PRESS RELEASE - Will Act For Food!!!

‘WILL ACT FOR FOOD’

Kaleidoscope Theatre’s award winning, B.U.L.L.Y. (Better Understanding by Listening and Learning about You) program for elementary, middle and high schools, offers students, through peer education, the strategies and solutions they need to help stop bullying now!  There are, however, many schools that, though in need of such a program, are unable to afford to bring it into their school.

It has also been brought to the attention of Kaleidoscope Theatre that due to the current condition of our economy there are more and more families in need of food assistance at a time when the quantity of food donations has gone down.

A recent support grant from CVS has enabled the theatre company to address both issues in a positive and creative way.  ‘WILL ACT FOR FOOD!’ will help schools afford the extremely successful anti-bullying program while at the same time help to create a solution to the ever increasing need at local emergency food programs.

Schools without the monetary resources to afford a performance of B.U.L.L.Y. can have a performance if their students establish a food drive which results in a minimum of 600 non-perishable food items. Schools can donate the food to a local food pantry or the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.  For a list of the Food Bank’s agencies, visit www.rifoodbank.org and click on “Get Food”. When the food donation has been confirmed Kaleidoscope Theatre will arrange to come to the school and perform their anti-bullying program, B.U.L.L.Y.

It is Kaleidoscope Theatre’s hope that involving students in this program, whereby, through their efforts other children receive the food so necessary for a healthy and productive life, it will also create an ongoing desire to continue to try and help those in need. The reward of a performance which can help end bullying and create an atmosphere of safety and productivity in their own lives is a reward well worth experiencing.

Thanks to CVS the search is now on for four schools that would like to take advantage of this innovative program. If your school, or any school you feel should be aware of ‘WILL ACT FOR FOOD!’ is a good match please contact Kaleidoscope Theatre as soon as possible at www.kaleidoscopetheatre.com or call 401-942-3637.

In addition to CVS, Kaleidoscope Theatre would like to acknowledge and thank the following organizations for their support of our B.U.L.L.Y. program. They are: The Pauls Foundation. The John Moran Fund, The Champlin Foundation, The Rhode Island Foundation/EquityAction and The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.

Kaleidoscope Theatre is looking to corporations, organizations and individuals who would be willing to make a donation and become a part of their ‘WILL ACT FOR FOOD’ Program. For further information please contact David Payton, Executive Director, at 401-942-3637 or email: david@kaleidoscopetheatre.com.

Will Act for Food!!

Thanks to a grant from CVS Pharmacy we are excited to announce a new program, WILL ACT FOR FOOD. Schools unable to afford our anti-bullying show “B.U.L.L.Y.” (Better Understanding by Listening and Learning about You) can have a performance if their students establish a food drive to benefit their local food bank. Once the food bank receives a minimum of 600 non-perishable food items the reward of a performance of B.U.L.L.Y. will be scheduled at the school. This program will benefit both the school (by allowing their students the opportunity to experience our award-winning program) and the local food banks (that are in desperate need of food donations).Performances will be awarded to schools based on the strength of  their application and financial need. To receive an application for your school, please email us at
kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com.

HELP US help end bullying in schools!

You can help by attending our upcoming fundraiser event, Alice Through the Kaleidoscope. All proceeds from this night of family-friendly entertainment will go towards bringing our award-winning BULLY Program to schools that could otherwise not afford it. This special one night event will be held on Friday, May 13th at 7:30pm. Tickets for this fundraiser event are the same price as our regular performances and the show will be at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Cranston. Call (401) 942-3637 for more information!!


Check out this video preview from last year's event!!

BULLY

Kaleidoscope recently developed detailed descriptions of the different versions of BULLY we have available to schools. If you're interested in more information about any of these productions, please clal us at (401) 942-3637 and ask to speak with our Educational Coordinator, Jamie!

Level One (Recommended for grades K-5)
Synopsis: 6 students attend auditions for their school play, The Wizard of Oz, and enact a variety of bullying situations audience members may have encountered at school. A sensitive yet realistic portrayal of situations experienced by the bully, the bullied, and the bystanders, our BULLY program offers viable alternatives and solutions on how to deal and heal.

