ELEPHANT & PIGGIE'S WE ARE IN A PLAY! Opens Later This Month at Raleigh Little Theatre

Raleigh Little Theatre kicks off its Family Series with a kid-friendly musical based on the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems. "Elephant & Piggie's 'We Are in a Play!'" features a script and lyrics by Mo Willems and music by Deborah Wicks La Puma. The production runs on Saturdays and Sundays from October 23-31 in RLT's outdoor Louise "Scottie" Stephenson Amphitheatre.

RLT's "Elephant & Piggie's 'We Are in a Play!'" centers around an elephant named Gerald and a pig named Piggie, who are the very "bestus" of friends. In this vaudevillian romp, Elephant and Piggie sing their way through a day where anything is possible. They go to a party hosted by the Squirrelles, wear silly hats, learn a new dance, and share ice cream! See your child's favorite moments from the Elephant & Piggie book series come to life in this bouncy and fun musical, directed by Laura Bess Jernigan.

"Gerald and Piggie have such big hearts," said Jernigan. "They learn to see through conflict to find their way back to each other. This play is about imagination, joy, and friendship: three things we can all use a little more of."

All performances of "Elephant & Piggie's 'We Are in a Play!'" are sensory-friendly by design, aiming to create a welcoming, inclusive, and relaxed environment for those with sensory sensitivities. RLT's sensory-friendly programming is made possible by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, with additional support from Capital City Civitan Club.

For the comfort and safety of audiences and volunteers, a maximum of 300 tickets will be sold for each performance. All performances will take place outside in the Stephenson Amphitheatre. Tickets are general admission, but attendees will be limited to designated seating areas to promote social distancing between groups. Masks will not be required when seated but are encouraged in outdoor common spaces and required indoors.

"We are fortunate to have our outdoor Stephenson Amphitheatre, not only as a beautiful backdrop to our shows, but as a venue where we can do more to keep our volunteers and audiences safe," said Heather Strickland, RLT's executive director. "Almost one year ago, we welcomed audiences back for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic to enjoy our Family Series production of 'Balloonacy' in the amphitheatre. It feels full circle to kick off our Family Series in this outdoor space once again."

"Elephant & Piggie's 'We Are in a Play!'" is produced through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. The production is supported by the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Additional support comes from North State Bank and The News & Observer.

"Elephant & Piggie's 'We Are in a Play!'" runs from October 23-31 in the Louise "Scottie" Stephenson Amphitheatre at Raleigh Little Theatre, 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, NC 27607. The Sunday, October 31, performance at 4:00pm features audio description for those with visual disabilities. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 919-821-3111, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, noon to 5 p.m., or by visiting the theatre's website at www.RaleighLittleTheatre.org.

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