A Teddy Bear's Tattoo

By C.J. Hirschfield

Oakland resident Phil Wong, 27, is an actor, educator, musician, and comic. He’s also a featured performer in Fairyland’s latest Theatre for the Very Young (TVY) production, “Teddy Bears’ Picnic.” Until the show opened, Phil hadn’t been at Fairyland since he was very young himself. So we were surprised to notice that he sports a tattoo of our Magic Key on his arm.

Clearly, he had come home.

Phil Wong's Magic Key tattoo.

This Musical Is Underwater!

By C.J. Hirschfield

Twenty-five years ago, a sparkly but selfish fish made its debut in the world of children’s books, and soon captured the hearts of countless kids all around the world.

Rainbow Fish is inordinately proud of his multicolored scales, to the point of putting off all of the fish who would otherwise be his friends. A starfish and a mysterious octopus help him understand that only by sharing the beauty of his scales will he be rewarded with good friends.

Now that story, originally written in German by Marcus Pfister and later translated into English by J. Alison James – has been transformed into a shimmering, song-filled live entertainment. And the only place you can see it right now is at Children’s Fairyland, in our Aesop’s Playhouse.

Neal Pascua as Rainbow Fish.

Making a Splash at Fairyland

By C.J. Hirschfield

I’ve written before about the concept of Theatre for the Very Young, but I’d never actually experienced it myself before last week.

On paper it looked very exciting—enough so that Children’s Fairyland didn’t hesitate to partner with Nina Meehan and her Bay Area Children’s Theatre to offer this Bay Area first.

TVY is generally defined as professional theater led by adults performing for an audience of months-old babies to toddlers who are accompanied by parents or adult companions. Shows typically last about 40 minutes and are held in quiet, enclosed spaces without seats.

England, Sweden, Australia and Scotland embrace the concept. Here in the U.S., Minneapolis, New York, Chicago, and Seattle have taken the lead.

Fairyland seemed to be the perfect site for this special theatrical performance. We understand completely that unlocking imaginations at a very young age and exploring early language enhances opportunities to learn. And if a child is pre-verbal? No problem. Kids still want to be amazed and engaged and to explore their world. And since we’ve been in the memory-making business for 66 years now, we also knew that this intimate experience would encourage adults to connect with kids. 

Which is how I found myself sitting on a pillow with 35 other people in a newly installed yurt-like performance space at Fairyland on a beautiful Saturday morning – at a sold-out show, I might add!

Actors Jamella Cross and Andrew Mondello. Photo by Nina Meehan.

The show is called “Splish Splash,” and here’s the description: “From the familiar world of bath time and rubber duckies to sailing on the ocean and spotting fantastic fish, this interactive theater experience invites munchkins to explore the wonders of water and discover what this precious resource means to us.”

The journey of a drop of water from bath time to pipes, from the ocean to the clouds, and back to earth as rain was led by three talented professional actors: Andrew Mondello and Jamilla Cross (both of whom starred in our hit production of “Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site”) and Kate Brennan.

Fairyland’s theater director, Doyle Ott, could not be more pleased with the production’s premiere. “When I watched the kids’ reactions to the performance,” he told me, “it reminded me of how alive the world is to a small child.”

I myself saw kids’ eyes widen as they saw huge, brightly colored fish “swim” by them. Many were inspired to pet, kiss or hug them. I observed toddlers lying on their backs to hear a story about cloud shapes. There were singalongs, a little tap dancing and opportunities  to play musical pipes, launch a rubber ducky into water and pretend to swim in the ocean. With TVY, getting into the act is encouraged; parents don’t have to worry about their child’s random explorations.

I admit that I was sneaking peeks at the families while the show was going on. Many kids started out in laps and later were moved to throw themselves into the activity of the moment. Parents were guiding, hugging and smiling.  Doyle’s hope is that the production might inspire parents to explore new ways to play with their kids.

We love the fact that for many of these kids, “Splish Splash” represents their first exposure to live performing arts. When they grow up, they’ll no doubt learn to sit quietly and applaud at the right places. But until then, TVY celebrates the fact that they can react in any way that works for them, and it’s better than OK.

Doyle, who is also an actor and a college professor, has participated in hundreds of theatrical productions. But this is no doubt the first show in which he has to clean certain items with antibacterial wipes after each performance. That’s just how we roll with Theatre for the Very Young.

Splish Splash runs at Children’s Fairyland Fridays through Sundays through Nov. 20. For more information and tickets, go to the Bay Area Children's Theatre website.

_

C.J. Hirschfield has served for 14 years as executive director of Children’s Fairyland, where she is charged with the overall operation the nation’s first storybook theme park.

