With a score by Schwartz and a book by David Stern, Geppetto and Son will play the Kansas City venue June 27-Aug. 6. According to the theatre's official website, the musical is described thusly: "Once the Blue Fairy grants Geppetto his wish, the new father finds his parenting skills are a bit rough. Feeling he is unwanted, Pinocchio runs away to become a star in a traveling show. Geppetto must negotiate through a maze of adventures and comic encounters to find him." "Geppetto" premiered May 7, 2000, on ABC's "The Wonderful World of Disney." The made-for-TV picture starred Drew Carey as the 19th-century Italian toymaker who fashions a boy out of wood (played by Seth Adkins) with Julia Louis-Dreyfus as The Blue Fairy, Brent Spiner as the evil Stromboli and Rene Auberjonois as Prof. Buonragazzo.

Stephen Schwartz, a Dramatists Guild council member, composed the scores for Wicked, Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, Rags, The Baker's Wife and Children of Eden. He has also written for several film musicals, including "Pocahontas," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "The Prince of Egypt" and the TV musical "Geppetto." His solo CDs of new songs are titled "Reluctant Pilgrim" and "Uncharted Territory." Schwartz is the recipient of three Academy Awards, three Grammy Awards and three Drama Desk Awards. Wicked currently plays Broadway's Gershwin Theatre.

Visit www.coterietheatre.org for more information.