ACT's Family Theater presents "Newly Grown Tales" - May 23rd

Improvised Folktales for the Whole Family

 Saturday, May 23rd

10am

Asheville Community Theatre

35 East Walnut St., Asheville, NC 28801

Attic Salt Theatre Company, the team who produced March’s family hit The Tale of the Pig is pleased to announce their upcoming production of the delightful Newly Grown Tales, at Asheville Community Theatre. The space is located at 35 East Walnut Street in Downtown Asheville. The performance will be at 10am on Saturday, May 23^rd and is open to children of any and all ages. Tickets are only $5 per person. 

Attic Salt Theatre Company is a company that formed in New York City in 1998 and has since concentrated on children's theatre and art residencies in NYC schools. With the arrival in Asheville four years ago of the two principal officers of the company, Jeff Catanese, artistic director, and Marci Bernstein, executive director/education coordinator, the company has been continuing its work to those ends in Western North Carolina. Newly Grown Tales, is the latest of several outings at Asheville Community Theatre and will be touring regionally to schools and libraries in the fall of 2015.

Conceived of by local director Jeff Catanese, Newly Grown Tales is an improvisational look at several different types of folktales. Included are a fairy tale, a tall tale, a fool’s tale and an origin tale, all designed to use the suggestions of the children in the audience as plot points. Said Catanese, “Kids grow up hearing many folktales, but know very little about how they came about. Allowing them to aid in the creation of never-before-heard tales helps the idea of oral tradition sink in that much better. 

Newly Grown Tales has been in existence for over a decade and has played to thousands of children all over the country. Whereas most children’s theater companies typically retire shows after a few years, the longevity of this one lies in the fact that it’s never been the same show twice. Each new audience will come up with unique suggestions and combinations of suggestions so that ever tale is truly on that has never been told before. 

Producer and Attic Salt Theatre Company co-founder Marci Bernstein said, “Most of our touring shows revolve around folktales in one way or another. This show is very special to us because we get to involve the kids in a special way and create something right in front of their eyes. Many times the stories we’ve told and acted out have amazed even us!” 

The cast is made up of local favorites Carin Metzger and Jeff Catanese. Mr. Catanese estimates he’s performed this show well over one hundred times. “It never gets boring,” he said. “For our other shows we create while sitting at our computers. To create on the fly, with an audience watching it happen is a real joy.” 

Tickets are available through the Asheville Community Theatre box office. Please call at 828-254-1320, or reach them online at ashevilletheatre.org.