Friday: 'The Toymaker's Apprentice'
‘THE TOYMAKER'S APPRENTICE'
7 p.m., Arkansas Children's Theatre. $11-$14.
The Arkansas Children's Theatre bills this season's play as a “modern fable.” That might be a stretch. It's a Willy Wonka-ish set-up: In a small house on a peak high above a village, Gideon cranks out the best toys in the land. Even Santa's a regular customer. After one particularly grueling day, Gideon realizes that demand exceeds the supply he can generate alone and decides to hire an assistant. Two apply, Libby and Jack. But there's a hitch. Libby's a girl, and girls don't make toys! But they do, she persists, and Gideon decides to give her a chance. With the wisdom of an exploitative King Solomon, he offers up a contest: Work for a year, after which I'll pick the best employee. Along the way, according to the preview, Jack learns “the value of working hard and having a positive attitude,” and Gideon learns “not to underestimate Libby just because she's a girl.” Life lessons!
7 p.m., Arkansas Children's Theatre. $11-$14.
The Arkansas Children's Theatre bills this season's play as a “modern fable.” That might be a stretch. It's a Willy Wonka-ish set-up: In a small house on a peak high above a village, Gideon cranks out the best toys in the land. Even Santa's a regular customer. After one particularly grueling day, Gideon realizes that demand exceeds the supply he can generate alone and decides to hire an assistant. Two apply, Libby and Jack. But there's a hitch. Libby's a girl, and girls don't make toys! But they do, she persists, and Gideon decides to give her a chance. With the wisdom of an exploitative King Solomon, he offers up a contest: Work for a year, after which I'll pick the best employee. Along the way, according to the preview, Jack learns “the value of working hard and having a positive attitude,” and Gideon learns “not to underestimate Libby just because she's a girl.” Life lessons!
