A pair of whimsical opposites explore the excitement of travel and motion in The Rose Theater's latest First Stage production, Point A to Point B. The 50-minute interactive production designed for very young audiences opens at The Rose Theater on its Hitchcock Stage on Oct. 21 and continues through Nov. 12.
Point A to Point B finds three unique characters in a wondrous laboratory of fun found-objects. The Scientist (Robyn Helwig) likes her learning to come in a calm, orderly and precise fashion, while her co-worker in creativity, The Catcher (Kyle Summers) , prefers his explorations to be spontaneous, messy and chaotic. Guiding them along their journey is The Musician (Kendra Gliem), a wise and playful individual who knows the contradictory pair can achieve their goals if they just work together.
The 45-minute participatory production is largely nonverbal filled with visual delights (but without any loud sounds or full blackouts) that is especially suited for children over age two. The show doesn't rely on loud or busy action to hold the audience's attention, but will instead engage their curiosity and imaginations.
In Point A to Point B the characters have been given a puzzling task - to get a ball that keeps appearing in a spot labeled "Point A" to the spot labeled "Point B." While the task seems simple enough, the catch is that the ball can never travel the same way twice. The careful co-workers explore different modes of transportation as they solve the challenge together.
"I'm excited about how Point A to Point B introduces the scientific method in a very theatrical and entertaining way. For young children, artistic exploration and scientific discovery are very closely related - lots of playing with materials to see what they can do. The show has two dynamic and very different characters representing both creativity and disciplined experimentation. It'll be exciting to watch our 'young scientific explorers' help those characters find their common ground!" says show director and Rose artist educator
Michael Miller.
Point A to Point B was inspired by the America on the Move exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. This exhibit explores the role of transportation in American history.
With its low reliance on spoken language, Point A to Point B is simple and silly at times, making it ideal for young children and for children on the autism spectrum. The show has been designed specifically for first-time theater-goers with simple scenes and an abundance of physical action. "Point A to Point Buses very few spoken words and the piece is terrifically physical. All these things combine to make it a very enjoyable and exciting piece for very young audiences and children on the autism spectrum," says Rose Artistic Director Matthew Gutschick.
Point A to Point B is recommended for families of children ages two and up. The show is approximately 45 minutes long without an intermission. It is presented on The Rose's Hitchcock Stage, the black box-style theater on the theater's fourth floor.
The show runs Oct. 21 through Nov. 12, 2017, with performances on Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 and 11:00 am; and Mondays at 10 am. Contact The Rose Box Office at (402) 345-4849 for more information.
Tickets for Point A to Point B are $12. Members of The Rose receive discounted tickets to the production.
Point A to Point B is sponsored by Vetter Health Services.
