Overture- StregaNona

An American Girl’s Fund for Children Family Series Event

Tomie dePaola’s

Strega Nona With Music and Additional Lyrics by Aron Acurso

Adapted for the Stage by Thomas W. Olson

Based on the Books by Tomie de Paola

Lyrics by Roberta Carlson Starring

(in alphabetical order)

Gilberto Esqueda Jeremy Kreamer Kate McCormick Jessica Payne Kyle Payne Laura Pyper Kristin Schmitz Scenic Design by Andrea Bechert

Costume Design by Lighting Design by Ulises Alcala Brian Pergamit

Puppeteer Doyle Ott

General Management by MAXIMUM ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS Direction by Tracy Ward

Musical Supervision by Sean Fenton

Choreography by Nicole McGann

SUN, NOV 21, 2010 | Capitol Theater Stay after this performance for an Overture Meet the Artist event. Meet the Artist is supported in part by contributors to the Ovation Fund. Learn how you can be part of supporting Overture’s community and education programs at overturecenter.com/contribute.

This program is part of Overture’s Community Ticket Program. Funding for the Community Ticket Program is provided by American Girl’s Fund for Children, a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts, and by contributors to the Ovation Fund. Learn how you can be part of supporting Overture’s community and education programs at overturecenter.com/contribute.

Sponsored by

Welcomed by

Strega Nona | Overture Center 1

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American Girl’s Fund for Children is proud to sponsor the Family Series at Overture.

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TOMIE DEPAOLA

Tomie dePaola (pronounced Tommy da-POW-la) is best known for his books for children. He’s been published for 40 years and has written and/or illustrated over 200 books, including 26 Fairmount Avenue, Strega Nona, and Meet the Barkers. Tomie and his work

have been recognized with the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award and the New Hampshire Governor’s Arts Award of Living Treasure.

He lives in New London, New Hampshire with his new Airedale dog, Brontë. For more information visit tomie.com.

STREGA NONA: A BRIEF HISTORY

So, here’s the real scoop on how Strega Nona came about. In the early 1970s, I was teaching in the theater department at what is now Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire (where I live).

My books were beginning to get noticed, so my editor at Prentice-Hall (now Simon & Schuster), Ellen Roberts, suggested that I look into retelling a folk tale. Of course, I would also illustrate it.

Well, some months before at a required weekly college faculty meeting (I always sat in the back row with a legal pad and doodled. The administration thought I was taking notes.), I was, as usual, doodling. I was “obsessed” with the Italian commedia dell’arte character Punchinello. So many of my doodles were of him — big nose, big chin. On my pad, I drew the profile, but suddenly I found I had drawn a head scarf.

I put in the eye and the smiling mouth and continued to draw a little chubby body complete

with long skirt and apron. And I scribbled the words “Strega Nona” next to the drawing. I was tickled pink. She was so cute, so Italian, I thought I might be able to use her in a book someday. I pinned the doodle up on my studio wall.

Back to Ellen Roberts and her suggestion that I re-tell a folk tale. “What was one of your favorite folk tales when you were a child?” she asked. “The Porridge Pot story,” I answered immediately. “Why don’t you re-read it in a version that’s in the Public Domain and see if you’re interested enough in it to re-tell it,” Ellen said. So, I reread the story. But, I didn’t really

Meet the Artist Please join us for an informal discussion and talk-back in Capitol Theater immediately after tonight’s performance.

Strega Nona | Overture Center 3

SUPPORT

WHAT YOUR

KIDS

LOVE

Are you a family that attends Kids in the Rotunda (KIR) on a regular basis? Do you depend on KIR for your winter family outings? Do your kids light up when the magician, dancers, or bands take the Rotunda stage? Then support what your kids love!

Join other KIR fans in helping to keep this family community asset free. For a minimum contribution of $50 per family, you’ll become a member of the KIR Club and receive the following:

• Invitation for your family to the annual season ending party/private performance especially for KIR supporters • Opportunities for your family to meet select artists • A special Overture backstage tour for kids and their families

• Ticket discounts to select Family Series performances at Overture Join Today! You’ll have even more fun and can take pride each Saturday morning knowing that your generosity is part of how it all happens.

overturecenter.com/contribute

STREGA NONA: A BRIEF HISTORY CON’T

like it. Suddenly, light bulb time!

Maybe I could change porridge to pasta and I could use my little Strega Nona (who was already “telling” me who she was”). I called Ellen to ask if it was “legal” to re-tell a story. “Of course,” she said, “as long as the

story is in the Public Domain.”

(A story in the Public Domain is a story for which the copyright has expired or lapsed. Public Domain stories are usually very old.) So, I started working on the text for Strega Nona.

Professional Services

Accounting, Consulting and Technology for Business

Strega Nona | Overture Center 5

WHO MAKES THE SHOW HAPPEN

The Director is Tracy. Tracy is in charge of telling the actors where to go on stage and how to make their characters interesting.

She is the person who makes sure everyone is doing a good job telling the story of the play.

The Actors are all of the people you saw on the stage.

They work together as a team to rehearse the play, memorize their lines, and learn their songs.

All of the actors went to school to learn how to perform.

The Set Designer is Andrea.

Andrea creates the world where the actors tell the story.

She imagines and draws all of the pieces that you saw on the stage, the furniture and the painted fabric.

The Costume Designer is Ulises.

Ulises imagines the clothes that the actors are wearing to help become the characters. He draws and then sews the clothing.

