6th Street Playhouse Will Start Season with “Elephant and Piggie”

SANTA ROSA, CA (July 19, 2023) –– Following last season’s success with A Year With Frog and Toad, 6th Street Playhouse begins their 2023-2024 season with another Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) production. Professional actors will bring children’s literature to life in Elephant & Piggie’s “We are in a Play!” Gerald and Piggie “pop-up” from the pages of Mo Willems’ best loved early-reader books in this rollicking vaudevillian style musical. Book and lyrics by Mo Willems with music by Deborah Wicks La Puma. Tyler Marques directs and choreographs and Rachel Steiner is music director. It opens August 19 and runs weekends through September 24, first in the intimate Monroe Stage and then at Charles M. Schulz Museum Theater.

Elephant & Piggie’s “We are in a Play!” is the perfect way to introduce young people to the joys of live theatre! Gerald, a cautious elephant, and his enthusiastic, free-spirited “bestus” friend, Piggie, will sing and dance their way into your hearts with lively song and colorful storytelling. On a day when anything can happen, the devoted pair face key childhood challenges like trying new things, learning to share and to forgive. All the while, they make problem-solving fun!

The Fifties feel, rockabilly, doo-wop and jazz-inspired music and dance will have everyone bopping in their seats. This bouncy, playful and interactive musical is best enjoyed by children ages 3 and up, but is fun for audiences of all ages!

“I am overjoyed to be directing ‘Elephant and Piggie’,” said Tyler Marques. “I cannot wait for everyone to enjoy the whimsical world Mo Willems created.”

6th Street Playhouse is thrilled to partner again with the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County (CMoSC)! They will provide fun pre-show activities based on Mo Willems’ books to engage your children in the stories and include them in creating theatre magic.

A sneak peek of the show when they feature “Elephant & Piggie” books during their CMoSC Storytime. One of the actors will read in costume and sing a song from the show! At CMoSC from 11-11:30 am on Saturday, July 29, Aug 5 & Aug 12.

A Theatre-Magic art project/souvenir at 6th Street Playhouse 30 minutes before each Monroe Stage performance.

Elephant & Piggie’s “We are in a Play!” continues with 6^th Street’s new partners hosting performances at the Charles M. Schulz Museum Theater on Sept. 16, 17, 23 & 24 at 10am & 1pm. Tickets include same-day admission to the museum!

Post Show Meet and Greet – Stick around to meet your favorite characters and get their autographs!

Approximate Running Time: 1 hr & 15 mins with a 15-min intermission after 30 mins.

Featured Cast:
Elephant – Ted Smith (Toad – A Year with Frog and Toad)
Piggie – Katie Foster (Turtle, Bird, Squirrel, Mole – A Year with Frog and Toad)

About 6th Street Playhouse
6th Street Playhouse is a nonprofit performing arts organization that has been producing superlative live theatre and education programs through its 6th Street Studio since 2006. The Playhouse is the central hub of the Sonoma County arts scene. It is known throughout the region for its high-level of artistry, professionalism and educational opportunities, and its innovative approach to works both new and old. 6th Street Playhouse has been named “Best Theatre Troupe” by the Bohemian readership for the last eight consecutive years and “Best Local Theatre Company” by the Press Democrat “Best of Sonoma County” awards for five out of the last six years. The 6th Street Studio offers educational programming for over 800 youth both in-house and through their partnerships with Chops Teen Club and the Rincon Valley Education Fund.

6th Street Playhouse has received over 50 nominations for excellence in all areas of production from the leading Theatre Arts adjudication organizations in the Bay Area, including the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC), Theatre Bay Area (TBA), and Sonoma One Theatre Awards (SOTA). Santa Rosa Players, DBA 6th Street Playhouse. EIN 94-1748527.