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2023-2024 SEASON

PLATINUM

SEASON SPONSORS:

Spartanburg Library
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SYT 4. Rainbow Fish - Final.png

Adults: $15

Youth (18 & younger): $10

*Patrons of all ages, including newborns, are required to purchase a ticket

April 12, 2024 at 4:30pm

April 13, 2024 at 2:00pm
April 14, 2024 at 2:00pm

 

Adapted by Austin Zumbro, from the book written and illustrated by Marcus Pfister, translated by J. Alison James

 

With shiny, multi-colored scales, Rainbow Fish is the most beautiful fish in all of the ocean, and the only one of his kind.  But when Rainbow Fish refuses to share his vibrant, shimmering scales, the whole ocean seems to turn against the vain creature.  Unhappy that no one adores him anymore, the Rainbow Fish seeks out the wise Octopus, who helps him learn that it’s far better to be admired for being kind than for being beautiful. 

Age Recommended: Most enjoyed by children 4 and up

Approximate Run Time: 45 minutes (no intermission)

 

CONTENT ADVISORY:

Language

  • The Starfish calls the Pufferfish and Clownfish “clowns!”

  • The Rainbow Fish makes several remarks about how he is too beautiful to fit in with the group and how everyone else is “no more than an ordinary little fish.”   He also says “There’s nothing special about you!” to the Little Fish.

  • There is a point in which the Pufferfish and Clownfish pretend not to notice or hear the Rainbow Fish and that causes him to yell to be seen.

  • The Rainbow Fish says that he does not want to “be ordinary” like a “slug or an urchin skulking on the ocean floor.”

  • The Rainbow Fish calls Dolphins “too silly.” 

  • Rainbow Fish says that everyone’s lives are “drab and dreary.

 

Themes and Situations

  • Beauty on the inside is more important than beauty on the outside

  • Community & friendship

  • How selfishness can keep us away from loving and accepting others

  • There are situations of selfish outbursts and yelling from the Rainbow Fish. 

  • There are situations of gossiping and social exclusion. For example, the Hermit Crab, Little Fish, and Sardine gossip about how the Rainbow Fish reacts to being asked to share his scales. 

  • There are situations in this play that discuss the difference between what makes a fish “special” vs. “ordinary.” 

 

Potential Scary Moments 

  • The Rainbow Fish makes a loud announcement at the beginning of the play. 

  • The Rainbow Fish yells at the Little Fish and others when he is asked to share his scales. He also has an outburst when the Hermit Crab, Little Fish, and Sardine copy how the Rainbow Fish is playing a game instead of sitting back and admiring him. 

  • There is a moment when the Rainbow Fish leaves his home on the reef to swim to the deep and dark cave where the Octopus lives. This scene will be very dark, and black light puppetry will be used.

The Rainbow Fish (play)

2023-2024 Productions Already Completed

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October 13, 2023 at 4:30pm
October 14, 2023 at 2:00pm & 6:00pm

October 15, 2023 at 2:00pm

 

Book by Dennis Kelly

Music & Lyrics by Tim Minchin

Matilda has astonishing wit, intelligence...and special powers! She's unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, Miss Honey. However, the school's mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, despises children and loves thinking up new punishments for those who don't abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage, cleverness, and extraordinary imagination that will lead her classmates to revolt and take back their freedom!

 

Age Recommended: Most enjoyed by children 6 and up.

Approximate Run Time: 90 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)

 

CONTENT ADVISORY:

Language

  • Matilda’s father calls her a bore and tells her that she should "shut her pie hole"

  • Matilda’s mother calls her a “worm" and "little germ”

  • Trunchbull has a song titled “The Smell Of Rebellion” using many insults to express her dislike of children, such as: “Thick headed twit brain,” “little bookworm,” “stupid,” “loony,” “children are maggots,” “little squits,” “little brat,” “spitball,” “foul carbuncle,” “useless,” “filthy,” “nasty,” “pre-pubescent,” “cockroach,” “vile," “repulsive,” “malicious,” “sinner,” “big fat bully,” “twit brain"

  • Reference to “chopping up the umbilical cord”

  • Matilda sings about sometimes needing to be naughty

  • Reference to bursting a blood vessel

  • References to “The Chokey”, a small cupboard in an office Trunchbull throws children into, lined with nails, spikes and broken glass.

