Mad Ducklings are invading Amazon Park.
No, you don’t need a rabies shot, you just need an appreciation for fun family entertainment.
Mad Duckling Theatre is presenting the classic tale of Cinderella with a few twists.
The show, “Cinderella, or, It’s Okay to Be Different,” features three cultural retellings of Cinderella set in Egypt, an Algonquin village and a basketball court in Brooklyn, New York.
The story, set on a playground, follows a group of children as they travel to each location and learn about the story of Cinderella.
According to a press release, the production focuses the universal application of folk literature.
Meredith Ott, Mad Duckling Theatre’s co-artistic director, said, “We kind of wanted to go with a title that was recognizable. It’s definitely not a Disney-ized version.”
The troupe has been rehearsing the show since the day after graduation.
“We are trying to bring theater to the community and make it accessible to children,” Ott said.
Ott said the show’s theme is that people can believe whatever they want to believe.
She said, “It’s OK to be different, it’s OK to make up your own stories and go against the grain.”
There is even a rapping fairy godmother.
Ott said “Cinderella, or, It’s Okay to Be Different,” is a fun play.
“It’s a really good family event and it’s a great, interactive thing to bring kids to,” she said.
In a press release, director Jennifer Thomas said the play was a great example of how creative children can be.
“Five kids, in ‘Backyardigans’-fashion, have three wonderful adventures playing dress up in their own back yards while constantly exploring and reinforcing the concept of ‘It’s Okay to Be Different,’” she said.
Thomas is a Ph.D. student in theatre arts and has directed “Winnie the Pooh’s Birthday Tail” and “James and the Giant Peach.” Katherine McGlamery, the set designer, is a recent graduate in theatre arts. The group’s costume designer, Annelie Thurin, is a recent Master’s graduate of theatre arts.
The Mad Duckling Theatre will present a version of “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling staring July 29.
It will run for two weeks, and Ott will direct the play.
“It’s a little bit closer to the tale. It’s extremely interactive and very typical of the Rudyard Kipling version,” she said.
“Cinderella, or, It’s Okay to Be Different” runs today through July 19, with no Monday showing. The play begins at 11 a.m. every day.
Tickets are $5 for ages 3 and up and $4 per person for groups of 10 or more. For more information and tickets reservations, call 541-346-4192.
Mad Duckling Theatre is funded by the ASUO.
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