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Hop on down to Miller Symphony Hall for ‘Peter Rabbit Tales’

Enchantment Theatre Company is presenting the North American Tour of its “Peter Rabbit Tales,” 2 p.m. March 26, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown.

An Easter Egg Hunt for those age 1-12 with tickets to the show is at 1 p.m. in the Arts Park, located east of Symphony Hall. In case of inclement weather, the egg hunt will be in Symphony Hall. Check-in is 12:45 p.m.

The adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s “The Original Peter Rabbit Books” celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the English author-illustrator and Enchantment Theatre’s 15th year.

“It draws upon the original tales,” Landis Smith, Artistic Director, Production, Enchantment Theatre, says of “Peter Rabbit Tales.”

“We don’t really alter anything, but rather tell the story in a way where we start off with the stealing of the baby bunnies by Tommy Brock, all while old Mr. Bouncer, the grandfather, falls asleep.

“Then we go back and through the whole play there is an effort to save the bunnies. We do flashbacks to the original tales.”

The production utilizes masks, puppets, scenery and original music about Beatrix Potter’s beloved characters, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter, and their adventures in Mr. McGregor’s garden.

Joining them are their friends, Squirrel Nutkin, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, Jemima Puddle-duck and Mrs. Tittlemouse, and a disagreeable badger, Tommy Brock.

“This story is about finding your strength, overcoming your fears and a really a story of redemption ... a theme of family and community and growing up when all odds are against you.

“The stories are told together, not singularly. It makes for an exciting, suspenseful, funny and charming play.

“The tales are not just warm and squishy. Beatrix Potter did that in such a wonderful way and the reason it works and doesn’t scare children is because she has the dangers of nature, but it’s done with a lot of humor. That’s what makes the story so rare and charming,” says Smith.

Enchantment Theatre Company has produced original theater for school groups and families since 2000 when it was founded as a nonprofit in Philadelphia.

Leslie Reidel, Artistic Director, Resident Director, received a bachelor’s degree from Muhlenberg College and a Masters of Fine Arts from Temple University. Jennifer Blatchley Smith, Artistic Director, Literary and Education, studied writing and theater at Bennington College.

Enchantment has toured its original productions all over the world and performs each year in 30 to 40 states. It has performed at Lincoln Center, New York City, and the John F. Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., and Kimmel Center and Annenberg Center, both in Philadelphia. The company has also toured the Far East six times, performing in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. Enchantment has also shared the stage with more than 65 orchestras nationwide in symphonic works that pair stories with music.

“My wife, Jennifer. and I started the Enchantment Theatre,” says Smith. “We wanted to create something that would play on the imagination of the audience and wanted them to be a part of the storytelling, which is why we use masks, among other things.

“We wanted to share classic stories and wanted the original tales to be known. In the 1990s, we joined with our current team of artistic directors, Jennifer, who writes the stories; Leslie, the stage director, and myself, who is in charge of how to make it happen.

The cast includes Katie Adkins, Trevor Cahill, Jo Vito Ramírez, Laura Sack, Clay Westman, and Alison Liney. Voiceover narration is by Susan Sweeney.

Choreographer is Scott McPheeters. Composer-in-residence is Charles Gilbert. Lighting designer is David O’Connor. Set designer is David Russell.

“Our pieces are all original and we hope to transform the audience in some way to feel a sense of, ‘Oh, I can do things with my imagination. Anything is possible.’

“We have a social mission with our work to empower children and adults alike. You will feel better about yourself and your world leaving than when you walked in,” says Smith.

“It’s very lighthearted whimsy and has a lot of humor,” says Smith.

Check out show-related activities: enchantmenttheatre.org/north-american-tours/discover/

Tickets: Miller Symphony Hall Box Office, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown; allentownsymphony.org; 610-432-6715

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOEnchantment Theatre Company, “Peter Rabbit Tales,” 2 p.m. March 26, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown