The wintry adventure musical — technically billed as a "seasonal" show rather than a "holiday" show — is part of KTC's Family Fare series.
With book and lyrics by Rachel Lampert and music by Lesley Greene, Winter Tales focuses on Rebecca, a bright 9-year-old who uses good judgment — most of the time. "One cold winter day, school is cancelled with little notice, and Rebecca's mother leaves her daughter home alone for the very first time," according to KTC notes. "Rebecca promises to play with her cat Muriel, read a book, maybe do some drawing. Her mother warns that she only needs to remember one very important thing: 'Do not be foolish.'"
Naturally, "she ends up leaving the house and finds herself in a mysterious frozen land on the way to unexpected adventures," sweetened with music and movement.
Winter Tales is narrated by Judith Holliday, and features real-life "almost 10-year-old" Chunmei McKernan as Rebecca, Sarah Foster as Muriel the Cat and Brett Bossard as the Ice Man. They are supported by a company of actors, singers, dancers, and live musicians that includes Rorie Dean, Lesley Greene, Stephen Nunley, Erin Rieger and Audrey Steele.
Playwright-lyricist-director Rachel Lampert is KTC's artistic director and has authored many original Family Fare productions (The Odyssey Part I, A December Suite, The Sisters Fitzenstarts Fall Recital, The Emmett & Hambone Stories and Fools! Schmools!) and adaptations (A Christmas Carol, Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore and The Mikado). "Winter Tales is directed in 'story-theatre style' with lots of movement. It is inspired by the 'cautionary tales' of the classic children's story genre, with a modern twist," according to Lampert.
Composer Lesley Greene has composed music for the Kitchen Theatre productions of Circus Wunderbar, The Refrigerator Caper, Fools! Schmools! and Science Fair. She also serves as the producer of the Kitchen's Family Fair series.
The scenic design by Norm Johnson is built upon the set for the Kitchen's Mainstage production of The SantaLand Diaries. Lighting design is by Rose AC Howard, costume design is by Hannah Kochman, piano accompaniment is by Bill Cowdery, and sound design is by Tim Reppert.
For information, call (607) 273-4497 or visit www.kitchentheatre.org.
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Kitchen Theatre Company (KTC), now in its 15th anniversary season, is downtown Ithaca's critically acclaimed and nationally recognized year-round professional theatre. KTC provides a mix of regional and world premiere plays and musicals to Central New York in an intimate 73-seat theatre "that encourages a bold relationship between audience and actor." The theatre is located in the historic Clinton House, a renovated hotel in downtown Ithaca.
