Oregon Children's Theatre Will Bring THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW to the Stage

Oregon Children's Theatre is excited to bring Eric Carle's classic characters back to the Winningstad stage! This revived version of the family-favorite is an adaptation of four classic stories from award-winning Carle, including The Very Lonely Firefly, Ten Little Rubber Ducks, Brown Bear Brown Bear, and-of course-The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 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, 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 Artistic Director Marcella Crowson.

OCT will also be presenting a sensory-friendly performance on May 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 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."

The performance will be brought to life by four talented actors and puppeteers: Robert Amico, Robi Arce, Kaleena Newman, and Jade Tate. The creative team includes Anthony Fuemmeler (Director), Breydon Little (Stage Manager), Abby Morgan (Assistant Stage Manager), Morgan Yeates (Technical Director), Kristeen Crosser & Don Crossley (Lighting Designers), Alan Cline (Sound Engineer), Dawn Schlosser (Costume Coordinator), and Ian Anderson-Priddy (Production Electrician).

Tickets are on sale now, starting at $15 with group rates available. To purchase or learn more, call the box office at 503-228-9571 or visit www.octc.org

NOTABLE PERFORMANCE EVENTS

Saturday, March 28 & Saturday, April 19: Come up to an hour early for a pre-show activity, in partnership with Steve & Kate's Camp!

Following Every Performance: Meet the cast, take photos, and get your playbill autographed!

Saturday, April 4, 2:00 pm: Interpreted performance in American Sign Language.

Sunday, May 9, 11:00 am: Sensory-friendly performance for those with sensory processing issues.

About Oregon Children's Theatre Founded in 1988, Oregon Children's Theatre (OCT) has served well over two million children, teachers, and families. Its mission is to create exceptional theater experiences that transform lives. OCT is Oregon's largest non-profit professional theater for young audiences and a resident company of Portland'5 Centers for the Arts. Performances are held weekdays for school audiences and on weekends for family audiences. OCT serves more than 120,000 children of all ages each year. OCT offers numerous school services including study guides, teacher professional development opportunities, in-school workshops, and an extensive outreach program. In partnership with Kaiser Permanente, the Educational Theatre Program provides free touring productions that promote healthy living. OCT's year-round Acting Academy offers theater classes for children ages 3-18 and Young Professionals Company, a mentoring program for teens.

Funding for Oregon Children's Theatre's 2019-2020 season is provided in part by the Shubert Foundation, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the Oregon Arts Commission, and TriMet.