It's a Hard Hat Life

Not long ago, Bay Area Children’s Theatre’s intrepid executive director, Nina Meehan, made an announcement after an Oakland performance: The company’s next show — to be performed at Children’s Fairyland — would be based on the New York Times bestselling children’s picture book “Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site,” by Sherri Duskey Rinker.  The New York Times Book Review said the story “has the ‘why hasn’t anyone thought of it before’ premise of marrying truck book and bedtime story.”

In the audience that day was company patron Becky Bullard, whose father-in-law was accompanying her and his grandchildren to the show. After the show, Becky approached the box office with a bit of news that was to have delightful consequences for the “Construction Site” production, which opened to huge crowds last weekend.

“We love the Fairyland shows,” Becky said, referring to the summer pre-kindergarten performances that take place at our park. “And my father-in-law runs the company that invented the hard hat. Do you need any?”

The hardhats featured in “Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site” were donated by Bullard Company in Kentucky.  Photo: Melissa Nigro

Theatre for the Very Young

“Children have the right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities.”

That’s not a quote from me: it’s part of Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child.

This important right was pointed out to me by two very talented people who between them have nearly 50 years of theater background, primarily working with and for children.

Which is why their latest partnership to create a Bay Area “first” is bound to attract attention.

Nina Meehan runs the successful Bay Area Children’s Theatre; Doyle Ott is Fairyland’s Children’s Theatre Director. Over the last six years they’ve partnered on productions geared toward the pre-K set, with professional actors performing such contemporary classics as “The Cat in the Hat” and “The Day the Crayons Quit.”

Now they’re reaching out to an even younger audience.

Nina and Doyle were initially inspired by what they learned through the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (ASSITEJ). It’s an affiliation of organizations, some of whose members produce Theatre for the Very Young (TVY), also called Theatre for the Early Years or Baby Theatre, which originated in the 1970s in London (which explains the British spelling of “theater”).

TVY is generally defined as professional theater led by adults performing for an audience of months-old babies to toddlers, accompanied by parents or adult companions. Shows typically last about 40 minutes and are held in quiet, enclosed spaces without seats.

TVY shows have been enjoyed by youngsters all around the world: England, Sweden, Australia, Scotland and elsewhere. Here in the U.S., Minneapolis, New York, Chicago and Seattle have taken the lead.

Why Theatre for the Very Young, and why a premiere now in the Bay Area?

“This is an opportunity to open imaginations at a very young age, exploring early language, which we know enhances opportunities to learn,” says Nina. “It’s also a memorable experience that connects adults with children.” 

Adds Doyle: “Kids can have a kinetic response even if they’re pre-verbal – they want to explore their world.”

The two point out that there are lots of multisensory types of learning, and they believe that the theme of the collaborative piece they’ve come up with is perfect. “Bloom Kaboom!” asks the question: How does your imaginary garden grow? It’s billed as “a story experience for munchkins from 6 months to 4 years old,” and opens Feb. 20 at BACT’s new space in Montclair.

Adults and children are invited to explore a delightful, make-believe garden where giant flowers unfurl, squirrels scamper for acorns, butterflies flutter from flower to flower and it’s OK to hop around in puddles.

Nina and Doyle could not be more excited about the show’s two featured players, both of whom are accomplished performers as well as teachers.  

Slater Penny has a degree in theater arts, has won an Emmy and specializes in ensemble physical theatre. He’s also worked extensively with children for the past 17 years.

Laura Ricci has a master’s in education from Harvard and teaches circus arts.

Doyle and Nina say Bay Area parents will embrace this new form of theater. “Our parents are committed to finding cultural experiences for their children,” says Nina. “Once people know this exists, we think they’ll be thrilled.”

The duo mused about what they want kids and parents to walk away with after the show. Kids: the feeling you have when you’ve gone through a stack of picture books, creating all sorts of new things to talk about, and you say ‘Again!’ Parents and caregivers: a new appreciation for the many things that can captivate a child, and new questions to ask when they’re out and about in the world.

At TVY, there is no wrong way to respond to the performances. Kids aren’t asked to sit still and be quiet.

And neither are parents. In fact, Nina and Doyle say they hope that once parents experience this first-ever Bay Area Theatre for the Very Young experience, they’ll loudly spread the word that this is a great way to respect the rights of our children.

For information on “Bloom Kaboom!” go to bactheatre.org

-C.J. Hirschfield

C.J. Hirschfield has served for 13 years as Executive Director of Children’s Fairyland, where she is charged with the overall operation the nation’s first storybook theme park. Prior to that, she served as an executive in the cable television industry.  C.J. is former president and current board member of the California Attractions and Parks Association, and also serves on the boards of Visit Oakland and the Lake Merritt/Uptown Business Improvement District. C.J. writes a weekly column for the Piedmont Post and OaklandLocal, where she loves to showcase the beauty of her city and its people. She holds a degree in Film and Broadcasting from Stanford University.