"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" Children's Play @ SLAC (SLC: Dec 3 - 26)

Salt Lake Acting Company News Release

PRESS CONTACT: CYNTHIA FLEMING. 801 363 7522. CYNTHIA@SALTLAKEACTINGCOMPANY.ORG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SALT LAKE ACTING COMPANY PRESENTS ‘IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE’ BY LAURA JOFFE NUMEROFF, ADAPTED BY JODY DAVIDSON DIRECTED BY PENELOPE MARANTZ CAYWOOD

“…. And chances are if he asks for a glass of milk…”

Salt Lake Acting Company is thrilled to present IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE by Laura Joffe Numeroff, adapted by Jody Davidson. This is the second children’s play produced in SLAC’s 40 year history. After receiving praise for last year’s production of GO, DOG. GO! SLAC has once again stepped forward to fill a void in our state by offering professional children’s theatre.

This beloved children’s book comes to life on stage and takes its audience on an energetic adventure with Mouse and Boy. The consequences of offering a cookie to this mouse give the young boy a runaround. Ultimately, Mouse’s antics prove to be the building blocks of cause and effect, action and reaction. Like the book, the play unfolds as its events tumble like dominos through each scene. The play’s set, characters, and choreography lift this book into life through interaction and imagination. IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE is a play that honors children’s intellects and delights a young-at-heart audience of any age with its classic charm. A holiday family tradition continues at Salt Lake Acting Company.

Director Penelope Caywood says: “The show is really about cause and effect and the ordinary turning into the extraordinary, which is what I really love about it. Everybody can have a glass of milk and a cookie, but then the adventure that ensues… It could happen to anybody.”

Caywood, who has spent the last 4 years as Director of University of Utah’s Youth Theatre program, also says: “I think that acting and directing for a young audience can be twice as hard but you get twice the reward because of it.”

In conjunction with IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE, SLAC’s outreach efforts include seven free performances for Title 1 schoolchildren, four discounted performances for non-Title 1 schools, an interactive online study guide, literary partnerships with the Salt Lake Public Library and the King's English Bookshop, and a lobby campaign benefiting Utah Food Bank’s Kids Cafe BackPack Program.

BIOS

DUSTIN BOLT (Mouse) is thrilled to be returning to SLAC for IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE. Previously at SLAC he was seen in the extension of SATURDAY'S VOYEUR -- THE YEAR THAT WAS. He received his BS in Musical Theatre from Weber State University where he studied under Jim Christian and Tracy Callahan. Past credits include: Sammy in THE WEDDING SINGER (Hale Centre Theatre), Leaf Coneybear in THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE (Pinnacle Acting Co.), Red Dog in GO, DOG. GO! (SLAC), George in SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK, LIVE! (The Grand Theatre), Helika and Security in SATURDAY'S VOYEUR '09 (SLAC), Dennis Shepard and others in THE LARAMIE PROJECT (WSU), Sir Phantom Jitter in MUSICAL OF MUSICALS: THE MUSICAL (WSU), John Hinckley Jr. in ASSASSINS (WSU), Younger Brother in RAGTIME (SCERA Outdoor Theater), Charlie Brown in YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN (Sweetwater Summer Stock Co.), and the Porter in MACBETH (WSU), which performed in the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for Shakespeare in Washington. Recently he had the opportunity to work on a staged reading of Sam Wessels' musical REAL DOLLS where he played the role of Ben. Dustin also owns his own photography business, Lightning Bolt Photography, which specializes in headshots for actors, bridals, and family portraiture. He would like to thank the creative team and SLAC for this wonderful opportunity and for bringing theatre to young audiences. He also thanks his parents for their continued love and ever constant support. This show is dedicated to Rachel, Andrew, John, Heston, Porter, Brenner, and Alice Rei.

MICHAEL GARDNER (Boy) Mike is back at SLAC! He last was seen as Adam in DARK PLAY: OR STORIES FOR BOYS. Mike is a Utah trained actor, studying at Hurricane High school, Dixie College, and finally graduating from Utah State’s acting program in the spring of 2007. While at Utah State he played and was awarded Irene Ryan nominations for outstanding performer as Simon in HAYFEVER, Action in WEST SIDE STORY, and Aunt Spiker in JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. Mike has also been seen in EVERYMAN and SHADOWS OF THE BAKEMONO with Meat and Potato theatre. Other favorite roles include the title role in PIPPIN (HHS), Sydney Bruel in DEATHTRAP (DSC), Arnold Wiggins from THE BOYS NEXT DOOR (DSC) and Mercutio in Pinnacle Acting Companies’ production of ROMEO AND JULIET.

PENELOPE MARANTZ CAYWOOD (Director) (Penny to her friends) is best known for her work with University of Utah’s Youth Theatre program where she has been the director for the past 4 years. She had directed a Youth Theatre production every year and is also responsible for the educational and outreach programming which includes a satellite program and collaboration with the Egyptian Theatre in Park City as well as an association with the Kennedy Center Partners in Education program (along with Kingsbury Hall and the Salt Lake City School District). Locally, Penny has choreographed for The Grand Theatre, Utah Opera, Rogers Memorial Theatre, Weber State University; musically directed for Plan-B; and directed at Rogers Memorial Theatre. Penny’s career in the theatre started when she was 5 years old. She travelled across the country in a youth singing group, sang on children’s records, and learned jazz and tap from incredible teachers. While she lived in California, Penny was involved in the creation of a youth theatre company in Palos Verdes called Curtains Up! She was also a very active as an actor in musicals for civic light operas with an occasional job in the pit as a flautist. Coming up: Penny will be taking 24 Youth Theatre students to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland next summer! Penny is so delighted to be working with Salt Lake Acting Company.

