For any little one who's ever dreamed of being part of the magic of storytelling—here’s your chance.
Next month, Curio Theatre Company will invite young Philadelphians and their families to ‘Anansi the Spider: A Make/Partake Experience’, an interactive production inspired by an African fable from the Ashanti people of Ghana.
Running Nov. 6 to 22 at the West Philadelphia theater company and designed for children ages 3 and up, the production combines live performance with hands-on creative activities, inviting young audiences to help bring the story to life themselves.
Directed by Mya Flood, the production follows Anansi, the “resourceful trickster” whose adventures appear in traditional stories of the Akan people and throughout parts of West Africa. According to a release, Anansi wants to become the keeper of all the world’s stories. To prove himself worthy, he turns to Nyame, the Sky God, who gives him three formidable challenges: capture a python, a leopard and a swarm of hornets. Anansi has no need to overpower his adversaries; instead, he relies on clever thinking and inventive schemes to accomplish what brute force alone might not.
The tale provides a natural fit for Curio’s Make/Partake approach, which the company first pioneered in 2021. Rather than treating children as a passive audience, the format gives them opportunities to contribute directly to the theatrical experience. The goal? Participation becomes part of the story, making each child’s imagination an important ingredient in the performance.
It all happens through movement, props, sound and the overall atmosphere becoming more than backstage elements; they become ways for audiences to see how a story is constructed and how their own ideas can shape it. And Anansi’s journey specifically celebrates the power of imagination and demonstrates that “a clever idea can accomplish what strength cannot.”
Performances next month will feature Jerome Scott, Taahira Teshi and Janaan Ashton. Productions are set to begin with a preview on Friday, Nov 6, at 6 p.m., followed by the official opening on Saturday, Nov 7. The run then continues through Sunday, Nov 22, with Saturday performances at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Sunday performances at 1 p.m.
For more information on ‘Anansi the Spider: A Make/Partake Experience’ at Curio Theatre Company (4740 Baltimore Ave.), visit curiotheatre.org
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