Attention Parents!

Here’s a Drama Class for Kids…

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Introduction to the Stage

Do you have a child who has always wanted to try acting, but never has? Or has been in school plays, and wants to do more? Here is a beginning theater class for kids who want to know what it’s like to put on plays. In this class, kids will get a tour of the historic Plays & Players Theater, learn some acting and improvisation games, and get a sense of the basics of creating theater, both onstage and backstage. The final class will be a small showcase of what the kids have learned, with games and/or scenes.  2 hour sessions, Ages: 6-10

Instructors: Ryan Walter and Laura Zingle

Sessions: Saturdays, February 6-March 27; Time: 10am-noon

Performance March 27 at 11am.

Location: Skinner Studio, 3rd floor of Plays & Players Theater

1714 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Cost: $100 per student; Additional kids in the same family $80

25% discount for Members of Plays & Players

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SPECIAL: If you get a friend to sign up for the class with you, you each get 50% off! That’s $50! Enter the code BUYTWO on the website.

For more info, or to sign up for this class, visit

www.playsandplayers.org

Call the theater at 215-735-0630

Or call Laura Zingle (one of the instructors) at 215-470-8932

TARGET SPONSORS FIRST WEDNESDAYS AT PLEASE TOUCH MUSEUM AND COMMUNITY NIGHT AT THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE

January 8, 2010, Philadelphia, PA: Target, known for its efforts to make museums accessible to the community, will continue its sponsorship of special free or low-priced admission at two of Philadelphia’s most popular museums through March 2011.  Target Community Night at The Franklin Institute, which takes place on the third Wednesday of the month from 5-8 p.m., welcomes visitors from underserved communities to enjoy free admission. Please Touch Museum at Memorial Hall will also continue its Target First Wednesdays, staying open late on the first Wednesday of each month with $2 admission between 5-7 p.m.

“Target is proud to continue our support with the Please Touch Museum and The Franklin Institute,” said Laysha Ward, president, community relations, Target. “Through these unique partnerships, we hope to help make valuable, hands-on learning experiences more accessible and affordable to Philadelphia families, while providing an opportunity to spend quality time together.”

Arden Theatre Company presents the perfect theatrical treat for the whole family this holiday season!

Peter Pan

A brand-new version of J.M. Barrie’s classic tale
Adapted for the stage by Douglas Irvine
From the books by J.M. Barrie

Directed by David O’Connor

“We found Peter Pan to be a wonderful few hours of merriment, fantasy, and mayhem.

There was flying, crowing, fighting, and pretty much everything else fun you could want or need.” –Phillyist
Background: Arden Children’s Theatre presents a brand-new version of Peter Pan that celebrates the wonder of storytelling and the power of make-believe.

Recommended for families with children ages five and older.

Holiday Performances:

Wednesday, December 23 at 4pm

Thursday, December 24 at 12pm
Saturday, December 26 at 12pm, 4pm and 7pm

Sunday, December 27 at 12pm and 4pm

Tuesday, December 29 at 12pm and 4pm

Wednesday, December 30 at 12pm and 4pm

Thursday, December 31 at 12pm
Friday, January 1 at 2pm

Saturday, January 2 at 12pm and 4pm

Sunday, January 3 at 12pm and 4pm

Tickets:
Kids: $16-$18
Teens: $20-$22

Adults: $30-$32

Order by calling 215.922.1122

Or online at www.ardentheatre.org

PHOTO: Frank X as Captain Hook and David J. Sweeny as Smee in Arden Theatre Company’s production ofPeter Pan. Photo by Mark Garvin.

