MARIN THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS GREAT ARIZONA PUPPET THEATRE’S AWARD WINNING RETELLING OF CINDERELLA
Production Dates: October 10 – 11, 2015
Reimagining of Classic Brothers Grimm Fairytale Shines On Marin Theatre Company’s Family Series Stage
MILL VALLEY, CA—Marin Theatre Company continues to delight children and families this season with the help of the Great Arizona Puppet Theatre and its award winning version of Cinderella. The incredible mother-daughter puppeteer duo, Nancy Smith and Gwen Bonar, have been performing and revising this unique puppet show for over a decade and this latest version is their best yet. Says Ms. Smith, “It’s funny, has special effects and is so good even boys like it!” Ms. Smith co-founded the Great Arizona Puppet Theatre in 1983 with her husband Ken Bonar, and both of their daughters, Gwen and Laura, have had a hand in developing and creating unique stories for the puppet theatre ever since.
The great Arizona Puppet theatre has toured shows internationally, and accrued numerous awards such as Arizona Republic Best Children's Theater, a Puppeteers of America Award and a UNIMA-USA Citation for Excellence in Puppetry for its production of Cinderella.
Marin Theatre Company’s Education Department invites children to stay after the show and meet a real-life Cinderella
MTC’s Education Department will be partnering with Amazing Fairytale Parties on October 10 and 11 offering young patrons the chance to meet a real-life Cinderella for families to take pictures with. With Halloween right around the corner, MTC is encouraging children to dress up as their own favorite Cinderella character (or wear any costume of their choosing) and share these photos on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #CostumeContestMTC in the caption, and tagging @marintheatreco in the photo. The photo that receives the most community “Likes” will win a pair of tickets to MTC’s upcoming holiday show The Little Prince in December.
The History of Nancy Smith’s Cinderella
Ms. Smith shared the creation of the Great Arizona Puppet Theatre’s Cinderella with MTC:
“The show was developed when my daughter, Laura, who was 8 years old at the time, asked, ‘When do I get to be in a puppet show?’ We were planning shows for our summer season so she would be out of school and available. She wanted to do CINDERELLA and we agreed that our Cinderella would not be passive, but actively trying to better herself. Also, the prince would be more than just rich and handsome, but have some character, and you should understand why he and Cinderella should be together.
Laura wrote the first draft of the show. We shopped together to pick out fabrics and materials to make the puppets and she sat with a script beside me as I sewed and we memorized lines. Initially we had a basic hand puppet stage that was easily transportable. When we opened our own theater in central Phoenix we were astounded at how many people came to see the show, and a little embarrassed at our basic set, so we built a new, bigger, two-level stage, painted by our scene painter, Holly Veseley.
All this time, my younger daughter, Gwen, was itching to do the show, too and eagerly took on Laura's part when she was unavailable. Gwen is a wonderful puppeteer who brings up the performance level of everyone around her. Good shows grow and I think our show is better than ever!”
About Great Arizona Puppet Theatre
Nancy Smith and the rest of Great Arizona Puppet Theatre on the company and its history.
Cinderella co-author Gwen Bonar
Gwen Bonar discusses her background and thoughts on puppet theatre.
Cinderella's Shoes
An animated history of the glass slipper, silk shoes, sandals and more that contribute to this timeless story.
CALENDAR INFORMATION Performing Arts | Theater
WHAT Cinderella | The Great Arizona Puppet Theatre
WHO presented by Marin Theatre Company By Nancy Smith Directed by Nancy Smith Featuring Nancy Smith and Gwen Bonar
WHEN Oct 10 - 11, 2015
Performance Days Saturday 10/10 at 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm Sunday 10/11 at 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm
WHERE Marin Theatre Company | 397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941
ABOUT THE PLAY A beautiful girl, a wicked step-family, a fairy godmother, a handsome prince and transparent footwear all add up to true love, lots of laughs and happily-ever-after in this extremely popular, award-winning puppet version of the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tale.
“Lots of laughs and special effects make Cinderella an audience favorite!” – UNIMA-USA Panelist
Running Time: 30 minutes
TICKETS Ticket Prices $18-$22
Discounts Discounts for groups are available. Contact the Box Office for more details.
ACCESS For visually impaired patrons, Large Print playbills are available with one week’s advance notice. To request a Large Print playbill, call MTC’s Box Office, (415) 388-5208, or use the California Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing “711.” For hearing impaired patrons, amplified sound Listening Devices are available.
ABOUT MTC Founded in 1966, Marin Theatre Company is the Bay Area’s premier mid-sized theater and the leading professional theater in the North Bay. We produce a six-show season of provocative plays by passionate playwrights from the 20th century and today in our 231-seat main stage theater, as well as a four-show Theater Series for Young Audiences. We are committed to the development and production of new plays by American playwrights, with a comprehensive New Play Program that includes productions of premieres, two nationally recognized annual playwriting awards, readings and workshops by the nation’s best emerging playwrights and membership in the National New Play Network. Our numerous education programs serve more than 8,500 students from over 50 Bay Area schools each year. MTC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
