Columbia Children’s Theatre (CCT) has announced the 2022/23 season lieneup. CCT has both a Mainstage season featuring professional actors and a YouTheatre Season featuring young performers grades 1-12.
The Mainstage season kicks off with Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the School Bus. An adaptation of Mo Willems’ #1 New York Times best-seller, families will see some of their favorite characters from story-time live on stage. Additional shows in the Mainstage Season include A Christmas Carol, Akeelah and the Bee, and Pinkalicious.
“We put a lot of thought and effort into making our Mainstage productions a great experience for the whole family,” said Artistic Director Jerry Stevenson. “We’re always asking: Where can we slip something funny in? Where can we pick up the pacing? How can we make sure that both the youngest and oldest members of the family are fully engaged from curtain rise to curtain fall?”
While there’s a big emphasis on family-fun, not all Mainstage shows are comedies. This season CCT will welcome Akeelah and the Bee back to the Mainstage, after COVID cut its run short in February of 2021. The story centers around Akeelah, a Chicago student who sets her sights on the national spelling bee after conquering a regional event. The family-centric drama shows there’s more than one way to win.
“This story is such a beautiful depiction of the village concept,” the show’s director Christyne McClellan said. “Educators are such a huge part of the village. We connect with our students, often loving them unconditionally as our own. This story touches my heart, both as a mother and an educator.”
The YouTheatre season will kick off with Fame: The Musical. Young artists navigate the worlds of music, drama, and dance. Additional YouTheatre shows this season include James & The Giant Peach Jr., How to Eat Like a Child and Other Lessons in Not Being a Grown-up, Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, and She Kills Monsters.
“YouTheatre is designed to be both accessible to beginners and challenging to experienced performers,” Education Director Paul Lindley said. “So, whether you’re looking to polish your technique or just have fun, you’re going to find a community and experience that’s right for you.”
Tickets to Mainstage and YouTheatre shows are $15 for general admission and $12 for seniors and active military. Sponsorship opportunities for the season are available. For ticketing, showtimes, and YouTheatre audition information, visit CCT online at www.columbiachildrenstheatre.com.