In a press release sent out this morning, Children’s Theatre artistic director Bradley Anderson said, “Our 2014-15 season has a diverse and innovative line-up of talented actors and compelling stories that reflect our continued tradition of bringing joy and laughter into the hearts of our audience.” The season will kick off on September 17, with a production of “Go, Dog. Go!” that will run through October 5. Here is a beautiful and deeply mysterious description of that work courtesy of Wikipedia: “The book describes the actions and interactions of a group of highly mobile dogs, who operate cars and other conveyances in pursuit of work, play, and a final mysterious goal: a dog party.”

Next up is “Pinocchio,” a moderately unsettling children’s story that draws on near-E.T.A. Hoffmann levels of fantasy and occasional horror, and will run October 24 — November 9.“The Velveteen Rabbit” will then ring in the holidays on a tragic note, with a production running from November 28 — December 21. The New Year will lead off with “Rumpelstiltskin,” running January 21 — February 8. The press release cites its lessons regarding “the destructive nature of vanity and greed,” which is exactly the sort of message young children need to be steeped in, if you ask me. From Wikipedia again, the story involves an “imp-like creature” who magically appears to trade gold for the first-born child of an imprisoned princess who’s being threatened with execution by a tyrant. She saves her own life by accepting the bargain, but the creature later returns to collect on the debt. Even typing that out just gave me the chills.

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“The Cat in the Hat,” will run from March 5 — March 29, and that should just be fun, if eerie. Last up on the schedule will be “The Legend of Robin Hood,” running from April 24 — May 10. Great story, partially inspired by the 11th Century outlaw Hereward the Wake (Wikipedia again), who was legendary for fighting “enormous bears,” rescuing Cornish princesses and sacking monasteries. 

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