TOWNGATE THEATRE PRESENTS CHILDREN’S CLASSIC
“RUMPELSTILTSKIN”

WHEELING, W.Va. (May 10, 2009)— “Rumpelstiltskin,” the familiar children’s tale about greed, magic and the power of belief, closes Oglebay Institute’s 2008-09 children’s theater season.

Packed with comedy, action and adventure, this imaginative children’s show takes the Towngate Theatre stage Thursday, May 28 - Sunday, May 31. There’s plenty of audience participation, too. Children in the audience are assigned “roles.” Some will portray sheep, cows, woodchoppers or townspeople, who respond to cues during the play.

A special admission price for children and special performance times are being offered. Children can also meet the cast and get photos after the show.

Based on the famous tale of “Rumpelstiltskin” by the Brothers Grimm, this is a story of a simple miller and his hapless daughter Annette, who is forced by a treasure-obsessed King to do the impossible- spin straw into gold. The little rapscallion Rumpelstiltskin shows up on the scene to help Annette, but at what price?

Each year Oglebay Institute’s youth theatre department stages a traveling children’s production. “Rumpelstiltskin” is the 2009 selection and has been performed in dozens of schools throughout the Ohio Valley. The public performances May 28 - 31 are part of Towngate’s children theater series, which has included two prior shows - “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “The Nutcracker.”

This is the first year that Oglebay Institute has presented a children’s theatre season in tandem with the Towngate community theatre season.

“Children’s theatre is a great way to develop future theatre audiences,” youth theater director Tim Thompson said. “When kids are exposed to theatre at an early age, they often develop a lifelong appreciation of theatre and the arts, and they usually do better academically, socially and civically. Live theatre ignites a child’s imagination and instills a passion for dreaming in ways that television and movies can’t.”

Oglebay Institute’s youth theater department is committed to staging classic stories because they are proven to be something that every young person should experience, Thompson explained, and “Rumpelstiltskin” certainly fits the bill.

“Our shows are always entertaining and compelling for young children, but also must impart a moral or lesson that parents can appreciate,” he said. “Some of the lessons in ‘Rumpelstiltskin’ include the dangers of being greedy, the consequences of lying and the importance of making good choices.”

In addition to presenting life lessons, Thompson said, Towngate children’s shows “are always fast paced and full of action, and audience participation is a must.”

Cast members are: Nancy Longo as Glady; Tim Thompson as the miller; Gretchen Schneider as Annette; Brittany Harriman as Rumpelstiltskin and Rick Call as the king. Thompson is the director and P.D. Gregg is the technical director.

“Rumpelstiltskin” will be staged at Towngate at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 28 and Friday, May 29; 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, May 30 and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 31. This is the perfect family outing, and children ages 10 and under will be admitted for a special price of $10. Adult admission is $12.50. Members of Oglebay Institute receive a discount.

Advanced reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the Stifel Fine Arts Center at 304.242.7700. For those buying seats at the door, Towngate’s box office opens one hour before all shows and can be reached at 304.233.4257. Whiteside Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet, GMC Trucks proudly sponsors the 2008-09 Towngate theater season.

Refreshments are available at Towngate Theatre and parking is curbside or in the nearby Center Wheeling Parking Garage. Located at 2118 Market St., Wheeling, Towngate is easy to find and located just across the street from St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in the historic Centre Market district of Wheeling.

This program is made possible through the generous support of the members of the Institute as well as with financial assistance from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the WV Commission on the Arts.