Arden Theatre Company presents

Peter Pan
A brand-new version of J.M. Barrie’s classic tale

Adapted for the stage by Douglas Irvine
From the books by J.M. Barrie
Directed by David O’Connor
On the F. Otto Haas Stage
December 2, 2009 – January 24, 2010

Arden Theatre Company’s 2009/10 children’s theatre series begins with an all-new adaptation of Peter Pan. Ever since J.M. Barrie’s story first appeared in 1904, countless versions have been produced on stage and in film.   Now, Arden Children’s Theatre presents a brand-new adaptation; one that celebrates the wonder of storytelling and the power of make-believe. Recommended for families with children ages five and older, every performance includes a post-show question and answer session with the cast, an opportunity to meet the cast in the lobby after the performance, and a free commemorative show poster for all kids.  This production is sponsored by PECO.

A versatile ensemble cast invites audiences to join Wendy and Michael Darling as eternally young Peter Pan whisks them off to Neverland, an exhilarating island of swordplay, swashbuckling and the fearsome Captain Hook.  With wild imagination, puppets, an original musical score, and plenty of stage magic, highly energetic characters inhabit this fantasy world where there are no parents, no homework, and you’re always one step away from a lurking, ticking crocodile.

“Peter Pan has been enchanting readers for over a century. We look forward to bringing this beloved story to life with the vitality, imagination and heart that has been the hallmark of our best Arden Children’s Theatre productions,” said Arden’s Producing Artistic Director Terrence J. Nolen.

Arden Children’s Theatre offers affordable ticket prices and the same high quality production values as the company’s mainstage shows. Peter Pan is directed by David O’Connor who recently helmed The Seafarer at the Arden. The Peter Pan cast includes two actors who appeared in the Arden’s critically-acclaimed production of The History Boys earlier this season: Chris Bresky in the title role and local favorite Frank X as Captain Hook.  The cast also includes Philadelphia performers Bi Jean Ngo, Jacqueline Real, David Sweeney and Pig Iron Theatre Company member Sarah Sanford.  The design team includes costume designer Richard St. Clair (Barrymore Award winner for Arden’s Children Theatre productions Sleeping Beauty and The Dinosaur Musical), set designer Tom Gleeson, sound designer Daniel Kluger (Pig Iron’s Welcome to Yuba City), and lighting designer Matt Frey.

J.M. Barrie (1860-1937) was a Scottish playwright and novelist. Peter Pan’s adventure first appeared in the 1904 stage play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, which was later expanded and adapted into the novel Peter and Wendy in 1911. Since that time, Peter Pan has appeared in numerous literary, stage and film adaptations. Douglas Irvine’s recent adaptation premiered in 2008 in a co-production between The Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis and Irvine’s company Visible Fictions from Scotland.

Peter Pan performances begin on Wednesday, December 2. Preview performances run December 2, 3, 4, and 5. Opening night is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, December 5. A full performance calendar is available online at http://www.ardentheatre.org/calendar/

Single ticket prices are $16-$32, with discounts for kids, teens and seniors. Groups of 20+ enjoy significant discounts; please inquire about group rates. Subscriptions are available for Arden Children’s Theatre, which includes tickets to both Peter Pan and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, for $26-$50. Call the Arden Box Office at 215.922.1122, order online at www.ardentheatre.org, or visit the box office.

The Arden is proud to announce the Target 2 for 1 Family Series, a ticket discount program generously sponsored by Target. This program offers two tickets for the price of one during selected performances of Peter Pan. Please refer to the show calendars at www.ardentheatre.org for the designated performances. There is a limit of four discounted orders (8 tickets) per transaction, available while supplies last.

Families are also invited to attend the Peter Pan Family Salon on Saturday, January 16 at 2pm, an exclusive backstage event where adults and children learn about all the behind the scenes magic of how Arden shows are produced.  Go on an all access tour of the Arden, explore the set, meet your favorite actors, and learn how we create special effects.  This family fun filled day is best enjoyed after seeing the production.  Refreshments will be served. Tickets are $25 per family and can be purchased by calling the box office at 215.922.1122

To further enhance the performance experience, kids ages 7 and older are invited to join the Family Usher Network (FUN) with their adult chaperones. FUN gives kids a behind-the-scenes peek at how plays are created, instills the value of community involvement and teaches valuable social skills. FUN ushers receive an exclusive backstage tour, hand out programs, tear tickets, seat patrons and help straighten up the theatre after the show. For information call the box office at 215.922.1122.

