Archive: Arts & Entertainment

From left: Steven Bennett (Ron), Francesca Panzara (Emma), and Jack Herrin (Roy). Photo Credit: Rachel Philipson
The Hangar Theatre Company continues its KIDDSTUFF season with the world premiere of Unicorn Girl by award-winning playwright and Ithaca College professor Saviana Stanescu. Directed by Sharifa Elkady, Unicorn Girl will be presented from Thursday, July 25, through Saturday, July 27, with two performances each day at 10 am and 12 noon.

When 8-year-old Emma gets bullied at school for having two dads, she sets out on a fantastical journey to end bullying and encourage listening. Emma's stuffed unicorn, Connie, joins her on this journey of discovery, during which she meets people-like animals, animal-like people, and the president of the United States! This play explores themes dealing with advocacy, bullying, self-expression, and allyship.

Unicorn Girl is the latest of KIDDSTUFF's annual world premiere works, when the Hangar commissions a local playwright to craft a play for younger audiences. After last year's The Amazing Tale of the Backyard Overnight Adventure by Rachel Lampert, the Hangar tapped Stanescu to bring to life a story about acceptance in the modern world.

Stanescu, past writer of more mature-themed plays like Aliens with Extraordinary Skills and Waxing West, loved the opportunity to share her skills with younger viewers. "Unicorn Girl has the subtitle, 'a play for kids age 8 - 88,'" she says. "It's a story that will hopefully make kids (and parents) think about differences and inclusion, while also having lots of fun. It has been a pleasure to work with the wonderful director Sharifa Elkady, and I'm looking forward to seeing our 'unicorns' transform and animate the theatre."

The season's first four KIDDSTUFF shows feature the work of the Hangar Theatre Design Fellows, Hangar's Drama League Directing Fellows, and members of the Hangar Theatre Lab Company, a troupe of rising artists from across the nation. The Directing Fellows and Lab Company members also produce The Wedge series of free, cutting-edge plays at the Cherry Artspace (for adults).

Unicorn Girl features Lab Company members: Francesca Panzara (Emma), Robert Edwards (Connie), Jack Herrin (Roy/Rainbow Forest Witch), Steven Bennett (Ron/Deer), Ben Teitelbaum (The President), Jessica Murphy (Kid 1/Lupu), Alexandria Watts (Kid 2/Wolf), and Cameron Park-Miller (Kid 3/Bird). The show also features the work of scenic designer Jack Golden, costume designer Anna Jekel, lighting designer William M. Brown, sound designer Kristin Hamby, stage manager Terysa Malootian, and director Sharifa Elkady.

Unicorn Girl will be followed by the final KIDDSTUFF performance of the musical Mary Poppins Jr., presented by the Hangar's Next Generation School of Theatre (August 1-3).

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