Level One is performed in-the-round (meaning audience members sit all around the playing area) and includes:
* An interactive opening demonstration
* A 35-minute musical performance/storyline
* A closing question and answer session

Topics covered:
* Physical bullying
* Emotional bullying
* Gossip
* Exclusion
* Cyber bullying
* Hints at suicide and other consequences of bullying behavior
* Solutions and strategies presented - Anonymous bully boxes, designated bully contact person, and telling an adult.


Level Two (Recommended for grades 4-8)
Synopsis: 6 students attend auditions for their school play, Grease, and encounter a variety of bullying situations. Watch as the bullies, the victims, and the bystanders learn from their mistakes and discover that liking yourself is an important step in ending the bullying cycle.

Level Two is performed proscenium, either on a stage or gym floor. This program including the story line, strategies, and closing Q&A runs about an hour.

Topics covered:
* Physical bullying
* Emotional bullying
* Gossip
* Exclusion
* Cyber bullying
* Consequences of bullying behavior - Suicide and School Violence
* Solutions and strategies presented - "What else could it mean?", "Like Me", deep breathing, online help - http://www.teenstrategies.com/ and partnershiptoaddressviolence.com


Level Three (Recommended for grades 7-12)
Synopsis: 6 students attend auditions for their school play, Grease, and live through a variety of bullying situations audience members may have encountered at school. Gary, a student who has been bullied for years, decides to take matters into his own hands and has something special planned for the upcoming auditions...

Level Three is performed proscenium, usually on an auditorium stage. This program including the story line, strategies, and closing Q&A and runs about an hour.

Topics covered:
* Physical bullying
* Emotional bullying
* Gossip
* Exclusion
* Cyber bullying
* Bullying/discrimination because of sexual orientation or experience
* Consequences of bullying behavior
* Suicide and School Violence (One of the characters commits suicide by the end of the show. Although nothing of the suicide is shown, one actor is left onstage to symbolize that he is no longer alive. Schools can determine if they'd prefer not to use this ending.)
* Hints of abuse
* Solutions and strategies presented - "What else could it mean?", "Like Me", deep breathing, online help - http://www.teenstrategies.com/, http://www.itgetsbetter.com/, http://www.partnershiptoaddressviolence.com/

Come meet the Princesses (and their Princes) this weekend!

Cinderella, Snow White, and their princes will be at the RI Home Show this weekend. Join us at the RI Convention Center as we present Happily Ever After - A Fairytale Story Hour at 11am and 2pm. In between performances, the Kaleidoscope royalty will be roaming the Home Show floor meeting guests, signing autographs, and posing for pictures. See you there!

Birthday Parties!!

Kaleidoscope Theatre characters are available to come to your child's birthday party! Snow White visited two parties just yesterday and was a hige hit! Here's what one of the mom's had to say....

"I just wanted to take this opportunity to say that Snow White was AMAZING at my daughter's party!!! To keep 19 little girls hanging on every word!! Thank you again for a wonderful party! You made Katie's birthday and I am truly grateful. Everyone is talking about it."

If you're interested in having a character come to your upcoming event, check out our website or call us at (401) 942-3637.

Announcing our 2011 Summer Line-up!

Kaleidoscope Theatre is pleased to announce our show schedule for the summer! This year we will be performing all of our shows at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Cranston, RI. All shows will still be on Tuesday mornings at 11am.

*Drum roll......*

July 12th - Beauty & the Beast
July 19th - Pinocchio
July 26th - Cinderella
August 2nd - Snow White
August 9th - Cinderella's Wedding
August 16th - Sleeping Beauty
August 23rd - Little Red Riding Hood

For more information about the shows, check out our website and tickets will go on sale May 1st. Stay tuned for information about our other venues across New England!!

Kaleidoscope Returns to the RI Home Show!!

Something for Every Home!

