Bay Area Children's Theatre 15th Anniversary Season Explores Magical Realms

Children can travel to magical realms as Bay Area Children's Theatre (BACT) unfurls its 15th Anniversary Season, beginning in June.

The adventures onstage will include Pete the Cat, rocking out on his guitar; the Cat in the Hat, speaking Spanish and English; King Midas, so hungry for gold he neglects his daughter; Aslan, the magisterial lion trapped in a witch's spell; the Very Hungry Caterpillar with many friends; and, to complete the season, colorful dots that sing, dance and juggle.

Three new works, in the order in which they will open, will be:

· The Cat in the Hat/El Gato Ensombrerado, the first bi-lingual version of this beloved tale, opening in September

· Gold: The Midas Musical, with book, lyrics and music by Min Kahng, opening in February 2019

· Press Here, the Musical, with book, music and lyrics by Austin Zumbro, opening in March 2019

Flex Pass subscriptions to BACT's 15th Anniversary Season are now available, with "early bird" savings through June 30. Learn more and purchase Flex Passes at www.bactheatre.org or call 510/296-4433.

BAY AREA CHILDREN'S THEATRE 2018-2019 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Here are descriptions of six of the seven main stage shows BACT will present in 2018-2019.

((Information about BACT's seventh main stage production, as well as specific dates and times for all shows, will come soon.))

Main Stage Venues:

Berkeley: BACT's Berkeley Theatre Center, 2055 Center Street, Berkeley, CA 94704

San Francisco: Children's Creativity Museum Theater, 221 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

Sunnyvale: Sunnyvale Community Center, 550 E. Remington Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94087

Pete the Cat

When the cat-catcher finds Pete rockin' out on his guitar after bedtime, he sends Pete to the Biddle's to learn some manners. But Pete won't go silently into house cat arrest--not when he can jam with the family and help Jimmy Biddle paint the crucial picture he needs to pass second grade.

· Recommended for ages 3 to 8

· Performs in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Sunnyvale

· June - August

The Cat in the Hat/El Gato Ensombrerado

Expect a brother, a sister, a much put-upon goldfish, some Things, and tons of clowning around in this new production of Seuss's classic rainy-day tale that brings the Cat in the Hat's outrageous antics--and Dr. Seuss's wondrous rhymes--to life in Spanish and English.

· Recommended for ages 3 to 12

· Performs in Berkeley

· September - October

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Step through the magic wardrobe with Lucy and her siblings into a land of mythical creatures frozen in eternal winter under a powerful witch's spell. Two actors and four dancers create this fantasy world, as the children meet Aslan, the great lion, and learn about love, loyalty, and overcoming evil.

· Recommended for ages 5 to 12

· Performs in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Sunnyvale

· November - February

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Christmas Show

An irresistible holiday treat for the whole family featuring colorful giant puppets in a lavish new production inspired by Eric Carle's beloved stories, including Dream Snow; Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and, of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

· Recommended for ages 3 to 12

· Performs in San Francisco

· November - December

Gold: The Midas Musical

Motherless Princess Lydia yearns for her father's love, but King Midas grows meaner, more distant, and greedier by the day. A modern musical re-telling of the Greek legend of King Midas who learns a valuable lesson about family when the gods grant him the power to turn everything into gold.

· Recommended for age 8 and up

· Performs in Berkeley

· February - May

Press Here, the Musical

Colorful dots cavort and juggle onstage, while audience members take an ever-changing, magical journey with the actors in this original production, inspired by Hervé Tullet's award-winning picture book, Press Here, about the power of imagination and interactivity.

· Recommended for ages 3 to 8

· Performs in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Sunnyvale

· March - June

Established in 2004, Bay Area Children's Theatre, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, serves 115,000 children and adults throughout the Bay Area, with main stage performances in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco and Sunnyvale; programs and productions in local schools; and classes and summer camps in the East Bay, South Bay, and San Francisco.

Our Mission: To inspire young audiences with imaginative productions, introduce children of all backgrounds to the excitement of live theatre, and create an engaging, entertaining, and educational environment in which children and their families can explore and enjoy the arts.

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