Welcome to SEASON SPOTLIGHT! Here we will take an in-depth look at the shows in the 2017-18 season and give you a little insight into what you can expect in the upcoming season.
February 23 – March 11, 2018
By Paul Fleischman.
Produced by Children’s Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN.
Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.
The Rose welcomes Ivey Award-winning actress Sonja Parks to Omaha for a unique, one-woman production of Seedfolks. Parks portrays more than 20 characters during the hour-long show. Stunning projections and animations will envelop the stage while the air fills with the cacophony of a busy city: music mixed with the roar of construction work and blaring car horns. This is Seedfolks, a stunning tapestry of humanity.
The play tells the story of a young girl who decides to turn the rat-infested lot next to her apartment into a place to plant some beans. Her one small act doesn’t go unnoticed. Soon, the entire neighborhood is pulling together to do their part to make the world a better place.
“Seedfolks is unflinchingly honest and unabashedly heartwarming,” says Rose Artistic Director Matthew Gutschick. “The show is filled with raw, inspiring stories you will never forget. It is a powerful way to teach children about the impact one person can have on a community and how important it is to sow seeds of both friendship and hope.”
Seedfolks is based on a Newbery Medal-winning novel by Paul Fleischman, who also adapted the story for the stage. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different person living near a vacant lot in a large city. Peter Brosius, artistic director of the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, directed the world premiere of the production, which will come to Omaha February 23 – March 11, 2018. The production utilizes dynamic projections and innovative staging by designer Jorge Cousineau to create a theater experience unlike any other.
With its message about being a good neighbor and coping with the stress of city life, The Rose recommends Seedfolks for children ages 8 and up. The show runs 60 minutes without an intermission. Seedfolks will be presented Fridays at 7 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 7 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm. Interpretation for the hearing impaired and audio description services for the blind will be offered at the 2 pm show on Saturday, March 3. A sensory-friendly performance will be presented on Saturday, March 3 at 7 pm.