A Rare Treat for Lubbock-area Kids & Families:
Morning Matinees Fridays & Saturdays in July at 9am.

Once Upon a Time, in a Land not too far away at all, the children of Lubbock had the opportunity to share an enchanted walk through the woods.  The journey invited them into a magical story that reached out and grabbed them all…  the kids in the audience as well as the very talented young performers on stage!

Into the Woods Jr, Lubbock Moonlight Musical‘s 2016 Moonlight Children’s Theatre production, contains all the same characters from the full-length award-winning Broadway show – including the Baker & his wife, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, and the Witch – but has been adapted for youth performers as well as a younger audience and covers the first half, more lighthearted segment, of the Broadway show.

Watching the show is like looking at the face of the future of live theatre on the South Plains.  The kids in the audience loved identifying with and even recognizing some of the young actors in the show.  Several could be overheard saying “I want to try out for this next year!”  Parent Win: A great morning together and igniting a spark in our kids for the Arts!

The characters really do come to life thanks to the incredibly talented cast of youth performers led by the Moonlight Directions Youth Ensemble.

And as a parent, it was also easy to see how much excitement this production generated for the cast and crew.  You could tell that they were loving every second they were onstage and, maybe just as importantly, when they were off stage.  They were encouraging and gracious and excited about meeting their minions of fans after the show.  Taking pictures together, answering questions and lots of hugs!  The calibre of talent that these kids possess is truly inspiring… and a tribute to their hard work over the summer and training that they are receiving through the program.

Even the smallest fan will enjoy the story and effects, even if they are not quite familiar with some of the story lines or even some of the characters.  In case you haven’t seen the show, the story centers around the Baker & his wife.  After discovering that they are unable to have a child due to a Witch’s curse, the journey begins in search of the Witch with many adventures and friends to meet along the way.

Parent Pointers

The venue at Moonlight Musicals Amphitheatre on the edge of Mackenzie Park is always kid-friendly, but being at the beautiful outdoor venue overlooking the park early is the perfect Friday or Saturday morning outing… and super affordable!  The length of the show, only 60 minutes, makes it the ideal introduction for any child to live theatre.  In addition to our parent tips of packing the bug spray and chairs, we especially enjoyed our morning coffee and OJ together during the show.  Do plan to arrive when the doors open at 8:30am to get great seats as close to the stage as possible.

The moral of the story is, never underestimate the power of local, live theatre for children… entertaining to everyone in the audience, inspiring for children interested in exploring The Arts, and transforming for youngsters who have caught the theatre bug and who continue to bloom with every impressive performance!

And they lived
Happily
Ever
After!

Just the Facts!

When:  Friday & Saturday mornings in July at 9:00am.  Gates open at 8:30am.
July 8 & 9, July 15 & 16, July 22 & 23, July 29 & 30.

Where:  Moonlight Musicals Amphitheatre at 413 East Broadway, Lubbock.

How:  Tickets available through the Moonlight Musicals website, through Select-A-Seat and at the door.
Prices are $5 for adults and $10 for children 10 and under.  Multi-ticket discounts available.

Length:  Lasts 1 hour.

Age:  Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Planning to go?  Let us know how you like the show!  Write your reviews below.

Photos provided by cast and Moonlight Musicals. Images from Moonlight Children’s Theatre 2016 production of Into The Woods Jr.

Fol-De-Rol & Fiddle-Dee-Dee…Cinderella is a must-see!  Catch this charming, family-friendly musical through July 17th.

The summer 2016 Lubbock Community Theatre  production of G2K Cinderella is a joyful journey for area children and families!  It’s the perfect opportunity to expose children, both performers and observers, to the theatre by inviting them into the magical and inspiring world of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.  The G2K show is especially designed for youth performers as part of their Getting to Know (G2K) series of R&H musicals.

It features the beautiful, fun songs and characters from the full production, but is more condensed.  Many parents and grandparents will enjoy humming along with the songs that we remember from the televised Hallmark Hall of Fame series.  You’ll find that this version of Cinderella, in addition to being the classic dreams-come-true message, is based on the power of positivity and kindness… yes, according to our favorite Fairy Godmother, regardless of what roadblocks arise, “It’s Possible!”

As we watched the show, it was hard to remember that all the performers were local kids, some in the LCT’s Theatre for Youth classes, but many who have never been on stage before!

Cinderella and her Prince are truly charming and sweet, and we may have snort-laughed more than once with the wicked Stepsisters and Stepmother!

The Fairy Godmother is magical, and funny, and sassy.  Thanks to the hijinks from the King and Queen and all the other characters, the kids in the audience laughed and enjoyed every move and every joke, and were especially spellbound when Cinderella magically transforms on stage.

