Emerald City Theatre to open performance space for the Very Young

Emerald City Theatre announces the world premiere production of Goodnight Gorilla, a show especially for children ages 0-3, as part of their 2011-2012 Season. Emerald City is extending its commitment to early learners by developing an original piece of baby theatre and building the nation's first committed space for this age group. Goodnight Gorilla will open in May 2012 in a newly remodeled baby theatre space at 2933 N. Southport Ave, to be named Emerald City Playhouse. The international movement to develop theatre for the very young (ages 0-3), or 'baby theatre', has had great success in Europe and the U.S at places like Imagination Stage in Baltimore, Seattle Children's Theatre, and Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis.
"We regularly see younger brothers and sisters ages 0-3 brought along to our performances and we are pleased to be launching this effort to better serve the youngest of our audience," said Ernie Nolan, Associate Artistic Director and writer/director of the play Goodnight Gorilla. "No longer will the youngest be the forgotten audience."
The baby theatre experience is a gentle performance tailored to introduce very small children to an immersive, artistic experience that bridges the space between structured play and theatre. In Goodnight Gorilla, based on the best-selling children's picture book by Peggy Rathmann, children and their grownups will be welcomed into the zoo to help the Zookeeper put the animals to sleep. The Zookeeper and his animal friends will allow very young children and their grownups to interact with theatre that is an extension of their own sense of play. Children and the grownups will delight at the opportunity to step into the world of this family favorite book. Goodnight Gorilla will exist in the overlapping spot between theatre, play, and learning-three critical components to Emerald City's mission : to create theater experiences that inspire early learners through play.
"At the theatre parents get the chance to share a creative experience with their child and with other parents. That sharing is liberating and simply fun. It gives us parents an education in how to play like a baby and builds a sense of community at the same time," said Karen Cardarelli, Artistic/Executive Director.
Developing a play for the very young
In order to develop an experience perfectly tailored to very young children and their grownups, Emerald City Theatre has created the position of an Eduturg to work alongside Director and Playwright Ernie Nolan. Traditionally a "dramaturg" aids in research and story development with a playwright throughout the writing and production process. Emerald City's Eduturg is an early childhood development expert who helps shape a script specifically for early learners. Through this rigorous development process Goodnight Gorilla promises to be not only fun for those small and big, but also supportive of a young child's development of creativity and imaginative play.
Ernie Nolan, the writer/director of Goodnight Gorilla, comes from a rich Theatre for Young Audiences background. He has spent the last few years researching baby theatre internationally and leading discussions on the topic with TYA-USA. As the Associate Artistic Director of Emerald City Theatre he has overseen the creation of the PlayGround, a development process for new work for young audiences. Most recently he adapted Mo Willem's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive The Bus books to the stage for Emerald City's production by the same name. Nolan and Moos worked together to craft Pigeon as a theatre experience for ages 3-6. His other directing credits include Pinkalicious, A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, and If You Take a Mouse to School. Nolan is currently a visiting faculty at The Theatre School at DePaul University and is the Vice President of the board of Theatre for Young Audiences/USA.
Nichole Moos, Emerald City's Eduturg, has been teaching preschool for six years. She currently teaches at Hamilton Elementary School, where she has been since 2009. She holds a Masters in Early Childhood Education from West Virginia University. Over the past year she has advised Emerald City Theatre on projects including script development of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, writing of teacher and parent support materials, and marketing communications efforts.
The Emerald City Playhouse: A space committed to 0-3 year olds
Going to the theatre is a ritual normally surrounded by rules and etiquette unsuited for very young children. At the Emerald City Playhouse there will be permission to chatter and squeal, to wander around, and to touch everything. This is theatre without the 'no'. In order to create theatre that places a child and their grownup as the most important element in the story, a dedicated space is required. Emerald City Theatre is working with Thor Designs to convert the Emerald City Theatre School on North Southport Avenue into a baby theatre space. The new space will be intimate, open, and sensory friendlywith an attendance capacity of only 50 people (adults and children).
In addition to the experience inside the theatre, the dedicated performance space for baby theatre will help overcome the mundane challenges of outings with the very youngest. Emerald City Theatre understands the needs of families with very young children. The dedicated space will have all the amenities need to make those families feel safe and welcome - easy parking, a place to park your stroller, easy access restrooms with changing tables.
The Emerald City Theatre School will continue to utilize the Playhouse during an ongoing search for expanded facility.
Long-term commitment and recognition
Goodnight Gorilla and Emerald City Theatre's commitment to baby theatre have been two years in the making. With the help of funding from the Children's Theatre Foundation of America, Goodnight Gorilla continues to be developed through Emerald City Theatre's PlayGround play development process.
"The funding from the Children's Theatre Foundation of America has allowed us to spend the time creating baby theatre as the newest cornerstone of Emerald City's commitment to learning through play for the early learner," said Cardarelli, Artistic/Executive Director.