Just take a look at the performance notes from a production of Harold & the Purple Crayon by Seattle Children’s Theatre: (UPDATE: This particular performance took place at The Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, MN today, where the Seattle Children’s Theatre production of Harold and the Purple Crayon is now being performed, through February 26th).
This story is just one example of why theater and arts are important in our lives. There really is nothing that compares to the magic that happens between a live performance and it’s audience. My nieces love their special outings with me to Seattle Children’s Theatre (we are subscribers) and it really helps bring their imaginations to life. If this story has moved you, consider donating to SCT to help them continue their work in our community and across the country. Thanks to Ron Darling for sharing this story with us on Facebook.
Up next at SCT: A Single Shard, HELP, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Some of the nieces and my favorite SCT productions include A Year with Frog & Toad, Pero, Give a Mouse a Cookie and Go Dog Go. What have been some of your favorites?
*Special thanks to Robert Dunn who added clarification to the location of this performance in the comments, below. If you are in Minnesota and interested in attending Harold & The Purple Crayon, it runs through February 26th. More info and tickets, here. I have a personal tie to Children’s Theatre Company in MN, as I performed in the run of Madeline’s Rescue in the late ’80s! What a fun time that was. As a kid who was introduced to theatre as a child and was encouraged to follow my passion (thanks mom and dad!), I really know first hand how important the arts are in a child’s life. If you have influence on a kid, be it parent, aunt, friend-aunt or big sister/big brother, bring them to a play, no matter where you are.
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This story is touching and beautiful beyond words and emphasizes the power and magic that theatre can achieve! For the sake of clarity though I need to point out that this happened at The Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, MN today where the Seattle Children’s Theatre production of Harold and the Purple Crayon is now being performed.
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Thank you, Robert, I was just reading that in a friend’s post! Updating the blog now! Appreciate you taking the time to add this comment!
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I just wanted to make sure that both Seattle Children’s Theatre and Children’s Theatre Company got to share in this pretty fabulous story! How very cool that you performed at CTC! We just did one of the Madeline stories again a few years ago.
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Awesome! Who knows, maybe some MN folks will read the blog too and be inspired to buy tickets ASAP! I loved the production in Seattle and have had the pleasure of meeting writer Don Darryl Rivera (who is an awesome Seattle actor) a handful of times. Is he performing in the production at CTC as well? Yeah, I have nothing but good memories from that show in Season 30 (90/91 it appears, not the 80s). Love the Seattle/MN connection between these theatres and our musical theatres as well. Cheers!
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I am performing it again in MN! 🙂 it was something truly special to have learned about this.
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So glad to hear that, Don! My nieces loved you in the show (as they always do) – though of course one said “I like him better as a rodent.” (Mouse a Cookie, I was a Rat) – Kids – always such tough critics! 🙂 Have a great run in MN!
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[…] glibly about the arts “talking us out of ourselves.” This performance report from the Seattle Children’s Theater reminds us of the actual potential at hand. Share […]
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I loved this!! Beautiful story! (One thing I’m curious about though: what is the post play story with Sally the Unicorn about???)
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Elbert – I’m guessing it’s the story that the kids in the audience made up during the post-play discussion. SCT usually has some or all of the actors from the play come out after a show to answer kid’s questions…I believe in this production they ask kids to raise their hands and help build a story together. Often, there are VERY little kids in the audience, so the stories don’t always make a lot of sense or “go anywhere.” 🙂 Just my guess that’s what Sally The Unicorn was about!
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I worked at CTC in Minneapolis when the original Harold and the Purple Crayon was performed (yikes! back in the 80s) as a stage manager and then moved to the Guthrie where I worked in the education department. That was the beginning of the assault on the government funding of the Natl Endowment for the Arts. We strove to show how the arts can truly affect lives. I am so pleased that it continues to do so today!
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Patrick – thank you so much for all your hard work in the arts! Let’s hope that stories like this one will inspire more people to get involved and help tell our officials how important arts funding is, especially in the world of education and kids. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
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[…] Read more here: Incredible story from Seattle Children’s Theatre & Children’s Theatre Company « Seattle Poc…. […]
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