Pollyanna Theatre to Present THE FUNNYBUN FAMILY PICNIC, 7/13-21
By: BWW News Desk Jun. 24, 2013
Central Texas' most well-known children's theatre company, Pollyanna Theatre in Strategic Alliance with the Long Center, presents The Funnybun Family Picnic by Emily Cicchini at the Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 West Riverside, Austin, TX. The show runs from July 13th - 21st with multiple showtimes, and two 'pay what you like' parties with the cast.
This delightful new play from acclaimed Pollyanna Theatre Company Resident Playwright, Emily Cicchini, is appropriate for family audiences ages 4 and up. It explores important themes and life lessons surrounding sibling rivalry, a parent who has recently lost his job, and a working mom who is trying to juggle the demands of her work as well as her family. The central character, Buffy Funnybun, is a young girl who is searching for a way to claim her own identity and be her own person.
Judy Matetzschk-Campbell PhD, founder and artistic director of Pollyanna Theatre Company remarks, "Emily and I have developed over a dozen plays for young audiences together and her work always makes me both laugh and cry. That is a combination that is really important when creating new plays for young audiences. We want our audiences to enjoy what they see and think deeply about what they hear. FUNNYBUN will give them a great opportunity to do both."
The cast includes professional actors including Aaron Alexander as Willie Funnybun, Amy Minor as Lindy Funnybun, Karina Dominguez as Buffy Funnybun and Toby Minor as Happy Funnybun. The production is directed by Judy Matetzschk-Campbell.
In The Funnybun Family Picnic, audiences will follow the story of Buffy Funnybun on the morning of the Funnybun's annual family picnic but things are not going well. The children are not getting along and nothing seems to be going as planned. Willie, the father and head of this clown family has not been acting like himself lately and no one seems to know why. As the family's quality time together progresses, Willie's secret becomes known. But like mosT Loving families, the Funnybuns pull together and learn that by sticking together, what is most important in life can be preserved.
"This show was inspired by the great family plays of American drama as well as the age-old tradition of clowning," says Emily Cicchini, Pollyanna Theatre Company Resident Playwright. "All families have struggles they have to face together. We hope that the Funnybuns engage families of all kinds as it celebrates how love and compassion are the true keys to happiness."
In addition to public performances, The Funnybun Family Picnic is also available for schools throughout Central Texas. Call (512) 743-7966 for more information. As with all Pollyanna productions, accompanying multi-disciplinary curricula and professional development tools are also available free of charge for teachers and parents.
ABOUT POLLYANNA THEATRE COMPANY: The founders of Pollyanna Theatre Company believe that theatre is a powerful teaching tool that speaks to people of all ages in a unique and powerful way through a variety of visual, aural, and emotional languages. Therefore, theatre should be a part of all general education from pre-kindergarten through adulthood. Toward that end, The Pollyanna Theatre Company strives to work alongside educators to inspire, motivate, and teach audiences of all ages. Although the company's primary focus is upon young audience members, the ensemble performs top quality theatrical productions that speak to and illuminate the human spirit and condition for all ages. www.pollyannatheatrecompany.org
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT - Emily Cicchini - www.emilycicchini.com: As resident playwright since the company's inception, Emily Cicchini has written nine original plays which premiered at the Pollyanna Theatre Company: Edward, The Owl, and The Calico Cat (published by Dramatic Publishing), A Christmas Rose,Community Helpers on Wheels, A Dragon's Happy Day, Duckie Sees The World, Just Bee, and the concept and first three episodes of the PATTERN NATION series. She was also commissioned by director Judy Matetzschk-Campbell to write an adaptation of Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter from the picture book by Diane Stanley and the libretto for Trail of Tears, a ballet/drama for Ballet Austin, Umlauf Sculpture Garden, and Pollyanna Theatre's collaborative ArtsBlitz program.
Much of her dramatic writing focuses on strong women history, most notably Becoming Brontë and Mays & Terese. Her work has been honored by the National Play Networks' Hothouse at Kitchen Dog Theatre, Richard and Betty Burdick National Playwright's Festival at Florida Studio Theatre, the Austin Critics' Table Award for Best Original New Script, the B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Original Script, an Aurand Harris award from the Children's Foundation of America.
Emily has written extensively for stage, film, radio, and interactive media for both youth and general audiences, including interactive educational materials for history, geography and math, and the integration of arts into all subject areas. She was a quarter-finalist in the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting and sold the feature animated film script Young Beowulf. She manages various educational technology projects for the College of Liberal Arts the University of Texas at Austin, most recently as product manager of two new courses being prepared for the EdX consortium for Fall 2013.
As an actress, playwright, educator, and/or administrator, she has worked with Austin Script Works, BoarsHead: Michigan Public Theatre, Capitol City Playhouse, the Cleveland Play House, Frontera @ Hyde Park Theatre, Live Oak Theatre, the Michigan and Texas Young Playwright's Festivals, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, The State Theatre Company, Turner House Shakespeare Festival, the University of Texas Performing Arts Center, VSA arts of Texas, and Zachary Scott Theatre Center, among others. She has also served on the boards of Texans for the Arts, International Centre for Women Playwrights, and Austin Creative Alliance, and served on selection panels for the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Cicchini holds an MFA in playwriting with a secondary emphasis on screenwriting from the University of Texas at Austin where she was a James A. Michener Fellow, and a BFA in acting from DePaul/Goodman School of Drama. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in communication studies with a focus on narrative and new media. See more at www.emilycicchini.com.
THE FUNNYBUN FAMILY PICNIC by Emily Cicchini performance times:
July 13 at 2:00 and 4:00
July 14 at 2:00 followed by "Pay What You Like Party"
July 15 - No performances
July 16 at 9:30, 11:15, and 1:00
July 17 at 9:30 and 11:15
July 18 at 9:30 and 11:15
July 19 at 9:30 and 11:15
July 20 at 11:00, 2:00 and 4:00
July 21 at 2:00 followed by "Pay What You Like Party"
All shows run in the Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Drive, Austin, TX. Tickets are $7.75 for children under 12, $8.75 for students over 12-18, Seniors over 65 & Austin Creative Alliance members, $9.75 for adults. Group rates from $3.00 - $5.00 available. For Weekday tickets: Call 512.743.7966. For Weekend tickets: Call 512.474.LONG (5664) or visit: www.thelongcenter.org.
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