Chicago Children's Theatre to Hold Season at Ruth Page Center for the Arts

Chicago Children's Theatre (CCT) and Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell today announced the company has a new home and will be an Artist In-Residence at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago for the entire 2012-2013 season.

In addition to welcoming its audience to one convenient destination all season, Chicago's #1 presenter of top-quality professional children's theater is thrilled to confirm three wildly imaginative productions for 2012-2013 - the Chicago premiere of a new musical version of Harold and the Purple Crayon, directed by Sean Graney (Oct. 11-Nov. 4, 2012), an adaptation of the Newberry Medal winning novel Bud, Not Buddy, directed by Derrick Sanders (Jan. 12-Feb. 24, 2013), and the world premiere of The Elephant & The Whale, created by Frank Maugeri, co-directed by Maugeri and Leslie Buxbaum Danzig, with a script by Seth Bockley and music by Kevin O'Donnell, produced in association with Redmoon (Apr. 10-May 26, 2013).

"After seven years of being itinerant, we are so looking forward to our new residency at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts because it gives Chicagoland families one consistent location to experience a full season of exceptional theatrical programming," said Chicago Children's Theatre Artistic Director and Co-Founder Jacqueline Russell. "Ruth Page was home for our 2010 smash hit Jackie and Me so we can't wait to bring our audience back for three consecutive productions sure to delight children of all ages."

Also new for 2012-2013: The performance schedules for all three productions include family-friendly Thursday evening shows at 6:30 pm, proceeded by pizza parties in the Ruth Page Center's multi-purpose room starting at 5:30 pm. On Friday evenings, families are encouraged to kick off their weekend by wearing their PJs to the 6:30 pm show, and stay after for a fun post-show PJ Party with members of the cast.

In addition to its three-play season at the Ruth Page Center, Chicago Children's Theatre will take its season-opener Harold and the Purple Crayon on a regional tour after its downtown run, with performances November 7-11 at the Beverly Arts Center, 2401 W. 111th St. in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood, and November 14-18 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 N. Skokie Blvd. in Skokie.