Polkaroo and the Great Polka Dot Flu Mystery will open Toronto ON's Young Peoples Theatre 1997-98 season Aug. 9 and will appear at the Lincoln Center Out-of Doors Festival in New York Aug. 31.
Polkaroo, a friendly, seven-foot-tall, polka-dot giant lives in a magical forest in the Land of Roo with his good friends Marigold, Bear, Humpty and Dumpty. During a game of hide-and-seek they discover that everyone, not just Polkaroo, has come down with a strange case of polka dots. With a top investigator Polkaroo begins to search for clues to stop the mysterious Polka Dot Flu.
Polkaroo began his career in 1971 as the star of TVOntario's pre-school series "Polka Dot Door." He now stars in TVO's "Polka Dot Shorts." Children's entertainer Glenn Bennett has written and directed an upbeat musical based on the television series that includes songs like "Living in a Polka Dot World," "Do the Polkaroo" and "The Polka Dot Flu." Polkaroo runs through Sept. 21. (Mainstage)
Eric Nagler, Polkaroo & Friends and Glenn Bennett will close the Lincoln Center Out-Of-Doors festival, Aug. 31, in New York. Lincoln Center, along with the Canadian Consulate will present "Canada Speaks For Children," a salute to Canadian children's entertainment, as part of the summer festival. This performance is Polkaroo's American debut.
YPT's 1997-98 Season
As part of Canada's Year of Asia Pacific 1997 comes the Furano Natural Studio from Hokkaido, Japan with their environmental parable, Ninguls. Written by Soh Kuramoto, Ninguls tells the story of a farming community in conflict with forest spirits. It is performed in Japanese with English surtitles. Runs Oct. 16 - Oct. 25. (Mainstage) YPT's artistic director Maja Ardal directs the world premiere of Mordecai Richler's Jacob Two-Two's First Spy Case, Nov. 8 - Jan. 4. In his third adventure musical Jacob takes on Mr. I. M. Greedyguts, the new headmaster of his school, Privelege House. With the help of Child Power and his new neighbour, Master Spy Barnaby Dinglebat, Jacob sets out to expose the corruption of his school, which includes Perfectly Loathsome Leo Lousem who makes tasteless, horrible and disgusting meals in the school cafeteria. (Mainstage)
David Ferry directs the world premiere of Robert Priest's Minibugs And Microchips, Dec. 14 - 28. Based on Priest's poetry, this humourous musical follows four imaginative children as they sing and dream of robot teachers and spaceship spaghetti, while bouncing off the walls. (Studio Stage)
The Castle Rocks in the kingdom of Rottenberger where children's writer and performer Glenn Bennett weave isical tale of a royal family, a mystical tutor and a wise-cracking dragon for a butler. Runs Jan. 17 - Feb. 8. (Mainstage)
Sally Han directs the world premiere of Jumping Mouse by Columpa C. Bobb and Marion de Vries, Jan. 25 - March 22. A native tale of a curious mouse who sets out on a quest for knowledge, visiting Niagara Falls and the Sacred Mountains. (Studio Stage)
A series of vignettes in a magical park bring Old Friends to life. Accompanied by music created and performed by Cathy Nosaty, Ronnie Burkett uses marionettes to dispel stereotypes and showcase the diversity of senior citizens. Feb. 17 - March 22. (Mainstage)
Patricia Vanstone directs Anne, Paul Ledoux's adaptation of the Canadian classic L.M. Montgomery novel Anne of Green Gables, April 4 - May 17. On turn of the century Prince Edward Island, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert decide to adopt an orphan boy to help them out around their farm. Instead of a boy they are sent Anne, an imaginative, romantic and talkative red-headed girl. (Mainstage)
YPT ends its season by making music with Eric Nagler & CJ, April 18 - May 24. Nagler, star of television's "Eric's World," returns to YPT for more musical family fun. (Mainstage)
For YPT subscription or ticket information call (416) 862-2222.
--By Laura MacDonald
