saturday, December 16 - SINGING MUSICAL THEATRE
• Saturday, January 6 - IMPROVISATION **grades 2 - 5**
• Saturday, January 13 - PUPPET MAKING
• Saturday, January 20 - SCENE STUDY
• Saturday, February 10 - CHOREOGRAPHY / DANCING MUSICAL THEATRE
• Saturday, February 17 - CLOWNING
• President's Day, Monday, February 20 - PUPPET MAKING
• Saturday, March 10 - SCENIC PAINTING AND DESIGN
• Saturday, March 24 - IMPROVISATION **grades 2 - 5**
• Saturday, April 21 - SINGING MUSICAL THEATRE
• Saturday, April 28 - SCENE STUDY
• Saturday, May 5 - ACTING SHAKESPEARE **grades 3-5**
• Saturday, June 2 - COSTUME DESIGN
  

Play in a Day - grades 1 - 5 - $60
Kids work together to conceive, write and perform a play of their own creation! Parents and other guests can enjoy the fruits of the kids' labor at the end of the day.

From 10 am to 3 pm
Saturday, November 25
Saturday, January 27
Saturday, March 31
Saturday, May 19

EIGHT-WEEK CLASSES - tuition $175 per session
Saturday mornings
SESSION 2 - January 13 - March 3, 2007
SESSION 3 - March 17 - May 12, 2007 (no class on Easter Saturday)

• Treasure Trunk - Kindergarten / 10 am - 11 am
  Kindergartners discover the power of creation by inventing their own stories. Boxes full of hats, baskets full of costumes and trunks full of props inspire kids to new heights of creativity.
• Storycrafters - Grades 1 and 2 / 10 am - 11:30 am
  Star in your favorite book! Kids learn acting and storytelling by reading favorite stories and working together to act them out. Learn how to create a character and tell a great story! Every session - in fact, every class - of Storycrafters is unique. Take it once, or take it six times, it's always a new journey.
• Acting - Grades 3 and 4 / 10 am - 12 pm
  Kids will begin to learn the techniques that actors use on stage! They will use their bodies, voices and minds to create characters, play intentions, and work together to create new pieces of theatre. Kids will work with scripts they create as well as scenes from plays. Session 1 focuses on movement, session 2 focuses on language, and session 3 focuses on teamwork.
• Acting - Grades 5 and 6 / 10 am - 12 pm
  Kids will begin to learn the techniques that actors use on stage! They will use their bodies, voices and minds to create characters, play intentions, and work together to create new pieces of theatre. Kids will work with scripts they create as well as scenes from plays. Session 1 focuses on movement, session 2 focuses on language, and session 3 focuses on teamwork.

FOUR-WEEK CLASSES

• Costume design class - Grades 1 - 5 / $115
  Saturdays 1 pm - 4 pm
  October 21 - November 11, 2006
  Kids learn the elements of design and how to come up with a design concept and create a costume rendering. Sewing techniques are introduced as well.
• Choreography classes - Grades 3 - 5 / $125
  Saturdays 1 pm - 4 pm
  January 20 - February 10, 2007
  Kids not only dance but learn how to choreograph their own numbers in this high-energy four-week class.
• Set design class - Grades 3 - 5 - $100
  Saturdays 1 pm - 4 pm
  April 14 - May 5, 2007
  Kids learn the elements of design, how to come up with a design concept in three dimensions, and how to create a set design drawing.

SUMMER CAMP - $300 per session
For students entering grades 1 to 6
Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm
Session 1: June 18 - 23
Session 2: July 9 - 14
Session 3: August 13 - 18
An action-packed theatre camp led by Arden's Associate Artistic Director Amy Dugas Brown and taught by working theatre professionals! Arden Summer Camp is filled with all the care, focus and enthusiasm we give to our award-winning, full-scale productions. Kids take two acting classes a day (one basic class and one "specialized" class like improv, storytelling, musical theatre or Shakespeare), and at least one design class a day. And each afternoon the kids rehearse for the Camp Show that is presented to parents and family on Saturday. At lunchtime, kids are treated to a special presentation from guest artists who perform for-and sometimes with!-them.