Everything You Need to Know about ‘The Rainbow Fish’
The Beloved Books of ‘The Rainbow Fish’ Come to Vivid Life on Stage at CTC
Children’s Theatre Company is proud to announce the production of The Rainbow Fish, running March 10, 2020 through April 5, 2020, directed and designed by Jim Morrow with music by Steven Naylor. This original stage adaptation of Marcus Pfister’s colorful stories uses innovative puppetry, striking scenic effects, and delightful original music that will mesmerize the entire family. Together, you’ll travel with the beautiful Rainbow Fish through the great unknown deep sea, discover new worlds, meet a wise octopus and a helpful starfish, and learn what it means to share your most prized possession.
This show was created by Mermaid Theatre in Nova Scotia, Canada (last seen at CTC with its production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favourites). It is based on the books The Rainbow Fish, Rainbow Fish Discovers the Deep Sea, and Opposites by Marcus Pfister. The puppets are painted with fluorescent paint, so they glow under black light. Along with visual storytelling, the show features music and narration of the stories by Broadway’s Tony® Award winning actress Laura Benanti (recorded). You may remember Mermaid Theatre from our 2013–2014 Season, in which they presented The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites!
“The Rainbow Fish lives in three dimensions and is alive with movement, gesture, thought, and music,” stated Director/Designer Jim Morrow. “Audiences all over the world have responded positively to the bright colors, the playful action, the recognizable characters and imagery, and the beautiful music, but mostly they are happy simply to share their experience with friends and family, and to have an opportunity to laugh and shout and be entertained and, for some perhaps, to be inspired.”
CTC Artistic Director, Peter C. Brosius states, “These are stories that challenge us to be our best, our most generous selves, and to understand how we all grow when we are able to reach out to the other and share what is the best part of our selves. This play comes to life with dazzling puppetry and music. Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia has created another extraordinary production where the books you love spring to vibrant and magical life.”
The Rainbow Fish runs March 10 through April 5 on the UnitedHealth Group Stage and is recommended for all ages. Ticket prices range from $15 through $71 (subject to change) with ACT Pass tickets for $5. For more information, visit us online at childrenstheatre.org or call the ticket office at 612.874.0400. This production is proudly supported by Deluxe, Wells Fargo, and Treat & Company.
THEMES: Climate; ocean; friendship; self-empowerment; giving; generosity; individuality; community; respect; belonging; philanthropy; sharing.
The Rainbow Fish
Produced by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia
Written and Illustrated by Marcus Pfister
Directed and Designed by Jim Morrow
Composed by Steven Naylor
Best Enjoyed by Everyone
UnitedHealth Group Stage
Creative Team & Production Staff
Narrators | Laura Benanti and Linda Wonneberger
Associate Designers | Struan Robertson, Deborah MacLean
Scenic Painter | Sarah Haydon Roy
Stage Manager | Anthony Liam Kearns
Performers
Kya Mosey
Aliah Schwartz
Runtime: 1 hour, with no intermission.
Tickets:
The Ticket Office is accessible by phone two hours prior to most performances. These posted hours are subject to change.
Email: tickets@childrenstheatre.org (inquiries only, no ticket processing)
Phone: 612.874.0400
Website: https://childrenstheatre.org
Subscription packages are available. Please see website for complete details: https://childrenstheatre.org/tickets/subscribe
Lap passes available for children newborn to three years for $5
ASL/AD Performance: Friday, April 3 at 7pm
Group tickets up to 10% off regular tickets for groups of six to nine.
Group tickets up to 25% off regular tickets for groups of ten or more.
Performance Dates
Tuesday, March 10 at 7pm (Preview)
Wednesday, March 11 at 7pm (Preview)
Thursday, March 12 at 7pm (Preview)
Friday, March 13 at 7pm (Opening)
Saturday, March 14 at 11am, 2pm, & 5pm
Sunday, March 15 at 2pm & 5pm
Thursday, March 19 at 7pm
Friday, March 20 at 7pm
Saturday, March 21 at 11am, 2pm, & 5pm
Sunday, March 22 at 2pm & 5pm
Thursday, March 26 at 7pm
Friday, March 27 at 7pm
Saturday, March 28 at 11am & 2pm
Sunday, March 29 at 2pm & 5pm
Thursday, April 2 at 7pm
Friday, April 3 at 7pm (ASL/AD Performance)
Saturday, April 4 at 11am, 2pm & 5pm
Sunday, April 5 at 2pm & 5pm (Closing)
BIOS
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia ranks among North America’s most respected theatres for the young, and plays an important ambassadorial role for Nova Scotia and for Canada. The company regularly crosses the continent, and has represented Canada in the United States, Japan, Mexico, Australia, England, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Holland, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea and Taiwan, Bahrain, and the People’s Republic of China. Mermaid Theatre has earned Export Excellence awards from both the Governments of Canada and of Nova Scotia. Based in the town of Windsor, Mermaid has performed for more than 6 million spectators on four continents. The company was founded in 1972.
