FITTING IN, A World Premiere Show For Children, to be Presented at Arts On The Horizon

Arts on the Horizon, a non-verbal theatre company whose programs are specifically designed for children ages 0 to 6, is presenting Fitting In, a world premiere play, as part of its 10th anniversary season. Fitting In will run March 10-25, 2023 at Theatre on the Run in Arlington, Virginia.

Fitting In, written by Patrick W. Lord and Megan Thrift, was created specifically for an audience of children ages 2-5 and their families.

About the show:

Three siblings find themselves in a room full of possibilities and one not so simple task- to put things in their proper place. However, they soon discover that throwing this and that into a box is not the same as finding where it fits in. Through clowning, movement, and original music, three performers will transform everyday objects into something extraordinary. Is a blanket a blanket? Or is it the sail of a boat setting off on an epic voyage? Together, we can find the magic buried in the bottom of every box and hidden inside the world around us!

We are thrilled to have Patrick back at Arts on the Horizon and honored that he will be making his directorial debut with this show. He previously designed the projections for 2018's Outside the Lines. Patrick works largely as a projection designer and his work creating theatre for young audiences has included multiple critically acclaimed world premieres at the Kennedy Center. Patrick has designed all across the country, but locally you may recognize his work at theatres like Shakespeare Theatre, Olney Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Synetic Theater, 1st Stage, Theater Alliance, and many more. Megan has worked as a multidisciplinary theatre artist and full-time educator for the past eighteen years in D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. She has worked on over 30 productions in the DC area primarily at Keegan Theatre and Theatre Alliance.

Emily Erickson will be composing the original music, as well as performing in the show. Emily's recent credits include People, Places & Things (Studio Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (Chesapeake Shakespeare), Man Covets Bird (Spooky Action), and Fantastagirl and the Math Monster (Adventure Theatre).

The show also features actors, Pablo Guillen and Graciela Rey. Pablo was last seen at Arts on the Horizon in the 2022 production of Squeakers and Mr. Gumdrop. He has also worked locally with Teatro de la Luna and Synetic Theater. Graciela was recently nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for her role in Make Way For Ducklings at Adventure Theatre. She has also been seen locally at GALA Hispanic Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Imagination Stage, and Rorschach Theatre.

Rounding out the production team are Jeannette Christensen (Costume Design), Patrick W. Lord (Set and Props Design), Dean Leong (Lighting Design), Matthew Pauli (Puppet Design), Natalie Cutcher (Dramaturgy), and Amber Smithers (Props Artisan), and Kaitlyn Shifflet (Stage Management).

ABOUT ARTS ON THE HORIZON

Arts on the Horizon was founded as a professional, non-profit theatre company with a unique specific focus of providing high-quality performances and arts education programs for young people ages 0 to 6 and their families. We believe the arts play an important role in children's lives. The results can be seen in their development of critical thinking skills, self-confidence, and independence.

Each nonverbal production Arts on the Horizon commissions incorporates elements that connect to various child developmental milestones. Knowing that a young child's brain develops as they explore the world around them through sight, touch, and sound, Arts on the Horizon intentionally creates a sensory-rich environment with each production. Additionally, Arts on the Horizon's productions demonstrate and model the importance of cooperation and creativity, empathy among the characters, conflict resolution through teamwork, and the excitement of exploring new places and engaging in new activities.

Since 2011, our nonverbal productions have been performed on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, Atlas Performing Arts Center, Workhouse Arts Center, and other venues and schools in the DC metro area. In 2016, Arts on the Horizon was honored to be nominated for The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company. In 2017, we were awarded a "50 for 50" Arts Inspiration Award by the Virginia Commission for the Arts in the category of "Emerging Arts Organization." Between 2018 and 2020, five of our productions were nominated for Helen Hayes Awards in the "Outstanding Production - Theater for Young Audiences" category.

PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION

March 10-25, 2023 at the Theatre on the Run:

3700 S Four Mile Run Dr, Arlington, VA 22206

Fridays, March 10, 17, and 24 at 10:30am

Saturdays, March 11, 18 and 25 at 10am and 11:30am

Tickets are $10 for children and adults and can be purchased online at http://www.artsonthehorizon.org or at the door on the day of the performance. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.

Arts on the Horizon offers a military family rate for all performances in Virginia. Active-duty military personnel and their family can purchase these discounted tickets directly on the website and will need to show a current military ID when picking up their tickets on the day of the performance.

Fitting In is also touring locally to Alexandria preschools, weekdays: March 14-28, 2023.