It's Hog Heaven! West Coast Premiere of The Three Little Pigs at MainStreet Theatre
MainStreet Theatre Company is delighted to announce their first show of the 2014/2015 season: the west coast premiere of Stiles and Drewe's The Three Little Pigs. Jessica Kubzansky is the Director, with Musical Direction by Janice Rodgers Wainwright, and Choreography by John Pennington. The production will play eight school performances from September 29th - October 3rd, and open to the public on Saturday, October 4th at 4pm. The strictly limited engagement will run through Sunday, October 19th only.
This musical adaptation of the classic story is filled with witty word play, terrific music played by a live band, and a very mean Big Bad Wolf! It's a perfect introduction to professional, live theatre for families with children as young as 4.
In this version of the story, the Three Pigs have very distinct personalities and ways of looking at the world, which is only one of the clever ways the authors keep the story fresh and entertaining. Cha is mostly interested in playing in the mud and having room for his gym equipment, so he decides to build his house out of sticks, since he thinks that'll be easy. Siu is very concerned about the environment, and wants to make sure her house is made of easily sustainable natural resources. Bao (who always has his snout in a book) knows that you need a strong foundation to build a house, and chooses to build his house out of bricks. Despite their differences, when the Big, Bad, Wolf comes to eat them, the siblings learn that by working together, they can defeat him!
British authors George Stiles and Anthony Drewe are most well-known for having written the new songs and music for the Broadway and West End musical Mary Poppins. They also wrote Honk! which won the Olivier Award (The English equivalent of the Tony Award), beating both The Lion King and Mama Mia that year. The Three Little Pigs was originally commissioned and produced by the Singapore Repertory Theatre, which is probably why they had a little fun and named the main characters after their favorite Chinese Pork Dumplings. (Cha Siu Bao).
MainStreet is thrilled to welcome back award-winning director Jessica Kubzansky, who previously staged The Phantom Tollbooth and Anne of Green Gables for the company. In addition to her many productions staged around the country, Jessica is Co-Artistic Director of Theatre @ Boston Court in Pasadena.
The excellent cast of Los Angeles based Equity actors includes Michael Covert (CHA), Joe Fria (BAO), Kyla Garcia (SIU), Tracey Leigh (MOM PIG), and Michael Manuel (THE BIG BAD WOLF).
MainStreet is known for its stunning physical productions, and we think audiences will be charmed by the clever and inventive set for the Three Little Pigs (including houses that get blown down by the Big Bad Wolf) designed by Trefoni Michael Rizzi. The rest of the creative team includes Lighting Design by Jaymi Lee Smith, Costume Design by Raquel Barreto, Prop Design by Kevin Williams, and Sound Design by Jason Stephenson. Julie Haber is Production Stage Manager. Mireya (Murry) Hepner serves as producer of the City of Rancho Cucamonga's MainStreet Theatre Company.
The MainStreet Theatre Company is the resident Equity Company at the Lewis Family Playhouse, producing innovative shows specifically for children and family audiences. MainStreet's unique interpretations of classic and contemporary children's literature are performed for school groups as well as the general public, and introduce many children to the wonder of live theatre for the very first time.
The Three Little Pigs will play performances on weekends for family audiences (Saturdays at 1pm and 4pm and Sundays at 1pm, except for opening weekend when there is only one performance on Saturday, October 4th at 4pm), and on weekday mornings for school groups, through October 19th.
During the run of The Three Little Pigs, families can get to know more about MainStreet by attending the Opening night party on October 4th, or by staying for a "talk-back" with the cast after the performance on October 12th. MainStreet will be partnering with the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District for a Pancake breakfast with the cast on October 19th. Learn more about all of these special events, and check out the affordable ticket prices and family discounts by visiting the Lewis Family Playhouse's website: www.lewisfamilyplayhouse.com. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone or in person at the Playhouse Box Office: 909-477-2752. The box office is open Monday through Friday from noon to 6pm and Saturday from 10am to 6pm.
The Lewis Family Playhouse, an intimate 550-seat venue, is located in the 89,000-square-foot Victoria Gardens Cultural Center. The complex is located off the I-15 at Foothill Boulevard, at 12505 Cultural Center Drive in Rancho Cucamonga. Free Parking is available.