Theatre Horizon, a King of Prussia-based professional theatre company, is joining forces with local libraries to promote the idea that reading is fun and rewarding. In anticipation of Theatre Horizon's upcoming production of The Velveteen Rabbit, libraries in Norristown, Bryn Mawr, Conshohocken, Upper Merion, and Havertown are participating in a "golden ticket" contest starting April 4th and ending May 1st.

Theatre Horizon will place 100 golden tickets at four local libraries. They will also provide the libraries with a "research list" for students, listing a virtual roll call of animal characters in The Velveteen Rabbit. With list in hand, children ask the librarian for help in exploring the stacks. After locating and reading a book on their list, the young readers fill out the golden ticket and mail it to Theatre Horizon. Children are then entered into a drawing, and five will win two tickets to The Velveteen Rabbit performance in King of Prussia on May 5th.

"This contest takes away the mystery of the library, and makes it a fun, easy place to learn," says Theatre Horizon Artistic Director Erin Reilly, who has hand-selected a list of kid-friendly topics pertaining to characters from The Velveteen Rabbit. The classic fable by Margery Williams is populated by bunnies, horses, chickens, foxes, and bears, and is a favorite bed-time story in many households. For elementary school-age children, the book is a great jumping-off point for encouraging further reading. Contest participants are encouraged to unearth fiction or non-fiction books about the animals that appear in The Velveteen Rabbit. In the process, children will learn how to find a book on a specific subject in the vast library stacks, while picking up interesting and exciting facts about animals of all kinds.

The unique partnership between Theatre Horizon and the libraries is about personalizing the library. "Children's librarians are extremely knowledgeable and generous with their help," says Reilly. "The contest is a great opportunity for parents to introduce students to their librarian, and encourage the student to learn how to ask for assistance in navigating the library." Librarian Jeannie Kauffman of Upper Merion Library agrees. "We want every student to have a good experience each time they come to the library," says Kauffman.

Every student who sends in a golden ticket book report will be acknowledged at the production of The Velveteen Rabbit for their super reading skills and library savvy. Contest participants also receive a certificate of achievement in the mail. "We're excited to acknowledge the contest participants, and to help prepare them to see this classic children's tale come to life on stage," says Reilly.

The Velveteen Rabbit is about a well-loved and well-worn rabbit discovering there is more to life than the four walls of the nursery. With sage advice from a friendly hobby horse, he learns that his young owner's love can make him real. This enchanting story comes to life through the puppetry skills of Mum Puppettheatre. Mum Puppettheatre's unique performances have toured three continents and earned numerous awards. Their wordless storytelling adds a dimension of wonder to make this production an experience for families to remember together for a long, long time.

The golden ticket contest will begin April 4, 2007 and run through May 1, 2007. Detailed instructions will be posted at each library and more information is available on the Theatre Horizon website, www.theatrehorizon.org or by calling (610)283-2230. The Velveteen Rabbit shows May 5, 2007 at Upper Merion Area High School (435 Crossfield Road King of Prussia, PA 19406) starting at 3 p.m. The contestants can also join Theatre Horizon for a puppet making workshop before the play at 2 p.m. for a $3 material fee.