• Offer diverse and unique productions
• Tour school and community organizations throughout the Tristate
• Run 40-60 minutes each (unless otherwise noted)
• Include a question and answer session and study guide
• Reach more than 30,000 young people each year
• Meet Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana academic, core and state content standards. These are show specific and can be found following the individual show descriptions listed below.

The Phantom Tollbooth
Jan. 28 - Feb. 22

Into the West
By Greg Banks
Adapted from the film by Jim Sheridan
Featuring the Playhouse's Lafley Touring Company*
Oct. 8 - Nov. 2
Grades 3 - 8

Ally and her brother Fin often fend for themselves in the small Dublin apartment they share with their father, a man left distant by grief over the loss of their mother years ago. One day, their grandfather appears on the doorstep with a mysterious white horse he names Tir Na n’Og, a reference to the mystical Irish land of eternal youth. When the authorities take the horse away, Ally and Fin rescue their new friend, embarking on a frantic escape west in search of freedom and possibility. What they encounter is a journey of discovery in which they learn that losing someone doesn’t mean that you have to forget them and that family and forgiveness are among life’s most precious possessions. Three actors and one musician take on more than 60 roles in this exciting stage adaptation of the heartfelt film.

Mythology, Irish Culture, Language Arts, Humanities, Social Studies, Current Affairs, Family and Community, Theatre and Drama, Storytelling

The Iliad (Book One) or The Odyssey
Featuring Odds Bodkin
Jan. 14 - 18
The Iliad: For high school students
The Odyssey: Grades 4 through high school
Please Note: Each performance is 55 minutes. Schools can order either show.

Master storyteller Odds Bodkin puts his unique spin on two of the world’s most enduring epics. Using his vivid imagination and accompanying himself on the guitar, he brings Homer’s tales to life in the oral tradition in which they were meant to be shared. Schools can choose either story and join the Greeks and Trojans in the last year of the siege on Troy or follow Odysseus on his long journey home from war. All of the iconic characters are portrayed, from Achilles to the Cyclops. Odds Bodkin’s character voice and music-filled style have mesmerized listeners for 24 years. The New York Times dubbed him "a consummate storyteller.” A sold-out hit in his previous Playhouse performances, he has received the Storytelling World Award, the Indie Award for Children’s Storytelling, the Parents’ Choice Gold Award and the Dove Family Foundation Award.

Mythology, Greek Literature, Greek History, World History, Humanities, Theatre, Oral Communication, Geography, Music

The Phantom Tollbooth
By Susan Nanus
Based on the book by Norton Juster
Featuring the Playhouse’s Lafley Touring Company*
Jan. 28 - Feb. 22
Grades K - 6

Milo doesn’t think there’s anything good to do or anything worth learning until, one day, he ventures through a phantom tollbooth and sets off on a magical adventure through the Land of Wisdom. There, the squabbling kings of Dictionopolis and Digitopolis have imprisoned the princesses of Rhyme and Reason, and Milo must traverse the kingdoms, using his understanding of words and numbers to rescue them and restore peace. Along the way, he encounters many colorful characters, befriending the watchdog Tock and the Humbug while matching wits against the Soundkeeper, Wordsnatcher and Senses Taker. Milo ultimately comes to realize that knowledge can be a powerful ally and that boredom is never a threat as long as you are willing to learn and use your imagination.

Language Arts, Literature, Theatre Production, Reading, Literacy

Thinking Big: Tales of Dreamers and Doers
Written by and featuring LuAnn Adams
Feb. 11 - 15
Grades Pre-K - 8

Martin Luther King had one. Aliquipiso had one and ingeniously rescued her tribe. Brer Rabbit had so many that they ricocheted off every critter he met! History, legend and folklore are full of Big Thinkers with inspiring dreams. Join LuAnn Adams and travel in story to Africa, Asia and the Americas to meet spunky young rainmakers and unabashed dreamers who pushed the envelope and broke the mold with their intrepid ideas, can-do attitude and never-give-up spirit. LuAnn Adams lives in New York City and is delighted to return to the Playhouse for the 16th year. She is an award-winning recording artist (Parents' Choice and NAPPA Gold awards) whose fourth CD of her series Folktales for the 21st Century will be released in December 2007.

Breaking Barriers (sold out)
Featuring Yass Hakoshima Movement Theatre
Feb. 25 - 29
Grades K - 12
Please Note: Mr. Hakoshima will tailor his performance for audience and age appropriateness.This show requires a performance area in which lights can be dimmed or controlled to facilitate projections.

With a mix of physical theatre, masks, music and projections, Yass Hakoshima combines the mystery of Japanese theatre, drama of classical mime and expansiveness of modern dance. Using traditional Japanese fables and folktales, Hakoshima explores the philosophy and culture of Japan in this engaging and imaginative performance that uses non-verbal communication to break barriers of misunderstanding and ignorance in our multicultural world. Over the past three decades, Hakoshima has appeared in more than 400 American cities and been featured at numerous international arts festivals from Hong Kong and New Zealand to Berlin. According to The New York Times, “To watch Yass Hakoshima perform is to be captured and captivated.”

Asian/Japanese Culture, Diversity and Multicultural Studies, Dance, Mime and Movement, Geography, Non-Verbal Communication

An Arabian Adventure
Featuring the Tanglewood Marionettes
Mar. 10 - 14
Grades K - 6

After the death of her father, the Princess Cassima is kept a virtual prisoner in her own palace by the evil Vizier Asaf Khan, who forbids her from marrying so that he can retain his position as supreme ruler. When the young Prince Akeem comes to woo the princess, Khan throws him into a dungeon and threatens to wed Cassima himself. Akeem must use his bravery and his wits to overcome the perils of the dungeon and journey back to a happily ever after with his princess. This classic adventure is brought to life by Tanglewood’s beautifully handcrafted marionettes. Based in New England and founded in 1993, Tanglewood has been awarded a Citation for Excellence in the Art of Puppetry.

Middle East Studies, World Studies, History, Multicultural Diversity, Geography, Cultural Studies, Art of Puppetry, Theatrical Arts, Storytelling

Samputu and Ingeli: Drum, Dance and Song of Rwanda
Featuring Jean Paul Samputu
May 5 - 9
Grades 7 - 12

Jean Paul Samputu is one of the world’s most prominent African artists, a cultural ambassador for Rwanda who shares that country’s singing, dancing and drumming, along with a message of peace and reconciliation. Having experienced the loss of most of his family in the Rwandan genocide, Samputu presents a model for those who want to make a difference. Samputu sings in six languages and in styles ranging from soukous, rhumba and vodou to Rwandan 5/8, Afrobeat, pygmy and gospel. With his dance troupe Ingeli, he has captivated people of all ages in performances for the National Civil Rights Museum and the World Culture Open at Lincoln Center.

World History, Geography, Current Affairs, Global Conflicts, Dance/Music Education, Cultural Diversity

* Made possible by a generous donation from A.G. Lafley.

To register for any of these shows please go to our online registration form or for more information contact Education Director Bert Goldstein at 513/345-2242.