BOCA RATON, Fla. (August 20, 2024) – Theatre Lab, the professional resident company of Florida Atlantic University, is pleased to announce the opening of the 2024-25 season and celebrate the 10th year of their highly-successful educational outreach program, The Future PAGES (Playwrights, Artists, & Generation of Exciting Storytellers) Project.
Once again, Theatre Lab will open the season with a Heckscher Theatre for Families production. This year’s offering is the Southeastern Premiere of a new adaptation of The Little Mermaid by Jacqueline Goldfinger. This all-new adaptation is recommended for ages 5+ and follows a family who, while riding out a storm in their home, invests in the wonder and joy of shared storytelling to create their own version of the classic Hans Christian Anderson fable.
“These family productions are meant to entertain and engage the imaginations of audience members of all ages and are some of my favorites of our past productions,” noted Matt Stabile, producing artistic director at Theatre Lab. “Our mission to ‘inspire, develop, and produce new work, artists, and audiences’ is at the core of all our work – including our annual families production. Not only is this very popular story being told in a brand new way, it will serve as the inspiration for thousands of students across South Florida to create and share original stories of their own!”
The production will serve as the centerpiece for Theatre Lab’s critically-acclaimed educational outreach program, The Future PAGES Project. This program, now in its tenth year, has been at the core of Theatre Lab’s mission and programming since their first season in 2015-16. Dedicated to providing students in grades 4-12 the opportunity to experience a live theatrical performance and develop their own writing skills, The Future PAGES Project provides in-school creative writing workshops and field trips to see the Heckscher Theatre for Families production to local school partners all at no-cost to the students or schools.
“Our program starts with a visit to partner schools where we provide a writing workshop to help students identify and utilize the parts of a story,” said Jill Carr, director of Education and Community Outreach at Theatre Lab. Following that workshop, students attend a performance of the show and are asked to submit an original story based on their own personal experience inspired by a pre-selected theme of the show. The top 2% of submissions are invited to join Carr, additional teaching artists, and other selected students for a six-week intensive where they will rewrite, refine, and combine their stories into an original performance piece.
“This year’s theme is ‘Braver Than You Believe’,” said Carr, “We’re all excited to read the dynamic and surprising stories this show and program will inspire!”
In addition to the workshops and performances, each partner classroom is provided with a curriculum guide with supplemental information and materials for lesson plans, activities and class projects. To date, the program has served more than 11,000 students from across Palm Beach and Broward counties at no-cost to the students or schools.
Additionally, Theatre Lab will conduct a book drive in support of Literacy Coalition of Palm Beaches and Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library during the run of the production.
“We believe that Theatre is an act of community and look for ways to support our local community with each production,” added Stabile. “We are asking audience members to help us support these two amazing partner organizations by bringing new or gently used books to donate when they see the show.”
More information on the book drive effort can be found on Theatre Lab’s website at www.fau.edu/theatrelab and social media channels.
The Little Mermaid runs September 7 – 29, 2024, on Saturdays at 11am and 3pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and each adult ticket comes with up to two FREE student tickets. Additional student tickets can be purchased for $5 each.
All events will take place in the Heckscher Stage theater space in Parliament Hall, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus. Tickets and season subscriptions are available at www.fauevents.com or by calling 561-297-6124.
Heckscher Theatre for Families Production
The Little Mermaid a new adaptation by Jacqueline Goldfinger
A Southeastern Premiere
Directed by Matt Stabile
While riding out a thunderstorm in their home, a family invests in the wonder and joy of shared storytelling to create their own version of the classic Hans Christian Anderson fable. This new adaptation uses comedy, music, dance, and a little magic to bring the timeless story of love and adventure to life. This once cautionary tale about a “disobedient girl” gets turned on its head and encourages young people to trust their inner voice and be unafraid to pursue their own path.
September 7-29, 2024
Performances Saturday at 11:00am and 3pm, Sundays at 3pm
Field trip performances for partner schools & orgs Wednesday-Friday 10:30am
Recommended for ages 5+
Tickets: $25 for adults, up to 2 student tickets free with each adult purchase – student tickets MUST be reserved via ticketing website or by calling the box office
Free Creative Writing Workshops for students ages 8-18, Saturdays 1:30pm
