All The World's A Stage EXPLORING CHILDREN'S THEATRE ON THE CAPE BY susan spencer Emily Luther plays Cinderella and Graham Duff plays Prince Charming in "Cinderella" and "Cinderella, Too," performed by Kaleidoscope Children's Theatre at the Cape Cod Melody Tent. Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of articles on Cape Cod. Modern American theatre is said to have been born on Cape Cod when Eugene O'Neill and other leading playwrights joined the fledgling Provincetown Players in 1916. The artistic tradition that has flourished for nearly a century has produced outstanding children's theatre, too. From rollicking, interactive performances to premier productions that have been training young actors for generations, we've selected the best venues to squeeze some footlight magic into your Cape Cod visit. Cape Playhouse, Dennis The Cape Playhouse, on the grounds of the Cape Cod Center for the Arts, calls itself "America's Oldest Professional Summer Theatre." Broadway performances have lit up the stage since 1927, and children's productions have been offered since the 1950s. "The main thing is that we're fully professional," said Publicity Associate Chris Pauk. "There's a new performance every day we run a children's show. Fifteen different shows run (in a season)," she said. The Seaside Clowns are performing this summer at Payomet Performing Arts Center in North Truro. Children's Theatre Manager Marcia Karhu said the Playhouse looks for a wide variety of shows that appeal to children of different ages. The theatre doesn't put on traditional tales, but Karhu said that tales with a twist, such as Fee, Fie, Foe, Fun, a lighthearted take on Jack and the Beanstalk, are very popular. Pirates are also a popular theme, according to Karhu, and this season's puppet production is the Toe Jam Pirate Show. Centerville summer resident Kate Chope and her three children, ages 1, 5, and 9, go to at least one show at the Playhouse each season. "The Playhouse has nice productions, wonderful unique old-time Cape atmosphere, and lovely grounds to relax on," Chope said. Cape Cod Melody Tent, Hyannis Cape Playhouse at Cape Cod Center for the Arts in Dennis Kaleidoscope Children's Theatre Company, an award-winning professional touring company based in Cranston, Rhode Island, has been presenting fairy tale musicals at the Cape Cod Melody Tent for 25 years. Executive Director David Payton, who writes and composes all of the productions, uses original Grimm fairy tales as much as possible. "Parents can read the story to their children the night before, and the next day bring them to the show where they see the story come to life," he said. Cinderella is a favorite of Kaleidoscope audiences, and this year the company is introducing Cinderella, Too! a funfilled show that picks up right where Cinderella left off. Members of the audience become part of the royal wedding in the sequel. The Melody Tent is a special venue for children, according to Payton, because it's one of the few theatre-inthe rounds left. The company will perform seven different productions there this summer. Payton makes sure there's something for everyone in Kaleidoscope's productions. "I always write for my own enjoyment, too," he said. Audience members meet the cast and get autographs after the show at Cape Rep's outdoor amphitheatre. Harwich Junior Theatre, Harwich Nina Schuessler, Harwich Junior Theatre's producing artistic director, thinks children are the best critics. "They're the best audience for actors to be trained in front of," she said. The theatre has been performing high quality productions and training actors of all ages since 1951. The intergenerational performances, in which adults play adult roles and children play children's roles, are fully produced with costumes and sets. Schuessler sees theatre as a transformative experience for children, referring to Shakespeare's image of the stage holding a mirror up to nature. The Harwich Junior Theatre's production of Hansel and Gretel, which runs August 5 through 21, is the traditional, unvarnished tale. "Children have all these thoughts and feelings, and to see them mirrored on the stage and come to a positive conclusion is very therapeutic," she said. The company invites children into the life of the theatre with a Shakespearean technique in which a jester introduces the play and explains what's going on. Schuessler said, "Theatre teaches children how to be in audiences together; it's live performance and engages active listening; it civilizes them." Cape Rep Theatre, Brewster Summer is about enjoying the great outdoors, and the Cape Rep's setting in an outdoor amphitheatre on grounds leased from Nickerson State Park is a way to enjoy the best of nature and art. Cape Rep runs a one-hour musical production, which this season is A Year with Frog and Toad (Theatre for Young Audiences), on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and 45-minute shows by Mary Wilson's Pitter Patter Puppets on Monday mornings. Actor and Cape Rep publicist Ethan Paulini said, "A lot of families bring their younger kids because it's not as structured as indoors. They can run around and play and the trees provide the perfect amount of shade." Audience members can meet the actors, many of whom are local high school and college students or young professionals, after the show. Paulini, who started his career on the Cape Rep children's stage, said "Children's theatre is a springboard for staff and artists. It's creative for everyone involved." Academy of Performing Arts, Orleans The Academy of Performing Arts is well known for its year-round performing arts classes, including weekly summer workshops for preschoolers through teens. Its Playhouse is also the place to go to enjoy live performances of Walt Disney shows like this season's Jungle Book, which runs Friday and Saturday mornings through August. Jungle Book was selected this year in part because of its memorable music, according to Box Office Manager Caitlin Mills. The show is directed by Judy Hamer, drama teacher at Nauset Regional High, and features students and community members who are cast through auditions. Mills said the arena-style theatre, now sporting air conditioning, sold out at every family production last year; so she encourages people to call for advance tickets. "The best thing about the Academy Playhouse is the intimacy of the venue," said Patty Eppinger, mother of three and a resident of Orleans and Grafton. "My kids love that they can meet actors afterward. We have saved our autographs as souvenirs for years." Payomet Performing Arts Center, Truro What could be more dramatic than attending a performance of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, distilled to a one-hour production with action, magic, and a level of language that kids can understand? Seeing that production in a tent high on the ocean-side bluffs of North Truro at Payomet Performing Arts Center. The Payomet Performing Arts Center provides a rich family repertoire including weekly performances of The Tempest, along with shows featuring Seaside Clowns, puppetry, ventriloquist Steve Charney, and other fun. Children's acting classes, taught by graduates of the Actors' Studio Program in New York City, as well as members of the troupe Shakespeare on the Cape, are offered in two-week sessions. Kevin Rice, artistic director, is exuberant about Payomet's work with Shakespeare on the Cape, a young touring company founded by graduates of the Guthrie Theater/University of Minnesota BFA Actor Training Program in Minneapolis. Kiddie Shakes is the company's program for children. Rice said, "They're beyond brilliant - they're gifted. They nail Shakespeare. They make it understandable and exciting." He adds that Kiddie Shakes performances also entice parents to attend. Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre (WHAT), Wellfleet Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre, known as WHAT, is the Cape's epicenter for avant-garde theatre, featuring the best work of contemporary playwrights. But WHAT also produces imaginative children's shows each summer in the WHAT for Kids tent next to its new Julie Harris Stage. This season's family feature is Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, an adaptation of a Russian folk tale. Justine Alten, director of marketing and communications, said, "We always have (writer and director) Stephen Russel doing the adaptations. It gives children a well-rounded production, not just introducing them to theatre, but music as well." WHAT for Kids also offers individual or eight weekly sessions of camps, including Circus Camp for ages 5 through 12, Acting for Kids for ages 10 through 15, and Shakespeare for Kids for youth ages 12 and up. The combination of top theatrical talent and Cape Cod's unmatched seaside ambiance is sure to create magical memories. Susan Spencer is an award-winning freelance writer who lives with her family in Whitinsville and Brewster, Massachusetts.