Wild Swan Theater Presents OWL'S WINTER

Wild Swan Theater, Ann Arbor's highly acclaimed theater for family audiences, presents a special production for young children. Owl's Winter is a delightful collection of stories based on Arnold Lobel's Owl at Home, carefully created to engage the littlest theater-goers. In one story, Owl encounters strange bumps at the end of his bed as he lays down to sleep. In another, the moon seems to follow him home while he is out for an evening stroll. In a third, Owl makes tearwater tea when he runs out of the real thing. The warmth and humor of these stories will delight you and your preschool or early elementary school aged students. Children will help Owl make discoveries through lots of audience participation and a special suprise at the end.

Children will delight in the character of Owl, charmingly portrayed by longtime Wild Swan favorite, Sandy Ryder. Hilary Cohen creates the many characters Owl meets and Lisa Warren provides original music on the flute. American Sign Language interpreting will be provided by Kim Willett. Giant rod puppets of the moon and Old Man Winter have been created by Patricia Taylor, a former University of Michigan Theater Design student who worked with Jim Henson Muppets in New York City as well as on the Broadway production of The Lion King. Ms. Taylor has also created an oversized whimsical cricket whose noisy song wakes Owl up in the middle of the night.

Backstage touch tours and audio-description are available for blind theater patrons. These services are free but must be reserved by calling (734) 995-0530. The Saturday performance will be followed by an experience provided by the Leslie Science & Nature Center and hands-on activities in the lobby.

Wild Swan Theater is dedicated to producing professional children's theater of the highest artistic quality and to making that theater accessible to low income, minority and disabled children through low ticket prices and innovative outreach programs.

For more information about the company, its current season, touring programs and theater camps, visit the Wild Swan website at www.wildswantheater.org.