THEATRE + COMEDY

Main Street Theater Youth Theater presents The Reluctant Dragon, based upon the story by Kenneth Grahame.

St. George and the Dragon are back, but the rules are a little different this time! From renowned author Kenneth Grahame (The Wind in the Willows) comes this charming tale of a lonely dragon and the little boy who befriends him. This delightful musical was adapted by Steven C. Anderson with music by Dana P. Rowe and lyrics by John Dempsey.

Once upon a time there lived a boy who befriended a lonely dragon who hated such dragonly things as fighting knights and breathing fire. Nonetheless, the simple-minded villagers in the local town beg a fierce knight – St. George himself -- to slay the dragon, even though he was doing them no harm. Just when it seems hopeless, the resourceful boy finds a solution that changes the hearts and minds of the entire village in this touching adventure.

About Author Kenneth Grahame
Kenneth Grahame was born in 1859 in Scotland but later moved to England for school.   He is best known for The Wind in the Willows. His life was not a happy one, but his little boy, Alistair, was the inspiration for the character of Mr. Toad. The Wind in the Willows was hugely successful (and still is!), but he never endeavored to write a sequel. Prior to Wind… he wrote several collections of short stories which were published, including Dream Days, which included The Reluctant Dragon. Disney turned Dragon… into a film in 1941. Grahame passed away in 1932.

About the Production
Meghan C. Hakes makes her directing debut at MST’s Youth Theater. Ms. Hakes has previously been seen onstage at the Youth Theater, most recently in If You Give a Pig a Party. She also designed the set for Pig… and the lights for Bud, Not Buddy. The cast includes Jared Carlin, Darrell T. Joe, Jessica Knapp, Caroline Menefee, Tifani L. Pust, and Matt Tramel, with Steven J. Scott as the Dragon, Julian Brashears at the Boy, and Roc Living as St. George. 

Miriam Daly is the Music Director. The design team includes Kevin Holden (set design), Eric Marsh (lighting design), Sonia Elizabeth Lerner (costume design), Shawn W. St. John (sound design), and Richard Solis (properties design). Meghan C. Hakes is the choreographer. Caroline Scott is the Production Stage Manager.

Performances are on Saturdays: March 21, 28 and April 4 at 1:00pm, and 4:00pm, and there are 2 Spring Break performances: Tuesday, March 17 at 11:30am and Friday, March 20 at 11:30am. March 20 is also Target Family Day. 2 for 1 tickets are available for this performance. Beginning at 10:30 there will be snacks and activities for families sponsored by Target. Recommended for Pre-Kindergarten and up and their families.

ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES

Spring Break Performance:
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 11:30am

Target Family Day:
Friday, March 20, 2009 at 11:30am (activities begin at 10:30am)

Produced by special arrangement with DRAMATIC PUBLISHING, Woodstock, Illinois.

Recommended for Pre-Kindergarten and up.

Children under the age of 3 not allowed in the theater.

Pictured is St. George (Roc Living, center) with the adoring townspeople.   (Gallery, below:  L-R Jessica Knapp, Jared Carlin, Caroline Menefee, Tifani L. Pust, and Matt Tramel (behind)). (photo by www.RicOrnelProductions.com).