DANIELLE KAUERZ (Educational Correspondent) graduated from the University of Utah in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. Since then Danielle has taught fourth grade at Redwood Elementary School in Granite School District. She is graduate of the eMINTS program which focuses on technology in the classroom as well as social interaction, inquiry-based learning and student research. Danielle is currently a graduate student at the University of Utah. She is obtaining a Masters of Education through the Educational Psychology Department in Instructional Design and Educational Technology.


FACT SHEET

SLAC PRODUCTION IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE

PLAYWRIGHT Jody Davidson

BASED ON THE BOOK BY Laura Joffe Numeroff

DIRECTOR Penelope Marantz Caywood

SOUND DESIGN/ORIGINAL MUSIC David Evanoff

CAST Dustin Bolt, Michael Gardner

SET DESIGN Keven Myhre

LIGHT DESIGN Jesse Portillo

COSTUME DESIGN Brenda Van Der Wiel

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Sarah Rae Mohr

EDUCATIONAL CORRESPONDENT Danielle Kauerz


IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE
Adapted by Jody Davidson
Book copyright © 1985 Laura Numeroff
Illustration copyright © 1985 Felicia Bond
Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers
Produced by special arrangements with
Plays for Young Audiences
A Partnership of Seattle Children’s Theatre and Children’s Theatre Company – Minneapolis.

For tickets call 801- 363-7522, visit www.saltlakeactingcompany.org, or in person at 168 West 500 North, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103.

Groups (10+) Kids $10 – Adults $20
Subscribers Kids $12 – Adults $22
Full Price Kids $15 – Adults $25


DATES AND TIMES:

December 2010
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thur
Fri
Sat



1
2
3
7 PM
Opening
4
12 PM
3 PM
5
12 PM
3 PM
6
7
8
9
10 AM
10
10 AM
7 PM
11
12 PM
3 PM
12
12 PM
3 PM
13
14
15
16
10 AM
17
10 AM
7 PM
18
12 PM
3 PM
19
12 PM
3 PM
20
21
10 AM
3 PM
22
10 AM
3 PM
23
10 AM
3 PM
24
No Show
25
No Show
26
12 PM
3 PM








Saturday, November 20th, 4-6 PM- Join cast members, Dustin Bolt (Mouse) and Michael Gardner (Boy) in costume at the Gateway Mall for the annual Lighting of the Tree celebration. Mouse and Boy will be available for holiday pictures with your children. The Ceremony will take place at the Gateway’s fountain plaza.

Saturday, November 27th @ 11:00 AM- See the Laura Joffe Numeroff’s book come to life at The King’s English bookshop with the cast of IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE. The event is free and The King’s English is located at 1511 South 1500 East in Salt Lake City.

During the run of IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE, Utah Food Bank will have a presence in the SLAC lobby. SLAC is proud to benefit the Food Bank’s BackPack Program for children. Utah Food Bank’s Kids Cafe provides hot, nutritious meals to children in low-income after-school programs at schools, community centers and Boys & Girls Clubs around Salt Lake County. Visit www.saltlakeactingcompany.org for a list of items needed.

Saturdays in December (12/4, 12/11, 12/18)- Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) will be in the SLAC lobby providing information and showing some of their therapy dogs. ITA has over 300 volunteer ‘pet partner’ teams visiting patients at more than 100 hospitals, rehabilitation and care centers, schools and libraries all along the Wasatch Front. Animals bring great wisdom and intuition into the therapeutic environment. They are catalysts, motivators, sources of fun and inspiration

SLAC offers its heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the following supporters. They help make the Salt Lake Acting Company’s production of IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE possible by underwriting the free Title 1 School Matinees, original musical underscoring, and overall production:

Anderson & Karrenberg
The C. Comstock Clayton Foundation
Henry W. & Leslie M. Eskuche Foundation
Holland & Hart LLP
Morgan Stanley Foundation
Les Olsen Company
The PI Foundation, Inc.
Snell & Wilmer
StorageCraft Technology Corporation
Target Foundation
TraskBritt, PC
Zions Bank


NOW PLAYING @ SLAC:
BOOM by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, with Emily Burnworth, David Fetzer and Holly Fowers. Directed by Robin Wilks-Dunn.

DATES Opened: November 5, 2010
Closes: December 5, 2010

TIMES Wed-Sat: 7:30 PM
Sundays: 2 PM & 7 PM

SLAC NOTES
The 2010-2011 Season is dedicated to the Playwrights, Subscribers, Actors, Board Members, Directors, Donors, Theatre Artists, Volunteers and Employees that have contributed to SLAC throughout the past 40 years.

SLAC was founded in 1970 and is dedicated to producing, commissioning and developing new works and to supporting a community of professional artists. SLAC has been nationally recognized by the Shubert Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Edgerton Foundation, among others. SLAC is a Constituent Member of Theatre Communications Group, a national organization for non-profit professional regional theatres, and the National New Play Network.