Also watch for the adorable little mice and fairies, townspeople and ballroom guests.

Prepare to be impressed by the calibre of musical talent in this group… and the expressions and comedic timing are also amazing from all the cast, who range in age from pre-school to high school.

Parent Pointers

In case you haven’t seen it before, the musical is quite different from the Disney movie, so parents may want to prepare children who could be expecting the songs and characters from the animated version.  There is no “Bippity Boppity Boo” but the new-to-them songs including “Fol-De-Rol and Fiddle-Dee-Dee” will leave them spellbound and humming!

The show only lasts about an hour and a half (which includes an intermission) so it’s a very manageable amount of time to hold the attention of most kids.  Another feature that is helpful for parents is the size of the theatre:  It only holds about 50-60 seats so it is more sensory-friendly for most kids.  However the small size of the theatre means if you are interested in going, you need to grab tickets quickly.  Sell-outs are frequent!

Another fun event offered is a special Cinderella Tea after each Sunday matinee.  Princes and Princesses can dress as their favorite character and have tea with stars from the show.  It’s a separate event from the show (tickets are sold separately for $10) with space only for 40 royal guests, so, again, better go online for tickets asap if your child is interested.  The Tea event may be a nice option if you think your child might not be quite ready for a full theatre production experience.

Fun Ways to Prepare for the Show

If you have access to one of the televised productions featuring Julie Andrews (1957) or Lesley Ann Warren (1965) or Brandy (1997), then consider a family preview to see the show and become familiar with the catchy songs.  Also consider reading the non-Disney story of Cinderella at the library or bookstore.

Just the Facts!

When:  Thurs., Friday & Saturday July 7-9 at 7:30pm, Sunday July 10 at 2pm and again
Thurs., Friday & Saturday July 14-16 at 7:30pm, Sunday July 17 at 2pm.
Special Tea with Cinderella event after Sunday performances from 4:30-5:30pm.  (Limited to 40 seats.  Tickets Sold Separately).

Where:  Lubbock Community Theatre at 4232 Boston Ave, Lubbock.

How:  Tickets available through their website online, or by calling 806-749-2416 for info.
Prices are $15 for adults and $10 for children 10 and under.
Sunday Tea with Cinderella tickets are $10 each.

Length:  Lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes with a 15 minute intermission included.

Age:  Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Credits:  Music by Richard Rodgers – Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
Directed by Heather May.
Music Direction by Tom Laney.

Crew:
Stage Manager – Alex Saulnier McKinin
Set Design – Heather May, Madeline St Claire
Set Crew – Madeline St Claire, Kayla Rushing, Emily Nixon
Light Design – RT Todd
Sound Design – Tom Laney
Board Operator – Robin Armstrong
Costumes – Patti Campbell, Mitzi Flournoy
Props – April Langehennig
Choreography – Alex Saulnier McKinin
Hair and Make-up – Alex Saulnier McKinin, Cast

Cast:
Cinderella – Hannah Flournoy
Godmother – Kayla Rushing
Stepmother – Sierra Roberson
Stepsister Portia – Lorena Lopez
Stepsister Joy – Allaina Capili
Prince – Reis Smith
Herald – Josh Fredenberg
Chef – Ben Mitchell
King – Cordell Little
Queen – Erin Ewings

Supporting Roles:
Neveah Arnold – Townsperson, Mouse/Horse
Shirah Arnold – Townsperson
Ayrthon Capili – Townsperson, Ballroom Scene
Cara Copeland – Royal Staff
Kaori Gonzales – Townsperson, Mouse/Horse
Kysiah Gonzalez – Townsperson
Sophie Haney - Townsperson, Magic Fairy
Alex Haynes – Townsperson, Ballroom Scene, Royal Staff
Jonna Hollis - Townsperson, Magic Fairy
Olivia Ireland – Townsperson, Magic Fairy
Emma Johnston – Townsperson, Mouse/Horse, Ballroom Scene
Elizabeth Logan – Townsperson, Ballroom Scene, Royal Staff
Ben Mitchell – Ballroom Scene
Walter Parsons – Townsperson
Aubree Pointer – Townsperson, Ballroom Scene, Royal Staff
Jaryn Reed – Townsperson, Ballroom Scene
Savannah Roberson – Townsperson, Mouse/Horse, Royal Staff
Brenna Ryan – Townsperson, Ballroom Scene
Melanie Westmoreland – Townsperson, Royal Staff
Jencie Wright – Townsperson, Ballroom Scene
Faith Zint – Townsperson, Mouse/Horse

Planning to go?  Let us know how you like the show!  Write your reviews below.

Photos provided by Lubbock Community Theatre. Images from LCT’s 2016 production of G2K Cinderella.