WAUSAU – The Grand Theater has announced its 2020-21 Aspirus Arts In Education Series.
Through seven entertaining and educational shows, student audiences will learn about physics, history, American government, and more – all while experiencing the magic of live theater.
For more than three decades, the education series has reached over 17,000 students from north central Wisconsin. At $6 per seat, reservations for the series are available to public, private, parochial, and home schools, as well as the general public. For reservations or more information, call The Grand’s Ticket Office at 715-842-0988 or visit grandtheater.org/programs.
2020-21 Aspirus Arts In Education Series student matinees include:
“Dog Man: The Musical”: Oct. 1
“Dog Man” is the crime-biting sensation who is part dog, part man, and all hero. With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, he loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture. Based on the worldwide bestselling series from Dav Pilkey, the creator of “Captain Underpants, Dog Man: The Musical” is a hilarious and epic musical adventure.
“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (The Musical)”: Nov. 10
It’s not easy being the Pigeon—you never get to do anything! But when the bus driver has a crisis that threatens to make her passengers (gasp!) late, maybe that wily bird can do something. Starring an innovative mix of actors, puppets, songs, and feathers, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (The Musical)” is sure to get everyone’s wings flapping!
“Bill Blagg’s Magic in Motion”: Jan. 22, 2021
In this highly visual, interactive show, students will be on the edge of their seats as they explore how science creates magic right before their very eyes! Master illusionist Bill Blagg will teach students first-hand how to create illusions using core scientific principles such as force, energy, friction, motion, and more. Together with Bill they will apply these principles in a variety of magical experiments that will bend the laws of science and create the impossible!
“Schoolhouse Rock Live!”: Feb. 17, 2021
The classic Saturday morning cartoon “Schoolhouse Rock” explodes onto the stage with a new production updated for a new generation with imaginative projections and a rock ‘n’ roll feel. Academic subjects will never seem boring again when presented through megahit songs like “Conjunction Junction,” “Just a Bill,” “Interplanet Janet,” “Three is a Magic Number,” and more!
“Pete’s Big Hollywood Adventure”: March 17
Everyone’s favorite cool blue cat returns to The Grand with a brand-new production! Featuring the stories of several fun-filled “Pete the Cat” books, “Pete’s Big Hollywood Adventure” follows Pete the Cat and his buddy Callie as they sneak into the Hollywood Studios and get lost in the world of the movies.
“Laura Ingalls Wilder”: April 14
Based on Laura’s own childhood experiences, this original musical follows tomboyish Laura, her older sister Mary, her Ma, and her Pa as they travel across the unsettled frontier of the late-1800s American Midwest. Numerous obstacles test their unwavering pioneering spirit, but they soon learn that together than can overcome anything, and Laura discovers her passion and talent for storytelling.
“Anne Frank: Voices from the Attic”: April 19
In this powerful production, Anne Frank’s historical account of her time in hiding in Nazi Germany is presented in her own voice, but with the supporting characters in her story played by a multi-ethnic ensemble that includes survivors of the 1915 Armenian genocide, the Bosnian civil war of the 1990s, and the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda.
