A pop culture phenomenon comes to the musical stage!  The Emmy Award-winning 1970’s Saturday morning cartoon series that taught history, grammar, math science and politics through clever, tuneful songs is instructing a whole new generation to “unpack Your Adjectives” and “Do the Circulations,

Show Dates: 

·         March 16, 17, 23 @ 7:30

·         March 18, 24, 25 @ 2:00 pm

·         Special ALL AGES Saturday One Act Matinee – March 24 @ 10:00am

·         Parents’ Night Out Pajama Parties – March 16 & 12, 7:00-11:00 pm

Directed by Michelle Harmon; Music Direction by Dustin Merrell; Choreography by Mark Stephens; Stage Manager – Cory Jones.

Cast Includes:

·         Alanna Mensing as Georgia

·         Drew Gaver as Joe

·         Melody Easton as Shulie

·         Kathleen Ross as Dori

·         Peter Crews as Tom

·         Marnie Whelan as Dina

Tickets:

·         On sale now at http://www.redbranchtheatre.com/index.html  or by calling 410-997-9392.

Location:

Drama Learning Center

9130-I Red Branch Rd.

Columbia, MD  21045

Have you ever been bitten by the acting bug? Participants of this class will learn acting basics like stage directions, character development, improvisation, and pantomime, and then move on to scene work. The group will decide as a class if they would like to have a final showcase performance on the stage for family and friends.

Red Branch Theatre Company, the professional theatre company in residence at Drama Learning Center opens their final show of the season, Once On This Island. Performances will be October 14-29.

Once On This Island is an original Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale The Little Mermaid. Based on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy, the fast-paced story follows island peasant girl Ti Moune as she rescues and falls in love with the wealthy Daniel from the other side of the island. Four elemental island gods lead Ti Moune on a mission to test her love for Daniel against all odds in this nonstop, song-and-dance story. With a catchy, Caribbean-inspired score brought to you by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (the same songwriting team responsible for Ragtime and animated feature Anastasia), Once On This Island garnered eight Tony® nominations during its Broadway run.

Once On This Island will mark the end of Red Branch Theatre Company’s 2011 season entitled “Telling Tales.” Following successful runs of Into the Woods, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, and original work Web of Deceit, Once On This Island serves as the perfect bookend to a season that has been filled with fairy tale and fantasy. The stories told in this season have helped Red Branch Theatre Company to continue its mission of fostering a love of theatre in its audience which is life-long.

Stephanie Lynn Williams, Co-Founder and Executive Producer, leads the helm of this production as director. Williams has previously directed Bridge to Terabithia and The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking for the Red Branch stage. Dustin Merrell serves as music director; Mark Allen, Jason Kimmell, Jenny Male, and Dawn Barnes contribute as choreographers;  and Danny Clemens is stage manager.

Tickets are now on sale and available for purchase on the web at www.redbranchtheatre.com or by calling (410)997-9352.

Performance Dates

October 14-15, 21-22, 27-29 at 8 PM

October 16 & 23 at 3 PM

Special Events

October 16 & 23 – Following our matinees, choreographer Dawn Barnes will be conducting a brief interactive African Dance workshop.  For many years Dawn has taught at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland, where she was Associate Professor of Performing Arts.  During her full-time tenure at Howard Community College, she founded and directed Aurora Dance Company and appeared regularly on Howard’s cable television station as host of the program “On Location.” She has written, directed and produced several films as well as a Liberian television comedy series. Dawn is currently Director of Liberia Renaissance Foundation, Inc., a philanthropic organization and teaches part-time at Howard Community College.

October 21 - Parents Night Out PJ Party – 7:30 – 11:00 PM – parents drop their children off at 7:30 to see the show under the supervision our highly qualified Drama Learning Center teaching staff. After the show, children enjoy snacks, arts & crafts, and theatre fun! Advanced registration is required. Ages 8 and up are recommended for this production.

Tickets

$18 – General Admission

$16 – Students and Seniors

$15 – Groups of 10 or more

$25 – PJ Party

$20 – Price at the door

Reservations are highly recommended

Cast

Ti Moune                     Anastasia Stewart

Little Ti Moune            Mycah Brown

Mama Euralie              Michelle Harmon

Tonton Julian               Wil Lewis

Daniel                          Eric Hufford

Papa Ge                       Mark Stephens

Asaka                          Felicia Akunwafor

Agwe                           Cory Jones

Erzulie                         Samantha McEwen

Andrea                         Melody Easton

Armand                        Peter Crews

Storytellers                  Portia Boston

                                    Tanika Cook

                                    Brandi Dyer

                                    Kristina Hopkins

                                    Cristina Shunk

                                    Monece Starling

                                    Claire Schreibfeder