“When you go owling, you don’t need words,” reads Owl Moon, a book written in 1988 by Jane Yolen. Starting on March 8, the Stages Theatre Company will team up with Escalate Dance Studio in Maple Grove for a ballet-inspired adaptation of the children’s book at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.
The story follows a father and daughter who venture out into the winter night in hopes of spotting an owl. Stages Theatre Company’s performance will mimic the quiet and peaceful theme of the story, and most of the plot will be told through movement and dance, something new for the company.
“It is a very visual show,” says Danielle Ryan, the marketing and public relations manager at Stages Theatre Company. “Most of our shows are heavy on script and musical numbers.”
On March 9, the production will have a special sensory friendly performance with the lights on and music volume lowered to appeal to viewers with autism.
Stages’ mission is to knock down barriers that prevent people from attending live theatre. “We decided that Stages Theatre could make that happen for families affected by autism by consulting with a nationally recognized teaching artist,” says Sandy Boren-Barrett, the artistic director at Stages. “We’re providing a special performance that will enhance the entire experience for these participants.”
The first showing is Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m.