(East Providence, RI.)--The largest Home Show in southern New England returns to the Rhode Island Convention Center, March 31st through April 3rd, with some exciting new features! It’s Rhode Island’s longest running show with over 400 exhibitors, a Fine Arts Showcase, how- to- seminars, children’s entertainment, cooking demonstrations, sampling and endless opportunities to win valuable prizes!

In addition to useful information on home building and remodeling trends, this year’s show promises attendees an unbelievable value for the price of admission! For 10 dollars you can learn from the pro’s, check out what’s new, sample wine, beer and other libations, taste award winning dishes, enjoy fine art, learn how to save money, enjoy children’s entertainment and take advantage of thousands of dollars in discounts, savings and give-a-ways!

New-The Fine Arts Showcase will feature over 80 artisans, representing galleries from New York and New England. Daily demonstrations will allow attendees the opportunity to see how these works of art are created! Fine art, pottery, glassware and more will be displayed and available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds will go to RIBA’s Builders Helping Heroes charity. At the end of the show, 14 pieces of fine art will be given away.

This year’s seminar line-up includes the popular How to Hire a Contractor, New Kitchen and Bathroom Trends and “The Coupon Queen” Kathy Spencer. Kathy, who has been featured on Good Morning America, Inside Edition and the Food Network will offer her popular, nationally known “How to Shop for Free” seminars on Saturday and Sunday. This mother of four amazingly, feeds her family and shops for everything virtually free and you will too after attending this seminar!

The popular Rejuvenation Room returns to the Home Show Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 6-9pm. Attendees can relax with free chair massages from Back in Balance and Therapeutic Impressions LLC while sampling fine wines from the vineyards of the Jonathan Edwards Winery, Rhode Island’s own Newport Storm Beer, Cabot Cheese, delectable chocolate treats from Sweet Occasions and more!!

The award winning chefs from Newport Restaurant Week return to the Home Show demonstration kitchen. Cooking demonstrations and recipe sampling from the kitchens of Newport and Bristol County Restaurants will take place Thursday and Friday evening from 6-8, Saturday from Noon-6pm and Sunday from 11am-3:30pm. At the end of the show, the Frigidaire Gallery edition dishwasher, refrigerator and range from the demonstration kitchen will be given away to one lucky attendee! The appliances have been donated by Gil’s Television and Appliance, J&A Appliance and Home Theater Center and S & W TV and Appliance.

Also featured throughout the Home Show will be the Designer Dog House Competition, with entries built by area career and technical school students. Visitors will be able to vote on their favorite entry for the People’s Choice Award, and prizes will be awarded in several categories. The schools competing are Warwick Area Career & Technical Center, Woonsocket Area Career & Technical Center, Wm. M. Davies, Jr. Career & Technical High School, Chariho Area Career & Technical Center and Burrillville High School. Winners will be judged by a panel of judges comprised of residential building industry professionals.

The categories include: Most Green, Most Creative, Most Functional and Best in Show. Winning teams will receive a $250 gift card from one of these generous RIBA members: Douglas Lumber Home Center, JT’s/Riverhead Building Supply, Arnold Lumber Co., Inc., Coventry Lumber, Inc., L. Sweet Lumber Co., Inc.

There will be plenty of events for kids, including performances by Kaleidoscope Theatre, balloon animal artist Lon Cerel, a visit with Paws the Pawtucket Red Sox Mascot and a craft area located in the Fine Arts Showcase.

Kaleidoscope Theatre brings your favorite fairy tale characters to life in a wonderful interactive performance, “Happily Ever After Fairy Tale Hour”, filled with songs, fables, fantasy, and fun. Parents, bring your cameras! These charming costumed characters will be roaming the show floor to meet and greet children of all ages!


Balloon artist, Lon Cerel, will entertain and amaze with his animal creations on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. Lon Cerel is a keen combination of performer, comedian, and magician - the total entertainer. He has been working audiences with skill, wit, and a love of his craft for more than 18 years. Lon Cerel, the "world's fastest balloon animal maker," has written a how-to for all of us who wish we could make poodles, elephants, and such out of balloons the way Lon and some of his fellow artists do. Lon Cerel's How To Blow Up Animals: A Beginner's Guide to Fun with Balloons will be on sale at the show with partial proceeds going to Builders Helping Heroes.

