California Theatre Center's ANDROCLES AND THE LION Opens Today at Harris Center

Chortle at this refreshing treatment of this popular Aesop's fable, written in the style of Italian Commedia dell'Arte by the award-winning playwright and author Aurand Harris as the nationally-recognized California Theatre Center returns to Harris Center for the first of its four performances this season. This zany comedy with its delightful songs glows with the warmth of friendship, using authentic staging and stock characters of Commedia plus an endearing Lion for a truly colorful theatrical experience. Suggested for grades K-5

A Folsom favorite for many years, California Theatre Center (CTC) has repeatedly been recognized as the top professional theatre for young American audiences. Having twice opened the season at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, CTC creates quality experiences for youth and families alike. As an ensemble theater company, CTC employs a company of approximately two dozen versatile actors and theater professionals who perform and staff both local and touring productions

CALIFORNIA THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS ANDROCLES AND THE LION today, October 25, 2014 at 1 & 3 pm in Stage 2: City Studio Theater. Tickets are priced at $8-$15. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from the Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 10 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

This dramatization of a classic Aesop's fable is written in the theatrical style of Commedia dell'Arte, addressing important social issues within a broad comedy. At the heart of the story lies the unlikely friendship of a compassionate Roman slave, Androcles, and a lion. When Androcles encounters a lion roaring with pain, he bravely removes a thorn from a lion's paw. The two part friends only to later find themselves thrown into the public Arena where they are to battle for their lives as amusement for the Emperor. The lion refuses to harm the man who once helped him and the Emperor, impressed that two "natural enemies" have found peace, grants freedom to both of them. Interwoven with this touching fable, is a tale of two people in love (Isabella and Lelio) being kept apart by a greedy uncle (Androcles' master, Pantalone) and his vain but dim-witted guard (The Captain). With the help of Androcles' quick-wit and use of disguise, the couple is ultimately able to marry. Populated with Commedia "stock" characters and employing Commedia's trademark "slap-stick" humor, the play is able to keep us laughing while making us think.

In conjunction with several of our Partner organizations, such as California Theatre Center, the Harris Center Arts Education program offers a range of performances, lectures and demonstrations that enhance youth arts education, from international artists performing at

Harris Center through the Presents program, to the talented regional artists who perform here with our Partner organizations. These shows often run concurrently during the school day.

Geared to address the California Visual and Performing Arts content standards, many of these performances are tailored to meet teachers' needs: nestled into the school day; they are usually an hour in length and can include enrichment sheets to assist in integrating the arts into the required classroom curriculum. For information on school day performances please contact California Theatre Center directly at (408) 245-2978.

California Theatre Center returns to Harris Center for The Elves and the Shoemaker, December 6, Puss in Boots, February 14, Brave Irene, March 1 and Charlotte's Web, April 4. Visit www.harriscenter.net for further details.