My 3 small children and I were invited to Moon Area High School this evening to see The Ugly Duckling and the Tortoise & the Hare which is a part of the Pittsburgh International Children's Theater series. New Orleans based Lightwire Theatre electrified the entire audience with their presentation of these 2 classic tales.
This 4 person cast had the audience laughing, humming, and probably scratching their heads asking "How did they do that?" during the entire performance. The cast wears full body costumes configured from electroluminescent wire . And beware..the show is performed in total darkness, so maybe mention that to your children a few minutes before the show starts. I think it scared a few of the smallest audience members, but once the characters came to life on stage their nervousness of the dark quickly wore off. The show was exactly 60 minutes long and held my children's attention THE ENTIRE TIME! There is no dialogue and both stories are told through dance moves accompanied by classical and modern day songs.
Your children will love these 2 classical stories. The Ugly Duckling, a tale of being different, personal growth, and acceptance which sends out such a positive message in this day and age. The Tortoise and the Hare reiterates the moral that "slow and steady wins the race."
This show is definitely a must see for the entire family. I was so impressed with the creativity of the costumes and the choreography. My kids had such a great time at this performance and I definitely recommend it for a fun weekend activity for the entire family!
Tickets are still available for the following performances:
South: Upper St. Clair High School, Saturday, November 17 at 2:00 p.m.;
City: Byham Theater, Sunday, November 18 at 2:00 p.m. & Student Matinee: Monday, November 19 at 10:15 a.m.
Tickets can be purchased at the door for $11 or by calling 412-456-6666.
Macaroni Kid was compensated with media tickets for this review but the opinions and ideas of the editor are all of their own.
