GOOD NIGHT, GORILLA Takes To The Stage In New Musical For Very Young Audiences

Shhh. . . the zoo is closed for the night, and it's time for the animals to go to bed. But, look! That mischievous gorilla has stolen the zookeeper's keys and is letting all the animals out of their enclosures!

Bay Area Children's Theatre (BACT) presents Good Night, Gorilla, a new musical for babies and toddlers, weekends, October 6 - December 16, at BACT's Berkeley Theatre Center, 2055 Center Street, Berkeley, CA 94704, with performances at 10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

Inspired by author Peggy Rathmann's popular bedtime story of the same name, Good Night, Gorilla is BACT's latest Theatre for the Very Young (TVY) production-an interactive, multisensory theatrical experience during which children aged six months to three years can freely explore their surroundings and participate in the story being told onstage.

"We're aiming to make these very young audience members feel as if they are stepping into their favorite book," said Director Nina Meehan. "Children will be handed illustrated boards with a key as they arrive, and they'll be able to "open" the various animal gates on their board right along with the Gorilla. The animals are puppets, and our Zookeeper is the multi-talented actor-musician Phil Wong, who has terrific rapport with TVY audiences."

Meehan adapted Rathmann's book for the stage. Her creative team includes award-winning composer and lyricist Austin Zumbro and production designer Simon Trumble, who most recently created the Oompa Loompa puppets for BACT's production of Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka.

Good Night, Gorilla Moves to San Francisco in January

After its Berkeley run, Good Night, Gorilla moves to San Francisco where it opens January 26 and plays through March 10 at the Children's Creativity Museum Theater, 221 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, with performances at 10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m

TICKETS: $15

BOX OFFICE: www.bactheatre.org or call (510) 296-4433

Established in 2004, Bay Area Children's Theatre, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, serves 125,000 children and adults throughout the Bay Area, with main stage performances in Berkeley, San Francisco and Sunnyvale; programs and productions in local schools; and classes and summer camps in the East Bay, South Bay, and San Francisco.