(Orange, TX) – The 2^nd largest Performing Arts Series of touring shows for Kids in a four state area returns with an all new Series for Kids. A mix of old favorites and new delights presented by four international companies and four U.S. companies will entertain an estimated 15,000 children over the course of the 2008/2009 school year. In the last 28 years, 262,618 children have attended shows at the Lutcher Theater. To learn more about this year’s kids performances and to access study guides for the shows, visit the Lutcher’s website at www.lutcher.org.

         London’s Tall Stories Theatre Company’s “The Gruffalo” opens Lutcher Theater’s 2008/2009 Time Warner Cable Roadrunner Series for Kids’ on Friday, October 10^th, 2008.

         Join Mouse on an adventurous journey through the deep dark woods in this magical, adaptation of the Blue Peter award-winning picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Mouse can scare hungry animals away with tall stories of the terrifying Gruffalo, but what happens when he comes face-to-face with the very creature he imagined? There are songs, music, laughs and scary fun for children and their adults. Let your imagination run wild. Best for grades Pre-K through 4^th.

            Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia presents “The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favorites” on Monday, November 10^th, 2008.

After much demand, that little caterpillar is returning, along with an assortment of favorite puppet characters. The triple-bill includes the wonderful story of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s” metamorphosis into a beautiful butterfly; the fanciful account of “Little Cloud’s” travels through the sky, and the “The Mixed-up Chameleon’s” discovery of his own unique nature. The whimsical tales have enchanted several generations, and Mermaid’s acclaimed stage adaptation teaches as well as entertains. These Eric Carle classics are presented on stage in black light. Recommended for grades Pre-K through 2^nd.

            “Jason and The Argonauts,” produced by Visible Fictions of Glasgow, Scotland, sails to the Lutcher on Thursday, December 4^th, 2008.

Jason’s uncle has murdered his brother (the king) and stolen the kingdom and now nobody dares stand up to him. Things are about to get a major shake up though because Jason is back! After being banished as a baby, our wannabe hero returns to claim his rightful throne and make some big changes. However, in ancient times nothing’s that straightforward. Jason and his crew must sail on The Argo to the other side of the world to find the Golden Fleece and bring it back in order to unite the people again. Best for grades 3^rd through 8^th.

            Speeltheater Holland of The Netherlands and Mermaid Theater of Nova Scotia present “Stellaluna” on Tuesday, January 20^th, 2009.

            Baby bat Stellaluna’s life is flitting along right on schedule until an owl attacks her mother one night, knocking the bewildered batlet out of her mother’s loving grasp. The tiny bat lands in a nest of baby birds, but her whole world has just turned upside down. Stellaluna’s adoptive bird mom accepts her into her nest, but only on the condition that Stellaluna will act like a bird, not a bat. Anyone who has ever been asked to be someone they’re not will understand the conflicts and possibilities Stellaluna faces. Recommended for grades Kindergarten through 4^th.

         The Omaha Theater Company for Young People brings “Miss Bindergarten” to life on Thursday, February 12^th, 2009.

            Join Miss Bindergarten for her first appearance on stage in this world premiere performance written by the Omaha Theater Company’s playwright-in-residence, Brian Guehring.  How cool is the alphabet?  Super cool when you are learning it from Miss Bindergarten, the famous teaching dog!  She’s a master of fun and games—and everyone in her class of animal students has a name that starts with a different letter!

This zany show combines laughter with learning and features all your favorite tales from the “Miss Bindergarten” book series. Based on books by Joseph Slate and adapted for the stage by Brian Guehring. Best for grades Pre-K through 1^st.

         Kennedy Center Theater For Young People on Tour presents “Blues Journey” on Wednesday, February 18^th, 2009.

         Come listen to the Bluesman! His old fingers are beginning to fail him, but he’s still got a song in his heart and lots of stories to tell, such as the one about the first blues man, The Great One, who met a certain Man in White at a crossroads, or about a young fella who loved the blues so much he married it and had a baby named rock and roll. Some of these stories are true to life, others are likely tall tales, but every last one is rooted in the music that Willie, the Bluesman, has been playing his whole life long.

         Adapted from the book “Blues Journey” by Walter Dean Myers with pictures by Christopher Myers. Adapted for the Stage by Jerome Hairston and directed by Scot Reese, this production brings to life the rich lyrics from Myers’ book using drama, narration, and live music.

         Recommended for grades 4^th through 7^th.

Stanley Lambchop is your normal, everyday kid until one day he wakes up flat! Find out what happens next when “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley” comes to the Lutcher on Wednesday, February 25^th, 2009.

            One night, the bulletin board on the wall above Stanley’s bed comes loose and falls right on top of Stanley! And the next morning, Stanley wakes up flat. He can slide under locked doors, roll up like a mat, and even fly like a kite. But there has to be more, so Stanley puts himself in a big envelope and travels the world as a human letter!

Based on the popular children’s book series by author Jeff Brown, with illustrations by Scott Nash, Intramusic Theatrics’s “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley” brings this beloved character to life through song, dance and the spectacle of live theater. Best for grades Pre-K through 5^th.

            Dallas Children’s Theater brings John Steptoe’s Caldecott Award-winning book, “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters,” to life on Monday, March 30^th, 2009.

            “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters” has been widely praised for its beauty and story. When a great African king desires a wife, only the most worthy and beautiful maidens in the land are invited to meet him. Mufaro’s pride and joy, his two daughters of very different dispositions, travel across a river and half a day’s journey to go before the king. With traditional chanting and African song, come celebrate goodness, generosity and love. Recommended for grades 1^st through 7^th.

         All shows are at 9:30am and 11:30am. Tickets are $3.50 for all shows. Call now to check availability and to book seats for the 2008-2009 “Roadrunner” Series. The Kid’s Series is sponsored in part by Printpak, Inc.

Registration continues for the Arts with Education Summer Teachers’ Institute scheduled for August 11^th and 12^th, 2008. Lutcher Theater, Stark Museum of Art, and the Little Cypress Mauriceville ISD in partnership with the Kennedy Centers’ Partners in Education program present these workshops. GT credit and Continuing Education credit will be earned with these workshops, and participants in both days of the workshop will receive two tickets to a Lutcher 2008/2009 performance. Lutcher Theater Inc, Stark Museum of Art, Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD, and The Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation provide the funding for these workshops.

For more information on the Roadrunner Series or the Teachers’ Workshops call 409-745-5535 (Texas) or 1-800-828-5535 (Louisiana), visit the theater’s website at www.lutcher.org, or stop by the Lutcher Theater box office.

Incredible Events! A World- Class Experience!

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