The sun will come out in September as Children's Theatre of Charlotte opens its 73rd season with the Tony award-winning musical Annie.
Artistic director Adam Burke shared why Annie was chosen to open the season. "I've long been fascinated by this story about a young girl, Annie, who affects change in the world," said Burke. "Through the power of kindness and hope she changes the mind and heart of a billionaire Republican, she changes and inspires the policy of a Democratic President, and then gets them to sing a song together! There has never been a more important time to invest in this story than now, as we move into this election season."
Another powerful young girl takes the stage in Grace for President. When Grace discovers there has never been a female president, she takes matters into her own hands and inspires a school election. Charlotte's holiday tradition, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical, follows. Both musicals made their world premiere at Children's Theatre of Charlotte in 2016.
Along with celebrating the classics, a new concept will come to life in the Wells Fargo Playhouse. The children's book The Dot is told through a solo storytelling experience in the style of toy theatre.
2021 starts the year with a chance to catch the touring production Maddi's Fridge, based on the book by award-winning author Lois Brandt. This show takes a heartfelt look at the challenge of childhood hunger.
The second half of the season welcomes two world premieres. The creative team behind The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical collaborated with a prominent magician to bring an original musical to the stage. In The Magician's Secret, Finn Fogarty wants more than anything to be the successor to the Great Marvellini. To do so, she will have to unravel a mystery at the Magic Mansion while warding off the illusions and tricks of her opponents.
The fourth installment in The Kindness Project follows an 11-year-old Holocaust refugee who finds himself in Cuba. After befriending a lively local girl, they are faced with some dangerous choices as Cuba enters the war. This story shows us how intentional acts of kindness can prevail through dark times. Children's Theatre of Charlotte has partnered with the Levine
Jewish Community Center during the development of this production.
"We couldn't be happier to collaborate with the Levine
Jewish Community Center on this very important project", said Burke. "I'm inspired by the mission of their Butterfly Project which helps us to 'remember the past, to act responsibly in the present, and to create a more peaceful future.' While the Holocaust is in the past, hatred, prejudice, and discrimination are not. We look to the past in order to impact the present and shape the future."
After two new stories, the season turns to a well-known classic. The feline in the red-and-white hat takes the audience on wacky adventures in Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat. The season ends with the famous Mexican folktale, The Lizard and el sol. Originally produced by the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, this preschool production follows a tenacious lizard as he sets out in search of the missing sun (el sol).
Children's Theatre of Charlotte will also present Sunjata Kamalenya: The Story of the True Lion King of Africa from March 5-6. The spring line-up also provides the opportunity to catch another touring production, an interactive version of Aesop's Fables in-house.
For more information regarding Children's Theatre of Charlotte's upcoming season please visit
www.ctcharlotte.org/online/article/season-2021.
