SCR's Theatre for Young Audiences Opens ANASTASIA KRUPNIK, 2/8-24

Growing up is tough if you're a 10-year-old girl with a funny name. It's even more so if you're stubbornly independent-and quirky.

Lois Lowry's admired novel provides the setting for SCR's Theatre for Young Audiences touching play Anastasia Krupnik, adapted by Meryl Friedman. Through her safeguarded journal and her wacky personality the show portrays both hilarious and serious issues in childhood and family life. The performances run Feb. 8-24 on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Tickets are available at www.scr.org.

Lowry earned a Newberry Medal for her more serious children's series, The Giver and Number the Stars. To brighten things up, she wrote the Anastasia Krupnik series, a lighter more humorous take on growing up. Anastasia Krupnik was the first in an eight-book series, published in 1979.

"Anastasia is more the child that I wish I could have been: outgoing, opinionated, and popular," said Lowry.

Anastasia is prone to share with the audience her wacky, interchangeable list of the things she loves and hates. These journal entries include her opinions about Kit-Kat bars; sixth-grade boys; Frank, her goldfish; a grandmother who has Alzheimer's; an opinionated teacher; and a soon-to-be born baby brother. The entries also form part of the production's design.
The young and the young at heart will enjoy this refreshing, offbeat tale.

The cast includes Emily Eiden, Ann Noble, Jennifer Parsons, Elia Saldana, and Geoffrey Wade. The design team includes Keith Mitchell, sets; Jessica Olson, costumes; Jeremy Pivnick, lights; Jeff Polunas, sound; and Jennifer Sherman, stage manager.

The Theatre for Young Audiences program is made possible by grants from The Segerstrom Foundation. The production of Anastasia Krupnik is generously supported by Corporate Honorary Producer Emulex.

Tickets range from $20-32. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For complete information, visit: www.scr.org.

Related Information for Anastasia Krupnik.

Tickets: May be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Performances run Feb. 8-24. Theatre for Young Audiences ticket prices range from $20-$32.

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