The Producers are Eva and Nina. Eva and Nina hired all of the people involved with the show. They also work together to tell people all across the country about the show so they will want to come and watch it.

Photo: Perô, or the Mysteries of the Night

american Girl’S fund for children SerieS

family

sun, feb 20, 3 pm

Childsplay, Ferdinand the Bull

sat, mar 12, 11 am

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia,

sun, may 1, 3 pm

The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites Speeltheater Holland, Perô,

or the Mysteries of the Night Sponsored by

overturecenter.com

LET’S LEARN ITALIAN

Draw a line from the Italian word to the English word:

Molto Excuse Me

Si Si Thank You

Buon Giorno Yes Yes

Tutti Good Night

Grazie Very

Prego Hello/Goodbye

Scusi You’re Welcome

Ciao All

Buona Notte Good Day

Language Answers: Molto=Very, Si, Si=Yes, Yes, Buon Giorno=Good Day, Tutti=All, Grazie=Thank You, Prego=You’re Welcome, Scusi=Excuse Me, Ciao=Hello/Goodbye, Buona Notte=Good Night

HELP

BRING THE

ARTS

YOUR

TO

COMMUNITY

overture’s free and low-cost community and education programs are at the heart of our mission to engage the entire community in the arts. in fact, last season, these programs served more people in our community than the total number of tickets sold to all of our performances. these programs are possible only through the generosity of contributors to the ovation fund – people just like you who recognize the transforming benefits of the arts and want to ensure that everyone in our community can experience them. learn more when you make your donation online at overturecenter.com/contribute. overture’s free and low-cost community and education programs include: Community Ticket Vouchers, Kids in the Rotunda, Duck Soup Cinema, Take 10, International Festival, Overture Community Galleries, St. Mary’s A.M. Series, Artist Residencies, Community Arts Access Program, OnStage Performing Arts Series, The Tommy Awards, Educator Workshops, Meet the Artist, Wisconsin Writers Series and Overture After Work

OVATION FUND: Community. Education. Diversity.

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Drumline LIVE!

SAT, NOV 27 – SUN, NOV 28 Overture Hall | $19.50–$42.50

overturecenter.com

608.258.4141

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ACTOR ANTHONY BAKER CHORES DANCE ITALY

MAGIC PASTA PLAY PUPPET RING STREGA

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PATRON SERVICES AND INFORMATION

Welcome to Overture Center for the Arts Your enjoyment is important to us. Please contact an usher or the ticket office if you have any concerns about your experience here.

Rentals: For information on renting spaces in Overture Center for weddings, performances, meetings or other events, call 608.258.4163 or email events@overturecenter.com.

ORDERING & INFORMATION

Etiquette Please turn off all paging devices, cell phones and watch alarms.

Order online! overturecenter.com Phone orders: Call 608.258.4141 Mail or fax: online order form at overturecenter.com or in our magazine.

Buy in person: Visit the ticket office located on the main floor just off the Rotunda Lobby.

Ticket office hours: Mon–Fri, 11 am–5:30 pm; Sat, 11 am–2 pm; open additional hours evenings and Sundays on days of ticketed performances.

Group orders: Groups of 15 or more receive a discount on most performances. Call 608.258.4159 to make reservations.

TTY/ TextNet: Call 1.866.704.2328 for tickets and information.

Visit overturecenter.com: For a calendar of events, links to artists’ websites, video, audio, directions, parking and much more.

PATRON SERVICES & POLICIES Accessibility: Request accommodations when ordering your tickets. Call 608.258.4144 (TTY/TextNet: 1.866.704.2328) for information, questions, or to request the following: n

wheelchair-accessible seating house wheelchair for transport n sign language interpretation n Braille playbill n other accommodations n

Information is also available at overturecenter.com/tickets/accessibility Children and lap seating: Every person, regardless of age, must have a ticket to enter the theaters for performances. Children under the age of 6 are not permitted at certain performances. See our season brochure, visit our website or call the Help Line at 608.258.4143 for information.

Contacting a patron during a performance: Call 608.258.4179 with performance the patron is attending and his/ her row and seat number.

Lost and Found: Visit the information desk in the Rotunda Lobby or call 608.258.4973.

12 Overture Center | Strega Nona

Smoking is prohibited in Overture.

The use of cameras or tape recorders in the theaters is prohibited without written permission from Overture Center and the performing company’s management.

Food, large bags and other large items are not permitted in the theaters. Beverages are allowed at select shows in Overture souvenir cups.

In consideration of audience members with scent sensitivities and allergies, please use perfumes, aftershaves and other fragrances in moderation.

Event Staff Stagehand services in Overture are provided by members of Local 251 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

Volunteer usher and other services for Overture are provided by Overture Friends.

For information, visit overturecenter.com/ contribute/volunteer or call 608.258.4177.

RESIDENT ORGANIZATIONS Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society bachdancinganddynamite.org | 608.255.9866 Children’s Theater of Madison ctmtheater.org | 608.255.2080 Kanopy Dance Company kanopydance.org | 608.255.2211 Li Chiao-Ping Dance lichiaopingdance.org | 608.835.6590 Madison Ballet madisonballet.org | 608.278.7990 Madison Museum of Contemporary Art mmoca.org | 608.257.0158 Madison Opera madisonopera.org |608.238.8085 Madison Symphony Orchestra madisonsymphony.org | 608.257.3734 Wisconsin Academy’s James Watrous Gallery wisconsinacademy.org | 608.265.2500 Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra wcoconcerts.org | 608.257.0638