The Arden is fully wheelchair accessible and provides assisted listening devices and large-print programs at every performance. Reservations are required for accessible seating and may be made by calling the Arden Box Office at 215.922.1122. An ASL performance is scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 12pm.

Arden Theatre Company also offers Arden Drama School, a wide array of classes and day camps for elementary through high school aged children, including a special Peter Pan acting class on December 28 for kids in kindergarten through 5^th grade. Details can be found on the company’s kid-friendly website: www.ardentheatre.org/ardendramaschool

Can you handle the creepy crawlies of the bug world? Back for a second year, the Academy of Natural Sciences will host Bug Fest on Saturday, August 15th and Sunday, August 16th. Visitors will see more than 50 species of live insects including battle-ready stag beetles, huge rhino beetles, toe biters (giant water bugs), camel crickets, and 8-inch-long stick insects. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania will demonstrate advances in robotics with insectlike robots, and visitors interested in starting their own collection can learn how to collect and pin insects.

There will be plenty to please visitors of all ages, including dozens of live insects, bugs to eat, insect robots, roach races, entomology talks and displays, and a buggy field trip. Yes, bugs to eat! Cajun chef Zach Lemann will cook up samples of delicious creepy crawly cuisine to sample. Not sure you can stomach it? Well there’s also a Roach Race, lectures, story-telling and more.

AND it’s all free with regular museum admission. The Academy of Natural Sciences is located at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. It is open M-F 10-4:30pm and 10-5pm on the weekends. Adults are $12 admission. Children and seniors are $10. Visit www.ansp.org or call 215-299-1000 for more information.

WHAT TO DO NEARBY?

Why not wash those bugs down with a margarita at The Mexican Post? Or take the family for some burritos for lunch. The Mexican Post is located at 1601 Cherry Street.

Also, the Academy of Natural Sciences also has a decent cafeteria if you’re making a day of Bug Fest and want to stay at the museum. The Academy is located on the Parkway, which is mainly a business district and many of the local cafes and lunch venues are closed on the weekends. Luckily, Rittenhouse is just a few blocks south from there, so if you’re looking for more things to do, we suggest walking down 19th Street towards Chestnut and Walnut Streets.

Featured Event for April 22nd through 26th:

2-For-1 tickets to see Hamlet at the Lantern Theater Company (10th and Ludlow).

Call or visit the box office and mention “PhilaCulturati.” Offer cannot be combined with other discounts.

Nearby: Free drink and dessert at the Marathon Grill at 10th and Walnut.

		Hamlet One of the most frequently quoted plays in the world and certainly one of Shakespeare’s most read, Hamlet will be playing at the Lantern Theater Company from April 3rd to May 10, and PhilaCulturati is featuring 2-for-1 tickets during the week of April 22nd. Nationally-acclaimed performer Geoff Sobelle takes on the lead role, bringing his dynamic physical style to this searing production. Be a part of this surprising theatrical event that plumbs the dark humor of Shakespeare’s tragic son! http://www.lanterntheater.org/

	Where am I? Ludlow Street is one of those little streets in Center City that you walk right by because it gets overshadowed by the tree-named streets that everyone prefers when giving directions. So to stay true to form, Ludlow is north of Chestnut Street (just south of Market). The Lantern Theater Company is located on an even less-noticable section of Ludlow because the block goes nowhere. Welcome to Center City. If you are driving you’ll want to park near Thomas Jefferson Hospital because there is a plethora of lots nearby. If you’re talking Septa there is an el stop at 11th and Market or busses run on both Market and Chestnut (and Walnut) frequently. Get off at 10th St. This section of Center City is known mostly for the hospitals (Thomas Jefferson and Will’s Eye), but rest assured, you will find cute boutiques and cafes nestled within.