Oregon Children's Theatre Presents THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW

Oregon Children's Theatre will bring Eric Carle's classic characters back to the stage for Portland audiences!

This revived version of the family-favorite is an adaptation of four classic stories from award-winning Carle; it debuted in Australia in 2015 and has performed all over the world since then, from the UK to Dubai. Along the way, the show has garnered rave reviews. The New York Times called it "Bedazzling" and Time Out said that it was "Beautiful, rhythmic, and faithful to the author's works."

Iconic creatures crawl from page to stage with the help of a marvelous menagerie of 75 magical puppets: colorful and kinetic, this adaptation captures all the charm of Carle's original tales and illustrations, while conveying simple messages about the value of creativity, belonging, and growth. OCT produced The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show in its 2017-2018 season-winning a Drammy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Puppetry-but the stories are timeless and beloved by all generations. "We wanted to bring this show back to Portland because it has the ability to engage with very young children, creating an opportunity for families to enjoy these classic tales in a unique and memorable way," said OCT Artistic Director Marcella Crowson. Crowson will also serve as the show's director. In contrast to the prior production, this year's show contains three brand new stories to accompany the titular tale, including The Very Busy Spider, Ten Little Rubber Ducks, and the popular classic Brown Bear Brown Bear.

The production was slated to perform in March 2020 but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "It feels especially important to honor the time, creativity, and work of artists and technicians who invested so much in a season that was cut short," Crowson explained. "And now, with Eric Carle's passing in May of last year, we feel it is even more important to honor his life and his legacy, as so many of us journey into the magical world of reading through his works," Crowson commented.

For the first time, one of the performances in the show's run will be performed entirely in Spanish. "We've wanted to produce a Spanish performance for many years, and we were lucky to have a cast that is fluent in Spanish for Hungry Caterpillar," Crowson commented. "We're excited to open our doors to families who may not have attended previously due to language barriers."

OCT will also be presenting a sensory-friendly performance on April 9 at 11:00 am: during this special performance, there will be lowered seating capacities to allow for more space and movement between patrons, the house lights will remain up, fidget toys are welcome, and use of electronic devices with headphones will be permitted. It is also an opportunity for families with neurodiverse and very young children to come and experience the theater for the first time. "This production embraces the rhythm of the books and adds to it a beautiful musical score that invites every audience to come along for the ride at their own pace," said Crowson. "There are lots of ways 'in' to the play: words, music, sounds, light, pictures, movement; but without those elements coming at the audience fast and furiously. There's breathing room, perhaps, that will give each audience member the space to experience it in the way that's most comfortable for them."

Additionally, OCT's Education Department will be offering several extension opportunities in conjunction with The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, including in-person workshops at th, an at-home Creators Kit, and a "Page to Stage" Acting Academy class, which includes a special invitation to the production's final dress performance on Friday, February 25. "We are beyond excited to develop these creative extensions and engage with our families beyond the stage," Crowson commented. "Our Education staff is hard at work putting the final touches on these programs, and we can't wait to share them." More information about these programs will be available on OCT's website soon.

Tickets for all productions of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show are available online at octc.org; families who wish to attend the sensory-friendly performance should contact OCT's Patron Services at (503) 228-9571.