April 21 - May 10, 2025
Grades Pre-K to 4
March 20 & 28, 2025
Grades 6 to 12
Dear Educators,
Greetings from Playhouse on Park! We're delighted to invite you and your students to dive into our dynamic Literature Alive school field trip program for the 2024-25 season. As a fellow educator, I know the joy of seeing your students captivated by the magic of live theatre and how important it is for them to see themselves reflected in the stories and performers on stage. This season, we are thrilled to present two enchanting productions designed for audiences from kindergarten through 12th grade.
First, "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" features a delightful mix of songs and feathers, inspired by Mo Willems' best-selling "Pigeon" books. Secondly, explore "The Irish...And How They Got That Way," a spirited history featuring traditional and contemporary Irish music alongside sharp wit and rich storytelling.
To enhance the experience, we provide a comprehensive study guide for student engagement before attending the show. Additionally, a professional teaching artist from Playhouse on Park will visit your school to conduct a workshop full of theatre games and activities that ignite creativity and enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of the upcoming production. Our productions and workshops align with the CT State Standards in English and Social Studies, as well as the National Arts Standards in Theatre, ensuring educational excellence as your curriculum vividly comes to life.
Last year, an impressive 7,445 students participated in our Literature Alive program. Space is limited, and this opportunity fills up quickly, so we encourage early booking. If our schedule doesn't align with yours, please contact us, and we'll do our best to accommodate your needs.
There's no greater opportunity to unlock your students' potential and creativity through the transformative power of live performance. Make this school year unforgettable by securing your spot at Playhouse on Park today!
Warmly,
Kevin Cronin
Director of Education and Outreach, Playhouse on Park
For questions or to book your field trip please email Education@playhousetheatregroup.org or call 860-523-5900 x16.
1 Complimentary chaperone ticket is included for every 10 student tickets purchased. If you have more chaperones eager to partake in the excitement, additional tickets can be purchased for just $10 each.
Script by MO WILLEMS and MR. WARBURTON
Lyrics by MO WILLEMS
Music by DEBORAH WICKS LA PUMA
It's not easy being the Pigeon - you never get to do ANYTHING. But when the Bus Driver has a crisis that threatens to make her passengers (gasp!) late, maybe that wily bird CAN do something. Featuring an innovative mix of songs and feathers, DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS! THE MUSICAL! is even more fun than staying up late and having a hot dog party! With a script written by Mo Willems, the creator of the #1 New York Times best-selling, Caldecott Honor award-winning "Pigeon" picture books, and featuring music by Deborah Wicks La Puma (Elephant & Piggie's We Are in a Play!), DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS! THE MUSICAL! is sure to get everyone’s wings flapping!
Available April 21 - May 10, 2025 | Weekday showtimes at 10:00am and 12:30pm
by Frank McCourt
What’s so great about being Irish? Find out in this moving, uplifting, eye-opening musical history lesson full of charm and a bit of blarney. THE IRISH… AND HOW THEY GOT THAT WAY is an irreverent history of the Irish through the tumultuous 20th and 21st centuries through the eyes of Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Frank McCourt (Angela’s Ashes, ‘Tis, Teacher Man). McCourt’s razor sharp wit, coupled with his trademark bitter irony, and his boundless love for the Irish people are all underscored by glorious music extending all the way from the auld Irish folk ballads, through George M. Cohan’s patriotic love songs to America, World War II standards sung in movies, USOs and foxholes all over the world, and including the latest from contemporary Ireland’s U2.
Available March 20 & March 28, 2025 @ 10:30am