Carousel Player’s presents…
The Velveteen Rabbit.
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An original musical adaptation written by: Annie Tuma, Jocelyn Adema, Lena Maripuu & Reanne Spitzer of Gorgon Theatre
Directed by Monica Dufault
Music Direction by: Raha Javanfar
“The beloved children’s book came out in 1922, shortly after the Spanish flu pandemic had killed millions around the world. The story involves a young boy who comes down with scarlet fever and loses all his toys, which are ordered to be burned by his doctor.
Annie Tuma as the Toy Horse & Aisha Jarvis as Velveteen
Carousel Players artistic director Monica Dufault couldn’t imagine how the story would end up resonating in 2022 — 100 years after its publication.
“In our version we don’t name the illness, but we all know what it is,” she says.
“Parents are going to see all these emotions that have happened to all of our families in the last couple of years encapsulated and presented in a story form, with music that is so touching at times and joyous and rambunctious at other times.”
But as Dufault stresses, the illness is only part of the story. It’s mainly about the love a boy has for his stuffed toy rabbit, and the toy’s quest to become a real rabbit.”
— John Law, Niagara Falls Review