Treat the kids to live theatre this January with these fun local productions by the San Diego Junior Theatre.
This pair of plays, both SDJT premieres, will be shown in repertory over three weekends at Casa del Prado Theatre in Balboa Park; Rippledink’s Repertory features the same students, rotating from cast to cast for both shows.
“Ivy & Bean The Musical”: Pancake Court is no ordinary cul-de-sac! Start with two completely opposite 8-year olds: Ivy, the quiet reader who loves magic and wants to be a witch, and Bean, the outgoing, rambunctious and often devious counterpart who has never been shy. Although it was not the plan, the two reluctantly become friends, and once the fun begins, there’s no turning back. Ivy and Bean weave their way through a series of extraordinary adventures and get into plenty of mischief. Somehow, they navigate every twist and turn, frequently with laughter and always with trust in each other. Join this delightful pair as they learn many valuable lessons about the importance of family, friends, loyalty and love in their often madcap world. .
Aleander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”: Alexander is having a bad day. A terrible day. A horrible day. To be quite honest, it’s a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. But then, everybody has bad days, sometimes. In this delightful adaptation of her popular book, Judith Viorst sets Alexander’s rather trying life to music and brings to the stage one of America’s feistiest characters. Not only does Alexander wake up with gum in his hair, but his mother forgets to pack him dessert, and his best friend decides he’s not his best friend anymore. And if that’s not bad enough, Alexander’s brothers don’t have any cavities but—he does. And just when it can’t get any worse, there are lima beans for supper and — yuck! — kissing on TV. It is enough to make anyone want to go to Australia. Alexander’s struggles with life’s daily dramas will not only entertain but educate young audiences as they identify with Alexander and the obstacles he encounters, encouraging them to share their feelings and to realize that bad days happen — even in Australia.
San Diego Junior Theatre operates as an independent, nonprofit organization for the benefit of children throughout San Diego County, and is the oldest continuing children’s theatre program in the country — its productions have entertained well over a million theatre-goers since its beginning in 1948.
As one of the nation’s most comprehensive theater education programs for children, Junior Theatre offers hundreds of classes and camps. With the help of its growing corporate sponsorship program, education and entertainment services are offered to school and community groups in Balboa Park, La Jolla, and throughout San Diego County, all with the aim of introducing the magic of theatre to children for generations to come.
Educational programs and productions are made possible in part by show ticket sales, class and camp registrations, and public contributions. Major funding is provided by the City of San Diego, the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, the County of San Diego, and the San Diego Junior Theatre Auxiliary.
