THEATRE + COMEDY

Main Street Theater Theater for Youth presents Afternoon of the Elves, based on the book by Janet Taylor Lisle, and adapted for the stage by Y York. Directed by Daria James.  From the Newbery honor book Afternoon of the Elves comes the haunting and moving story of a young girl who is forced to take on very grown-up responsibilities – and the world she creates to give herself an escape from reality.

FAMILY PERFORMANCES: Saturdays, November 7 & 14, 2009 at 1pm and 4pm SCHOOL MATINEES: October 26 –November 13, 2009, Monday – Friday at 9:30am and 11:45am.

About Afternoon of the Elves:
Sara-Kate Connolly, the loner with the tough girl attitude introduces her popular classmate, Hillary, to her secret world: a tiny elf village created in Sara-Kate’s backyard. The girls’ friendship is challenged by other popular kids and even Hillary’s parents, but only grows stronger when Sara-Kate reveals the truth about her ailing mother. A beautiful story about the wonder of imagination and the strength of friendship, Afternoon of the Elves is a must-see for the upper elementary and middle school student!

About Author Janet Taylor Lisle:
Ms. Lisle has won numerous awards including Best Books for Young Adults, American Library Association (ALA), Best Books, School Library Journal, Editors' Choice, Booklist, all 1985, Parent's Choice Award, Parent's Choice Foundation, 1986, and Best of the '80s, Booklist, all for Sirens and Spies; Golden Kite Honor Book for Fiction, Society of Children's Book Writers, Best Children's Books, Parent's Magazine, and Editors' Choice, Booklist, all 1987, all for The Great Dimpole Oak; Best Books, School Library Journal, Editors' Choice, Booklist, and Parent's Choice, all 1989, and Newbery Honor Book, ALA, 1990, all for Afternoon of the Elves; Best Books, School Library Journal, New York Times Book Review, Boston Globe, and Parent's Magazine, all 1991, all for The Lampfish of Twill; Best Books, School Library Journal, "Pick of the Lists," American Booksellers Association (ABA), and Best Books, Bank Street Child Study Children's Books Committee, for Forest; Notable Books selection, Bank Street Child Study Children's Books Committee, 1994, for The Gold Dust Letters, and 1995, for Looking for Juliette; Best Books, School Library Journal, 1995, for A Message from the Match Girl; Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, Riverbank Review "book of distinction" citation, ALA Notable Children's Book, and "Fanfare" citation, Horn Book, all 2001, all for The Art of Keeping Cool; ALA Notable Children's Book citation and "best book" citation, School Library Journal, both 2001, both for The Lost Flower Children.

Ms. Lisle resides in Rhode Island.

About Playwright Y York:
Main Street Theater previously produced the world premiere of Y York’s play …and L.A. Is Burning as well as Rain. Some Fish. No Elephants.

Y’s other third millennium plays include: Eggs (People’s Light and Theatre Company 2008-2009); Getting Near to Baby (2007-8 People’s Light and Theatre Company; Barrymore Nomination for Outstanding New Play); River Rat and Cat (2006 ChildsPlay, Arizona premiere; Dramatic Publishing); Nothing Is the Same (TCG-Pew Charitable Trust, 2004 Kennedy Center New Visions/New Voices Festival, 2004 premiere, Dramatic Publishing); Fork in the Road (Dramatic Publishing); The Forgiving Harvest (2004 AT&T:Onstage Award, 2004 People’s Light and Theatre Company premiere, 2006 AATE Distinguished Play Award, Dramatic Publishing); Mask of the Unicorn Warrior (Rockefeller Foundation grant, 2001 Seattle Children’s Theatre premiere, Dramatic Publishing); Othello (4-character hip hop adaptation, 2002 premiere, Dramatic Publishing); Krisit (2001 Primary Stages, NYC premiere, Broadway Play
Publishing); The New Dark Clarity, Bleachers in the Sun, (SmashBox Productions, 2008, Broadway Play Publishing); and Framed. (SmashBox Productions, 2007, Broadway Play Publishing) Earlier work is happily still produced in theatres across the country and is available from Broadway Play Publishing, Dramatic Publishing, St. Martin’s Press, Smith and Kraus, or from Carl Mulert at The Gersh Agency. In June, 2006, Y received the Hawaii State Award for Literature.

She is a proud alumna of New Dramatists, member of the Dramatists Guild and still lives with Mark Lutwak to whom all things are still dedicated.

About the Production:
Daria James returns to MST as director after last season’s Bud, Not Buddy. The cast includes Jared Carlin, Alison Coriell, Katie Harrison, Zona Jane Meyer, Kathryn Noser, and Sarah Beth Roberts.

The design team includes Liz Freese (set design), Andrew Ruthven (lighting design), Macy Perrone (costume design), Shawn W. St. John (sound design), and Richard Solis (properties design). Caroline Scott is the Production Stage Manager.

Recommended for Third Grade and up. Children under the age of 3 (including sleeping babies) not allowed in the theater.

Pictured above: Sara-Kate Connolly (Katie Harrison). Photos by www.RicOrnelProductions.com.