Mermaid Theatre's Very Eric Carle draws upon the magic of black light to capture the charm of three more favorite Eric Carle stories, Little Cloud, The Mixed-Up Chameleon, and The Very Busy Spider.
High up in a beautiful blue sky, Little Cloud changes into various shapes of things he has seen. An adventurous trip to the zoo teaches The Mixed-Up Chameleon the importance of being true to oneself. In The Very Busy Spider, a spider builds a web on a farmyard fence and ignores the playful banter of the barnyard animals.
These whimsical tales are much beloved by several generations and have been translated into twenty languages. Mermaid Theatre's emphasis on imaginative design elements, original music, and challenging texts provides a rich opportunity to acquaint young spectators with the visual and performing arts as well as with the pleasures of reading.
Eric Carle, who's best known work is The Very Hungry Caterpillar, is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His artwork is distinctive and instantly recognizable. Carle's artwork uses a collage technique, incorporating hand-painted papers that he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. For Very Eric Carle, Mermaid Theatre has created large, brilliantly colored, glow-in-the-dark puppets and sets reflective of Carle's unique style.
Mermaid Theatre ranks among North America's most respected theatres for the young, and has won widespread recognition for its important ambassadorial role. The company is the winner of the 2001 Canada Export Award and the 2001 Nova Scotia Export Award. Mermaid Theatre regularly tours across North America, and has represented Canada in Japan, Mexico, Australia, England, Ireland, Holland, Scotland, Wales, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Vietnam. The company will return to Japan twice this season and perform in 25 states and 4 provinces.
Very Eric Carle, recommended for ages three and up, will be presented at 2 and 4:30pm in the theatre of the Rose Lehrman Arts Center on Sunday, February 1. Tickets are $8. Early reservations recommended. Call the Box Office at (717) 231-ROSE (7673).