Arts On The Horizon Presents The World Premiere of SQUEAKERS & MR. GUMDROP

Arts on the Horizon, a non-verbal theatre company whose programs are specifically designed for children ages 0 to 6, is excited to present a new commissioned play for our youngest audience members. Squeakers & Mr. Gumdrop will run December 5th through 21st, 2019 at The Lab at Convergence in Alexandria, Virginia.

Squeakers & Mr. Gumdrop, written and directed by Arts on the Horizon company members Natalie Cutcher and Amanda Forstrom, was created specifically for an audience of children ages 2-5 and their families.

One snowy winter morning, Mr. Gumdrop prepares for his annual holiday party! When an unexpected and curious mouse appears, Mr. Gumdrop's routine is thrown for a loop. Can these two wildly different characters work together to get the holiday preparations done in time? This nonverbal, imaginative production captures the magic of making new friends and sharing ideas to accomplish big goals.

Arts on the Horizon is pleased to welcome two wonderful local performers to our stage for the first time -Dylan Fleming as "Squeakers," and Tori Boutin as "Mr. Gumdrop." Dylan and Tori are both alumni of The Catholic University of America and have worked together on a number of shows with PG County's Shakespeare in the Parks. Tori has worked with Adventure Theatre MTC, Rorschach, and Constellation Theatre. Recently, Dylan has been seen on stage with 1st Stage, Theater Alliance, and Olney Theatre Center.

We are so thrilled to have Natalie Cutcher and Amanda Forstrom at the helm of this project. As company members who have both been featured actors in multiple Arts on the Horizon productions, we are excited to see what they come up with from the other side of the rehearsal room. Both artists joined Arts on the Horizon with the premiere of Snow Day in 2014. Since then, they have both appeared in new AOTH productions and remounts (Natalie in Point A to Point B, Amanda in Adventures with Mr. Bear). Natalie and Amanda are joined by a dynamic team of artists comprised of AOTH veterans and some newcomers. Julie Cray's costume designs were recently seen in our production of Beep Beep! She is the Costume Shop Manager for The Catholic University of America and has worked at STC Academy for Classical Acting, Parlor Room Theatre, and Pointless Theatre Company. Willow Watson, set designer, is working with Arts on the Horizon for the first time. He is a William R. Kenan Jr. Fellow at the Kennedy Center and has designed sets for Studio 39 and the Capital Fringe Curates Series. Stephen Indrisano is also joining us for the first time. Along with designing lights for Squeakers & Mr. Gumdrop, he is also our Emerging Artist for the 2019-2020 season. Through the Emerging Artists Program, Stephen will receive professional experience and leadership opportunities, as well as an increase in his visibility in the theatre community. Stephen is a recent graduate from the University of Vermont with a focus in Theatre and Psychological Sciences.

Arts on the Horizon was founded as a professional, non-profit theatre company with a specific focus of providing high-quality performances and education programs for young people ages 0 to 6 and their families.

We have the utmost respect for children and want what may be their first theatrical experience to entertain them, challenge them, spark creativity, and enhance the imaginative play in which many children this age engage.

Each education program provides targeted exploration of themes and ideas in order to help children enhance their language development, socialization, and fine and gross motor skills. Our classes take place in a meaningful, nurturing environment where children can develop their sense of self and increase their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

Since 2011, our nonverbal productions have been performed on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, Atlas Performing Arts Center, Workhouse Arts Center, and other venues and schools in the DC metro area. In 2016, Arts on the Horizon was honored to be nominated for The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company. In 2017, we were awarded a "50 for 50" Arts Inspiration Award by the Virginia Commission for the Arts in the category of "Emerging Arts Organization." Between 2018 and 2019, three of our productions were nominated for Helen Hayes Awards in the "Outstanding Production - Theater for Young Audiences" category.

Tickets are $10 for children and adults and can be purchased online at http://www.artsonthehorizon.org or at the door on the day of the performance. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.

Arts on the Horizon offers a military family rate for all performances in Virginia. Active duty military personnel and their families can purchase these discounted tickets directly on the website and will need to show a current military ID when picking up their tickets on the day of the performance.

To post a comment, you must register and login.