The Art Project area, provided by VOILA, will offer free classes for both Children and Adults during the show. Henri Matisse inspired Construction Paper Cut-out Designs Class will be created as children and adults are introduced to Henri Matisse with a brief biography, and shown examples of his most famous "paintings”. They will be able to design and create their own Matisse inspired collages.

The second class is Georgia O'Keefe inspired Watercolor Pencil Paintings - children and adults will be introduced to Georgia O'Keefe with a brief biography, and shown examples of her famous flower paintings. They will be taught how to use watercolor pencils and can create their own Georgia O'Keefe inspired work of art.


Ticket Prices
Adults - $10
Seniors - $8 (65 and older)
Children - 13 and under are free
Prices subject to change.

Show Hours: March 31 - April 3, 2011
Thursday - 2:00pm to 9:00pm
Friday - 2:00pm to 9:00pm
Saturday - 10:00am to 9:00pm
Sunday - 10:00am to 6:00pm

Box office closes one hour prior to show closing each day.

Thursday is AAA Day

"Show Your Card & Save" $4 on Full-price Adult Admission, valid for March 31st only.

Additional AAA Discounts Friday through Sunday

"Show Your Card & Save" $2 on Full-price Adult Admission, valid for April 1st, 2nd & 3rd.

It's almost here... The Summer 2011 Tour

At our performance of Beauty & the Beast this Saturday, Kaleidoscope will be announcing our 2011 summer line-up! Join us at the show for all the details!

Meet Flora and Dora

Before you come see Beauty & the Beast next weekend, we wanted to introduce you to Beauty’s silly sisters – Flora and Dora!

The sisters recently stopped into the Kaleidoscope office looking for their father. He’s late returning home from his recent merchant trip overseas. Nicki, our Administrative Director, interviewed them about their upcoming performance.

Nicki: So, why should people come see your show in March?

Flora: What show?

Dora: (rolling her eyes) Well, obviously they should come see us! Father brought us beautiful silks and jewels from his last trip and we look simply beautiful in them. Hopefully, Father will be back from his current trip by then and we’ll have even newer gowns to wear for the show!

Nicki: How about your sister, Beauty? Is she excited for the show?

Flora: Who?

Dora: You know... our little sister... yecchh, Beauty.

Flora: Oh! Why is she called “Beauty” anyway? After all, we're more mature than she is and we're certainly prettier. Why don't people call me pretty? I'd like that for a name. I think I should be called “Pretty”. How does that sound?

Dora: How does “ugly” sound?

Flora: That's nice! I can be “Pretty” and you can be “Pretty Ugly”! (laughing)

Dora: Why, you... you...

Nicki: Ladies... please sit down! You might mess your hair...

Dora: Oh my, we wouldn’t want to do that! Maybe I should reset my hair in a new style for Father’s return... Flora, when I fix my hair tonight, how do you think I should set it?

Flora: On fire! (laughing)

Nicki: Oh dear... maybe I should have invited Beauty in for this interview instead.

Dora: Oh don’t worry, she’ll be at the show. Why is she everyone’s favorite anyway?

Flora: Who are we talking about now?

Dora: Beauty!!

Flora: Oh...

Nicki: Right. I think we’re all set ladies. Thank you so much for coming in and we look forward to seeing you again on March 19th and 20th. (Flora and Dora exit.)

Well, that was... interesting. Don’t worry, we know Beauty is your favorite too! Come meet Beauty in person next weekend at our performances of Beauty & the Beast. For tickets to our RI performance on March 19th, please call us at (401) 942-3637. For tickets to our MA show on March 20th, please call (781) 230-EXPO!

UP next - "Beauty & the Beast"

Our monthly RI and MA series, continues this month with the traditional tale of “Beauty & the Beast.” While our production doesn’t have any dancing candlesticks, it has wonderful sets, beautiful period costumes, and absolutely gorgeous music.

