The Zoot Theatre Company, Dayton’s only professional puppetry and mask company has announced its 2012-13 inaugural season at the NCR Renaissance Auditorium at the Dayton Art Institute.
The Hobbit
The company will open with THE HOBBIT, presented by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing Company out of Woodstock, IL and co-directed by J. Gary Thompson and D. Tristan Cupp. THE HOBBIT is J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic story of Bilbo Baggins, who is asked to leave his large, roomy home underground to set out as chief robber to recover a very important treasure. Presented as a puppet and mask piece, Zoot’s stunning artwork will be on full display in this epic adventure. THE HOBBIT will open on Friday, September 28 and run three weekends, every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sunday, October 14.
Zoot’s second show in its three-show MainStage Series is A CHRISTMAS CAROL, which is being specifically adapted for Zoot in order to fit its artistic vision of the classic Charles Dickens masterpiece. Presented as a puppet and mask piece, people of all ages will marvel at the ghosts of Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. A CHRISTMAS CAROL will be directed by Aaron Vega and will open on Friday, November 30 and run three weekends every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sunday, December 16.
Finally, Zoot will close the Season with the powerful and historic tale of children coming of age in Terezin, the Jewish city established by the Nazis. AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD is Michael Slade’s powerful play about children using their imaginations and creativity to make art to build lives of hope with their actual poems and stories woven in throughout the play.AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD will be directed by Mark Metzger and open Friday, April 5 and run two weekends on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sunday, April 14.
Zoot will be holding general auditions at the company’s studios at 308 Washington St., Dayton on Saturday, June 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be both paid and unpaid acting positions, depending upon the role in which one is cast. Those interested should email auditions@zoottheatrecompany.
Tickets will go on sale beginning July 1 online and over the phone. Both single performance tickets and subscriptions will be available. Tickets are $18.00 for adults; $15.00 for seniors; $15.00 for students with a valid ID; and $12.00 for children 12 and under.
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