Audiences won't want to fall asleep on this one
Washington Irving's tale Rip Van Winkle is adapted for the stage
Ashley Hagin
Issue date: 1/26/10 Section: Detour
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On Wednesday, January 27 at 7 P.M. and Thursday, January 28 at 4 P.M. in LeFevre Theatre, students and community members should prepare to be charmed by an hour-long, child-friendly production of the popular folktale Rip Van Winkle.
Students enrolled in the January Term class "Creating Theatre for Children," with the help of Story Adaptor and Professor Michael Cook, have produced and will perform the entirety of an adaptation of the popular children's tale.
Rip Van Winkle is a short story by Washington Irving, published in 1819 in a collection of his works titled The Sketch Book. Winkle wanders off in an attempt to escape his nagging wife and falls asleep under a shady tree; when he wakes up, he walks back into town only to be surprised by what he finds. His wife and friends are nowhere to be found, and he finds himself in hot water after declaring himself loyal to King George III, unaware that the American Revolution has occurred. In a Saint Mary's College press release earlier this month, Irving's writing style was described as being "full of gentle humor and wonderful descriptions of people and places."
Sharon Cahill, Event Coordinator for the Performing Arts Department, said that the children's theatre productions at Saint Mary's are "always a huge hit with local children-along with parents and grandparents."
The Saint Mary's College production of Rip Van Winkle, a creative and imaginative presentation complete with songs and "delightful character acting," is appropriate for children in Pre-K through third grade.
All tickets are eight dollars. For reservations, please call (925) 631-4381.