Author/Illustrator
Marcus Pfister was born in 1960 in Bern, Switzerland, where he attended art school and trained as a graphic designer before turning to the creation of innovative children’s literature. Published in 1992, The Rainbow Fish took the bestseller lists by storm. Now celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary, more than thirty million copies have been sold worldwide in different formats, appearing in over fifty different languages.
Director/Production Designer
Jim Morrow is Managing Artistic Director of Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. He was first introduced to puppetry in 1978 when he joined Mermaid Theatre as a young performer. His work with Mermaid has taken him across North America, the United Kingdom, and Asia. He has directed, designed, and carved the puppets for stage, film, television, parks, and industry and has created twenty-four shows for Mermaid, including: Guess How Much I Love You & I Love My Little Storybook; Goodnight Moon & The Runaway Bunny; and the award-winning productions of Swimmy, Frederick & Inch by Inch and The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favourites. Jim’s contributions to the community, both as artist and mentor, have earned him the Nova Scotia government’s highest award for artistic achievement, the Portia White Award; a Doctor of Humanities from his Alma Mater, Acadia University; the Order of Nova Scotia; and the Mickey Minor Award, presented annually by the US-based International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY) to distinguished artists who have made exemplary contributions to the lives of the children around the world. Jim was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, lives in Lower Avonport, Nova Scotia.
Composer
Steven Naylor has created the music for more than a dozen Mermaid shows, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favourites; Stella, Queen of the Snow; Swimmy, Frederick, and Inch by Inch; Goodnight Moon & The Runaway Bunny and many others. His many other professional activities include original film and television scores; contemporary music composition and performance; university teaching and curriculum development; and a long-term international involvement with electroacoustic concert music. Steven is Mermaid Theatre’s Artistic Advisor for Music and Sound Design.
Narrators
Laura Benanti and Linda Wonneberger: In addition to substantive professional accolades, Laura is the mother of a young child and a passionate advocate for the promotion of literacy and music education. She was born in New York City, daughter of Linda Wonneberger, a vocal coach and former actress (with whom she collaborates frequently). Laura is of Serbian, German, Irish, and Native American heritage. An accomplished actor and singer, she’s enjoyed countless roles on stage, in television and film, and as a musical recording artist. She’s the winner of a myriad of awards, including the Tony®, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle, and co-stars with Amy Schumer in Steve Martin’s current Broadway show, Meteor Shower. Linda and Laura have recently appeared together in a well-regarded mother-daughter cabaret, which they perform periodically.
Stage Manager
Anthony Liam Kearns is a queer, Vancouver-based Stage Manager and Production Manager working professionally in the arts scene. He is best known within the city for working on shows that push the boundaries of what theatre is and can be. Some of the impossible, larger-than-life shows he’s worked on include The Number 14 (Axis Theatre Company); Mary’s Wedding (Shoreline Theatre); The List (BoucheWacked! Theatre Company); Bollywood Wedding (South Asian Arts); Debts (ITSAZOO Productions); Killer Joe (ITSAZOO Productions); Where The Wild Things Are (Presentation House Theatre); tinkers (The Only Animal); Haunted (ITSAZOO Productions); The Ridiculous Darkness (Alley Theatre/Neworld Theatre); and SLIME (The Only Animal).
Performers
Kya Mosey is an actor living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She previously toured The Rainbow Fish in 2018. Other select theatre credits include How the Light Lies (On You) (New Pants Project); Macbeth (Steady Theatre); Joyride (Matchstick Theatre); and Shakespeare in Love (Neptune Theatre). Film/TV credits include Escaping the NXIVM Cult (Lifetime) and These Woods are Haunted (Ocean Magic TV). Kya has a degree in Acting from Dalhousie University.
Aliah Schwartz is a multidisciplinary artist and creator based in Toronto, with practices in contemporary dance, visual art, and puppetry. Originally from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, she trained and created work for the past five years in Montréal while attaining a BFA at Concordia University. Aliah has presented her performance works in Montréal at Tangente, The St-Ambroise Montréal Fringe Festival, Zone Homa Festival, and in Halifax at Kinetic Studio’s Open Studio Series.
Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) is the nation’s largest and most acclaimed theatre for young people and serves a multigenerational audience. It creates theatre experiences that educate, challenge, and inspire for more than 295,000 people annually. CTC is the only theatre focused on young audiences to win the coveted Tony Award® for Outstanding Regional Theatre and is the only theatre in Minnesota to receive three Tony® nominations (for its production of A Year with Frog and Toad). CTC is committed to creating world class productions at the highest level and to developing new works, more than 200 to date, dramatically changing the canon of work for young audiences.
CTC’s engagement and learning programs annually serve more than 93,000 young people and their communities through Theatre Arts Training, student matinees, Neighborhood Bridges, and early childhood arts education programs. ACT One is CTC’s comprehensive platform for access, diversity, and inclusion in our audiences, programs, staff, and board that strives to ensure the theatre is a home for all people, all families, reflective of our community. childrenstheatre.org
