Harold and the Purple Crayon November 18, 2010

Produced by the Enchantment Theatre Company
Directed by Leslie Reidel
Music by Charles Gilbert
Based on the book series by Crockett Johnson

One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight." So begins Harold and the Purple Crayon, the first of seven delightful picture books by Crockett Johnson, following the zany adventures of an inventive young boy. As it turned out, there wasn't any moon that night nor was there a path to walk on, so Harold simply drew them. And thus his journey began. Resourceful and brave, Harold creates the world he wants to explore, using nothing more than a big purple crayon and his sky's the-limit imagination. Enchantment Theatre's production will take your school and family audiences on a wild ride as Harold jets to Mars (shooting stars, space ships!), joins a circus (he walks a tightrope!) and meets a king in an enchanted garden (of course, there's a dragon). The "Harold" books have captivated families for more than fifty years, celebrating the imagination of children and the unique way they see the world. That's why Enchantment, one of America's most innovative producers of original theater works for children and families, has adapted these wonderful stories for the stage as its 2009-2011 national touring production. Using all the elements of its signature style, which combines life-size puppets, masks, magic and music, Enchantment's production will delight and amaze your audiences, from children starting at Harold's age, all the way up to grandparents - anyone, in fact, whose heart is young and adventurous.

Curriculum Connections: Literature, Visual Arts-Drawing, Performing Arts-Theater, Music, Dance, Language Arts-Reading, Creative Writing as storytelling with a focus on the concepts of imagination, creativity and problem-solving.

Official Website: http://www.state.nj.us/state/divisions/memorial/