Terrapin Puppet Theatre Debuts at Segerstrom Center, 4/6-7

Segerstrom Center's Family Explorer Series opens with the Terrapin Puppet Theatre from Australia performing the moving and poetic play Boats on April 6 and 7 in Samueli Theater. Boats is the story about a man named Jof, as told by his friend Nic. These two life-long friends and mariners, who met through bizarre circumstances involving a chicken, a deserted island and a sombrero, escape their past and embrace the unknown future with a great sense of adventure.

The magic of storytelling unfolds right in front of the audience as scenes are depicted featuring acrobatics and spectacular sound effects created on stage. The characters of Jof and Nic transform the world by using everyday objects that would be found on a boat's galley. From a circus made from a jacket to a storm made in a teacup, such imaginative use of space and puppetry has garnered Terrapin with a global following.

Audiences are encouraged to arrive early, as each performance includes an hour of free pre-show creative play activities and a reading area with an assortment of children's books. The Center's Education and Community Programs Department offers these enriching experiences to provide young people and their parents more opportunities to play together creatively. Studies show that this is critical to helping children develop their ability to think and problem solve.

Terrapin Puppet Theatre's Boats is recommended for families and children ages seven and up. Tickets are $20 and will go on sale Sunday, March 10 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets will be available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket savings for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236. The TTY number is (714) 556-2746. The performance on Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m. will be sign-language interpreted.

Terrapin explores digital puppetry, which uses new technologies and cross platform practice to continually challenge and redefine puppetry as a visual theatre form. Terrapin creates new works through research and developmental processes that are designed specifically for each work. While Terrapin reaches to the future in its exploration of form and storytelling styles, it does so with its feet firmly grounded in the age-old craft of puppetry and theatre's rich traditions. Terrapin's productions engage all age groups and are designed to tour. The company injects skills and programs into the Tasmanian community, entertaining family audiences and supporting and developing artists.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds The Charles & Mildred Schnurmacher Foundation, Inc. for its support of the Family Series. Acura is the Official Automotive Sponsor of the Center. OC Family is the Media Partner of the Family Series.

Segerstrom Center's Education and Community Programs Department offers a variety of programs to students from elementary school through the university level, teachers, arts administrators and individuals who simply want to broaden their own experiences but not in a structure that is strictly academic. These programs achieve two especially important objectives. First, they develop the audiences of the future. Second, they integrate the arts into the standard curriculum and enhance learning, creative thinking, cognitive and social skills. The Education and Community Programs Department works hand-in-hand with a number of boards of education, providing support and assistance to ensure the success and effectiveness of the Center's programs.

The popular Family Series engages, enchants and inspires youngsters with the magic of live performance. International Artists combine music, dance and theater that can be enjoyed by the entire family, creating experiences that instill an appreciation for the arts and create lifelong memories. For more information about the Center's education programs, visit SCFTA.org/education.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is unique as both an acclaimed arts institution and as a multi- disciplinary cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence on all of its stages, offering unsurpassed experiences, and engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live performance and a diverse array of inspiring programs.

Previously called the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Center is Orange County's largest non-profit arts organization and owns and operates the 3,000-seat Segerstrom Hall and intimate 250-seat Founders Hall, which opened in 1986, and the 2,000-seat Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, which opened in 2006 and also houses the 500-seat Samueli Theater, the Lawrence and Kristina Dodge Education Center's studio performance space and Boeing Education Lab. A spacious arts plaza anchors Segerstrom Center for Arts and is home to numerous free performances throughout the year as part of Segerstrom Center for the Arts' ongoing Free for All series.

The Center presents a broad range of programming for audiences of all ages, including international ballet and dance, national tours of top Broadway shows, intimate performances of jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family- friendly programming, free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza and many other special events. The Center's arts-in-education programs are designed to inspire young people through the arts and reach hundreds of thousands of students each year.

In addition to the presenting and producing institution Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the 14-acre campus also embraces the facilities of two independent acclaimed organizations: Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory and a site designated as the future home of the Orange County Museum of Art.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is also proud to serve as the artistic home to three of the region's major performing arts organizations: Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and the Pacific Chorale, who contribute greatly to the artistic life of the region with annual seasons at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.