Child’s Play: Annual children’s theater festival encourages family fun
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鈥淲e Built this City,鈥� an interactive performance that invites those young and young at heart to build a city out of cardboard boxes, will be part of the EQT Children鈥檚 Theater Festival May 18-21 in Pittsburgh鈥檚 Cultural District. (Photo courtesy of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.)
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In the photo above, 鈥淧ulse,鈥� a performance from Mexico, will aim to entertain babies and their caregivers at the EQT Children鈥檚 Theater Festival May 18-21. In the upper right photo, 鈥淲e Built this City,鈥� an interactive performance that invites those young and young at heart to build a city out of cardboard boxes, is demonstrated. ON THE COVER: The book 鈥淢ufaro鈥檚 Beautiful Daughters鈥� has been transformed into a play that will be presented during the festival.
鈥淪imple Gifts,鈥� a production that features performances from various marionettes will be a part of the EQT Children鈥檚 Theater Festival May 18-21 in the Cultural District of downtown Pittsburgh.
The 31st EQT Children鈥檚 Theater Festival will be held May 18-21 in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh. A variety of activities including theatrical performances and wandering artists are scheduled for the event. (Photo courtesy of Renee Rosensteel.)
The children鈥檚 book 鈥淭he Way Back Home鈥� has been made into a puppet show for children of all ages during the EQT Children鈥檚 Theater Festival May 18-21 in the Cultural District of downtown Pittsburgh.
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The book 鈥淢ufaro鈥檚 Beautiful Daughters鈥� has been transformed into a play that will be presented during the EQT Children鈥檚 Theater Festival May 18-21 in the Cultural District of downtown Pittsburgh.
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Submitted Photo The creations of author Mo Willems will take to the stage in 鈥淓lephant & Piggie鈥檚 We are in a Play!鈥� May 18-20 at the Byham Theater in Pittsburgh. This performance is part of the EQT Children鈥檚 Theater Festival that is presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Tickets to the performance are $9. Children under 2 are free but require a lap pass for entry. Information: trustarts.org.
A dancing and singing pig and elephant, a city built of cardboard boxes and a unique take on a Cinderella tale are just some of the imaginative events that will take place at the 31st EQT Children鈥檚 Theater Festival May 18 to 21 in the Cultural District of downtown Pittsburgh.
鈥淚 think it is to inspire family time and creativity and imagination,鈥� said Pamela Komar, director of theater, music and youth programming, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, about the goal of the festival. 鈥淚 think it is more important now more than ever, with the reduction of arts in the curriculum. It is a great way to spend family time that is creative and engaging. I hope that attendees are seeing more than one performance and are really immersing themselves in the arts.鈥�
Just like in years past the festival will feature a wide variety of performances that will cover many different age ranges and genera.
鈥淓ach year it is like putting together a puzzle. There are a lot of different factors that come into play. Children are such broad age ranges, there are different countries and cultures they represent, there are different forms and genera. It is basically a balancing act. Is there a show for babies? Is there a musical theater piece? Is there a puppetry piece? We try to keep it very diverse in both genera, age range and size of the show. We try to create really different experiences,鈥� said Komar about the variety of programs the festival offers. 鈥淚n conjunction with the featured performances, which are the ticketed performances, there are also activities and galleries that have family events. There will be a number of activities that you can take part in before or after the performance. It is exciting to put it together each year.鈥�
This year the festival will have six featured events including 鈥淓lephant & Piggie鈥檚 We are in a Play!,鈥� 鈥淲e Built This City,鈥� 鈥淭he Way Back Home,鈥� 鈥淢ufaro鈥檚 Beautiful Daughters 鈥� An African Tale,鈥� 鈥淧ulse鈥� and 鈥淪imple Gifts.鈥�
Mo Willem鈥檚 famed pachyderm and pig combo will take to the stage during 鈥淓lephant & Piggie鈥檚 We are in a Play!鈥� taking place May 18 through 20 at the Byham Theater.
鈥淚t is great chorography, singing and lots of humor,鈥� said Komar. 鈥淭hat show was just in New York and was sold out for the entire run. We are seeing the same trending (here) and we are encouraging people to get tickets early.鈥�
Another family musical that will be a part of the festival is 鈥淢ufaro鈥檚 Beautiful Daughters,鈥� May 18 to 20 at the August Wilson Center.
鈥淚t is also based on a book of the same name by John Steptoe,鈥� said Komar. 鈥淚t is a beautiful story. They have pared it with wonderful chanting and drumming. We are excited for that.鈥�
Even the littlest theater fans won鈥檛 be forgotten at the festival.
鈥淔or babies ages 0 to 2 we have a company coming from Mexico to perform 鈥楶ulse.鈥� This piece has been created with child development specialists,鈥� said Komar. 鈥淚t is beautiful theater for the big people that have to accompany the babies. It is really intimate and special. Lovely family time.鈥�
For those who want to be able to get up and move and become part of the show, the festival will host 鈥淲e Built this City鈥� from Australia.
鈥淲e try to present one feature performance outdoors each year,鈥� said Komar. 鈥淚t is an immersive installation/performance. It is interactive, engaging and set to music. It is a cardboard construction site. The artists are taking on the characters of construction workers and they work with children and grownups. They specialize in imaginative and immersive play. Something our children have lost with a lot of screen time and other activities. It is just a lot of fun.鈥�
In addition to the featured performances, that cost a fee of $9 for admittance, there will also be other activities taking place throughout the cultural district including 鈥淭ales and Trails鈥� story time, wandering performers like jugglers and much more.
Komar also wanted to address some of the concerns that people might have when it comes to the festival, including access to parking.
鈥淪ome of the concerns that people have about coming into the Cultural District is parking. We have parking available at the Theater Square (parking garage,)鈥� she said.
Komar said that people can call 412-456-6666 at the Box Office at Theater Square to purchase a pre-paid parking voucher for the day. This means that even if the garage says it is full, there will be parking available for the voucher holders.
Another option of facilitating parking is to use the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust鈥檚 website ParkPGH which allows drivers to see how many of the 5,000 parking spots within the Cultural District are available as well as other garages within a nearby radius.
Once the vehicle is parked everything is within walking distance of the Cultural District.
鈥淭here is even a scavenger hunt to keep the kids engaged and all those activities are sprinkled throughout the area,鈥� said Komar.
Another concern for some families has been reduced with the option of a sensory friendly performance of 鈥淓lephant & Piggie鈥檚 We are in a Play!鈥�
鈥淎t the 1:30 p.m. (Saturday) show the house lights will be left up a little, the sound will be turned down a little bit and there will be experts on hand as well if people require assistance,鈥� said Komar.
Tickets to any of the performances, with a discount available for two or more shows, can be purchased online at trustarts.org/pghkids, by phone at 412-456-6666 or by visiting the Theater Square Box Office, 655 Penn Ave.
鈥淚 hope that they get to see at least one performance. That is the heart and soul of the festival and I hope they are inspired by something they have seen at the festival,鈥� said Komar. 鈥淚t is inspiring that feeling that the arts give us.鈥