Iconic 5th Avenue Theater to bring free kid’s theater performance to Tri-Cities museum
The iconic Seattle venue and company, The 5th Avenue Theatre, is bringing a free children’s show performance directly to Tri-Cities.
The 5th Avenue Theatre, or “5th Ave.” for short, functions as a nonprofit, with performances at its landmark location in Seattle, as well as education and engagement opportunities. 5th Ave. contains an Educational Touring Company, which takes original works by local artists to schools, community centers, and other locations across Washington state.
Next month, the Educational Touring Company will bring a free show for children to Richland.
‘Songs of the Moon’
This spring, the touring company will premiere “Songs of the Moon: Fantastical Folktales from Asia,” written by Maggie Lee and Annastasia L. Workman. The shows are directed and choreographed by Mimi Katano, with music direction from Aimee Hong, according to a press release from 5th Ave.
According to 5th Ave., “Songs of the Moon: Fantastical Folktales from Asia” features three Asian American students decorating their local park ahead of the Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival, which celebrates the moon. The students try to decide which story they should perform for their community, considering three different Asian folktales.
According to the news release, as the three students discuss each story, they recognize the role folktales and storytelling hold in numerous aspects, including connections across generations, cultural heritage preservation and opportunities for social and emotional growth.
The show’s cast features:
- Megan Huynh
- Adele Lim
- Mike Wu
- Isabelle Bushue
- Anamaria Guerzon
- Caitlin Sarwono
Tour manager Emily Grierson and tour technician Sam Thuja will also travel for the performance, according to the press release.
Free kids show in Richland
Performances through the touring company are generally done at schools, children’s hospitals and senior centers, intended to showcase musical theater for diverse audiences and provide access to cultural experiences and the arts across Washington (and parts of Oregon).
So far there are three public performances scheduled in Seattle, including one with American Sign Language interpretation, and one scheduled at the Reach Museum in Richland.
The show in Richland starts at 5:45 p.m. on April 16, and will last about 45 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for a Q&A segment.
Seating will be outdoors in the Reach Museum Amphitheater if weather permits. The recommended audience is families with kindergartners through fifth-graders.
Amberlee Joers, the theater’s director of education and engagement, said the group is overjoyed to bring the show to other communities.
“This original musical is a celebration of the wonder of the night sky and the enduring power of folk tales and storytelling to build community, bridge intergenerational connections, and preserve cultural heritage,” Joers stated in the release.
“These free public performances allow us to share the magic of theater with audiences of all ages, inspiring young minds and reminding us of the connections we share, whether it’s with the moon or each other, and encouraging us all to keep looking up.”