Join us as Beauty and her family lose everything in a terrible storm at sea only to discover that outward beauty and possessions are not important, but that it’s the beauty inside that really counts.

If you live in Rhode Island, join us at 2pm on March 19th at the Scottish Rite Auditorium (2115 Broad St., Cranston, RI) to watch as Beauty sees past the Beast’s outward appearance and discovers true love. Tickets, which are $10 in advance for stadium seats and $8 in advance for floor seats, can be purchased by calling (401) 942-3637.

Audiences in Massachusetts can see this classic show the following day on March 20th also at 2pm. This performance will be held at 466 Central St. in Saugus, MA and tickets can be reserved by calling Paul Ryan at (781) 230-EXPO.

If you have any questions about either performance, feel free to call us or email us at

kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com!

March Newsletter

The March edition of our newsletter has been released and you should all be receiving your copy soon! Spring is right around the corner and we’re in the process of planning our Summer 2011 tour... Stay tuned for an announcement soon!

For a complete list of our upcoming spring performances, check out our website at: http://www.kaleidoscopechildrenstheatre.com/

In this issue you can read about:

1. “Beauty & the Beast”

2. Meet Flora and Dora, Beauty’s silly sisters

3. “The Magic of Story Time”

4. Birthday Parties

5. Supporting Our Members

If you don't get our newsletter yet, but would like to, please email us at kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com

SAVE THE DATE - Friday, May 13th!

The second annual performance of "Alice Through the Kaleidoscope" will be held at the Scottish Rite Auditorium on Friday, May 13th at 7:30pm. All proceeds from the event will go to benefit our BULLY programs and help bring BULLY to schools that could otherwise not afford it.

The show will follow the story of Alice (from Wonderland) as she journeys through the Fairytale Land Forest, meets your favorite Kaleidoscope characters, and helps them put the mixed-up fairytales back to right.

Stay tuned for more details!

This Weekend - Hansel & Gretel

Before you come see Hansel & Gretel this weekend, you can get to know them a little bit right now! Meet Hansel (Donnie-Ray Brearton) and Gretel (Elizabeth Silvia). We recently had the opportunity to ask them a few questions about working on the show. Here’s what they had to say -

Q: How long have you been with Kaleidoscope Theatre and what's your favorite part of working with the company?

 

Donnie-Ray: I have been with Kaleidoscope Theatre since 2006. My Favorite part of working with Kaleidoscope is that we get to perform at different theaters across New England and we are also like one big family.

Elizabeth: Well, I have been working with them for about three years now. My favorite part of working with them was probably playing Little Red Riding Hood. It’s really hard to decide what

was my favorite part because all of the shows that I have done are really fun!

Q: What's your favorite part of the show “Hansel & Gretel”?

Donnie-Ray: My favorite part of the show Hansel & Gretel is when Gretel and I discover the candy house.

Elizabeth: My favorite part is probably when Hansel is in the candy house and Misery (the cat), Hansel, and I have to figure out a plan to get him out!

Q. Should kids in the audience worry about being scared of the witch in the show?

Donnie-Ray: I don’t think that kids in the audience should worry about being scared of the witch because she is actually a funny character and in the show she also falls down a lot of times (ha-ha).

Elizabeth: I think the witch is the best part of the show! Kids shouldn’t be scared of her because she is sooo funny!!!

Come meet them in person this Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. Saturday's performance is at the Scottish Rite Auditorium (2115 Broad St.) in Cransto, RI and Sunday's show is at the Saugus Senior Center (466 Central St.) in Saugus, MA.

February Newsletter

Welcome to the February edition of our newsletter! We hope the crazy winter weather hasn’t gotten you down. To combat the snow, Kaleidoscope is moving forward with a lot of fun events to beat the winter blues! We hope you can join us!

In this issue you can read about:
1. “The Frog Prince”
2. “Hansel & Gretel”
3. Meet Hansel & Gretel
4. February vacation - “Goldilocks”
5. April vacation – “Magic of Story Time”