IF YOU GIVE A PIG A PANCAKE and More Set for Centenary Stage's New Family Fun Series, 2012-13

A new series of family-friendly performances will join the Centenary Stage programming this season, with even more live performances and plays for young audiences and their families to enjoy.

The fun begins with performances from the CSC Young Audience “Third Saturday” Series (YAS). This season the YAS offers stage adaptations of favorite classic children's literature every third Saturday of the month at 11 am in the LITTLE THEATRE (400 Jefferson St) on the campus of Centenary College. The Fall Schedule for the Third Saturday Series is as follows: Sept. 15 - If You Give a Pig a Pancake; Oct 20- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie; Nov. 17- A Year with Frog and Toa-the musical.

From the Laura Numeroff Joffee repertoire, “If You Give A Pig a Pancake” follows the enterprising journey of a young girl who accommodates the demands of a quirky piglet after eating pancakes. Based on the beloved book by Laura Numeroff Joffee, “ If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” is an adventurous, fun-filled performance appropriate for ages Pre-K through 5th grade, about a hungry mouse who shows up in coveralls wearing a backpack. An innocent milk and cookie snack time goes from mishap to calamity to catastrophe faster than the twitch of a whisker.

Arnold Lobel’s beloved characters Frog and Toad spring from the page to the stage in this fast paced, spirit musical conceived by William and Robert Reale, “A Year with Frog and Toad-the Musical”, which follows the two great friends through four fun-filled seasons. Throughout their adventure, they learn many life lessons including the most important one about friendship. Tickets for the Young Audience Series are $12.50 for adults and $10 for children under 12.

On Saturday Nov. 3rd at 2 pm the new Family Fun Series, sponsored by Fulton Bank, will present the talents of Illusionary Magician Brad Ross in the Lackland’s Sitnik Theatre. Brad Ross is an award-winning, international star illusionist, combining magic, illusion, theatrics, comedy, and fun into a totally family-friendly experience, which kids, parents, and grandparents can all enjoy together. Together, families will enjoy an afternoon filled with high energy magic, world class illusions, hysterical comedy, and audience interaction, guaranteeing an afternoon of exciting live entertainment for kids & adults alike.

Michael Dubois’ Solo Circus will bring a dynamic array of magic, juggling, mentalism, circus and sideshow stunts to the Centenary Stage on February 2 at 2 pm, all wrapped up in Dubois’ unique brand of comedy.

And a musical adaptation of the traditional Ethiopian folktale “The Lion’s Whiskers” will be performed by the noted Catskill Puppet Theatre on April 13 at 2 PM, with life-sized puppets , magical special effects, and memorable music. Tickets for the Family Fun Series may be purchased as a subscription for $45 for all three events, or individually for $20 for adults and $17.50 for children under 12.

Other Family events coming up this fall will include the annual CSC “Holiday Musical”, which this season will be the musical “The Wizard of Oz”. This recent stage version of the beloved story was adapted by the Royal Shakespeare Company from the classic 1939 film, which was directed by Mervyn Le Roy, and adapted from the book by L. Frank Baum. “ The Wizard of Oz” runs November 23rd Thru December 9th with performances Thursday–Sundays.

For more information and to purchase tickets, you can contact the Centenary Stage Company box office at 908-979-0900 or log on to www.centenarystageco.org.

Pictured: A scene from "Frog and Toad".