Peninsula Youth Theatre kicks off season Peninsula Youth Theatre kicks off season (July 01, 2005)

Short plays feature actors from local summer camps

By Katie Vaughn

Young theatergoers are in for a treat this season as Peninsula Youth Theatre kicks off its annual presentation of Children's Theatre in the Park.

The actors of the plays are members of PYT summer camps. A group of 30 actors, who range in age from 6 to 13, performs a different 30- to 45-minute play each Friday through Aug. 13. This summer's repertoire includes classic stories like "Charlotte's Web," "Pinocchio" and "Sleeping Beauty," plus lesser-known works such as "The Tortoise and the Hare Race Again" and "Stone Soup."

PYT chose the plays based on their ability to accommodate the 30 students in each camp group. Many older works feature large casts or are part of the public domain, meaning they can be changed to incorporate more characters. Some of the plays are new to Children's Theatre in the Park, while several have been used in past years.

"We have 30 kids in each camp, and not a ton of scripts exist with that many roles," said executive director Karen Simpson. "We want to make sure every child has two lines at least, all within a 45-minute script."

Three local parks -- two in Mountain View and one in Palo Alto -- serve as the venues. This summer marks the seventh year Pioneer Park has hosted performances, and the third for Rengstorff Park and the Cubberley Auditorium.

Though scenic and family-friendly, park stages pose unique challenges to actors. In addition to having to talk over chatting and dining audiences, performers at Rengstorff Park have to deal with nearby trains.

"The challenge for those actors is they have to stop speaking until the train passes," Simpson said.

But the uncontrolled atmosphere of such theater venues is typically considered part of the fun. Audience members can bring picnics and kids of all ages can attend -- without the expectation of having to sit still for hours. The performances have become a popular summer activity for families.

"By now there's a real tradition for families to come out," Simpson said. "It's very much a community event."

INFORMATION

What: Children's Theatre in the Park presented by Peninsula Youth Theatre Where: Pioneer Park at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.; Rengstorff Park, 201 S. Rengstorff Ave.; and Cubberley Amphitheatre, 400 Middlefield Rd. in Palo Alto When: Fridays at 6:30 p.m. through Aug. 19 Call: (650) 903-6000 or visit www.pytnet.org

SCHEDULE: July 1: "Thumbelina," Pioneer Park July 1: "The Wind in the Willows," Cubberley Amphitheatre July 1: "Wooding Wed Widing Hood," Rengstorff Park July 8: "Charlotte's Web," Pioneer Park July 15: "Pinocchio," Pioneer Park July 15: "Stuart Little," Cubberley Amphitheatre July 15: "On the Tip of My Tongue," Rengstorff Park July 22: "Jack and the Giant," Pioneer Park July 29: "The Tortoise and the Hare Race Again," Pioneer Park July 29: "A Connecticut Yankee in King Aurthur's Court," Cubberley Amphitheatre Aug. 5: "Stone Soup," Pioneer Park Aug. 5: "Sleeping Beauty," Rengstorff Park Aug. 12: "Frog Prince," Pioneer Park Aug. 12: "The Trial of Goldilocks," Cubberley Amphitheatre Aug. 19: "Dr. Doolittle," Pioneer Park Aug. 19: "Rumpelstiltskin," Rengstorff Park

E-mail Katie Vaughn at kvaughn@mv-voice.com

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