  • Reference to an acrobat giving her husband a kiss

  • Matilda talks about someone breaking every bone in their body

  • Miss Honey discusses the death of her father and him potentially killing himself

 

Themes and Situations

  • Dysfunctional families

  • Verbal abuse from people of authority

  • Finding belonging

  • Rebellion and disobedience

  • Death, particularly of loved ones

 

Potential Scary Moments

  • Many situations where characters will scream and shout

  • Flashing lights and loud noises will be used multiple times

  • Trunchbull grabs a character by her pigtails and throws her

  • Trunchbull grabs a child by the ears and stretches them

  • Trunchbull delivers many of her lines loudly is could be seen as an intimidating character

  • Trunchbull forces a character to eat an entire cake.

  • The death of a character's parents is never seen, but insinuated heavily and used as a large plot point

  • "The Chokey," a small cupboard in an office lined with nails, spikes and broken glass where the Trunchbull throws children, is referenced and seen several times throughout the show

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical Jr. (musical)

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December 1, 2023 at 4:30pm
December 2, 2023 at 2:00pm & 6:00pm

December 3, 2023 at 2:00pm

By Catherine Bush

 

Ebenezer Scrooge hates Christmas and is determined to avoid celebrating the season. But, he receives a visit from the ghost of Jacob Marley, his former business partner. Marley warns Scrooge that the same fate awaits him unless he changes his miserly ways. With the help of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come, Scrooge learns to open his heart to all those around him. A new adaptation with quick-changing actors and many of your favorite carols, this play will leave you glowing with the joy of the season.

 

Ages Recommended: Most enjoyed by children 8 and up

Approximate Run Time: 60 minutes (no intermission)

 

CONTENT ADVISORY:

Language

  • There are uses of the words “poor” and “idiot” as insults.

  • There are many references to God within the Christian faith, and the Christmas Holiday.

  • Scrooge says the phrase “See you in Hell.” He says that if poor people do not want to work, they should “die and decrease the population.” 

  • Belle calls Scrooge a “poor, poor, wretched man.”

  • Tiny Tim calls himself a “cripple.”

  • Scrooge asks the Ghost of Christmas Present if Tiny Tim will live, and it quotes Scrooge from earlier in the play by saying  “let him die, and decrease the surplus population.”

  • Mrs. Cratchit calls Scrooge “an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man.”

  • Scrooge says it would be “bad business” to lend money to people in need. 

  • The solicitors say that no one will attend Scrooge’s funeral.

  • Caroline and Will call Scrooge “the Devil.”

 

Situations and Themes

  • The main themes of A Christmas Carol are greed, regret, compassion, generosity, forgiveness, and togetherness. 

  • Death and poverty are mentioned heavily in this play.

  • Scrooge has many instances in which he is stingy with his money. For example: Bob goes to put coal on the fire, but Scrooge says “Coal is expensive. If you are cold, you have a candle with which to warm yourself.”

  • Belle and Scrooge get in an argument about Scrooge becoming obsessed with money.

  • The people the ghosts show Scrooge often say how sorry they are for Scrooge because of his greed and loneliness.

  • In the reality that the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge, his grave is robbed.

  • In the reality that the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge, Tiny Tim has died.

 

Potential Scary Moments

  • The clock striking may be loud.

  • A “beggar woman” approaches Scrooge and startles him. As well as a chorus of phantoms that have multiple appearances throughout the show.

  • The ghost of Marley enters with a chain around him and shrieks at Scrooge.

  • The Ghost of Christmas Present leaves Scrooge all alone by the docks, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come appears behind him.

  • The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge his own grave, and he panics.

  • The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come appears on stilts, in an all-black hooded costumes where you cannot see the actor's face.

 

Other Cautions/Advisories

  • Flashing lights and theatrical haze/fog will be used

  • There may be actors who deliver their lines loudly, scream, or make sudden movements on stage.

A Christmas Carol (play)

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All Tickets (Adults & Youth): $15

*Patrons of all ages, including newborns, are required to purchase a ticket

February 9, 2024 at 4:30pm

February 10, 2024 at 2:00pm & 6:00pm
February 11, 2024 at 2:00pm

Music and Lyrics by Elton John & Tim Rice

Additional Music and Lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, and Hans Zimmer

Book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi

Based on the Broadway production directed by Julie Taymor

Music Adapted & Arranged and Additional Music & Lyrics and “Luau Hawaiian Treat” written by Will Van Dyke

The Tony Award winning Broadway phenomenon comes to life on SYT stage! Simba, a naive and curious lion cub, struggles to find his place in nature's great 'circle of life'. After being forced into exile by his evil and greedy uncle, Scar, Simba meets hilarious friends Timon & Pumbaa, and with their help, overcomes great fear and adversity to take his rightful place as ruler of the Pride Lands.

Ages Recommended: Most enjoyed by children 6 and up

Run Time: 90 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)

CONTENT ADVISORY:

Language

  • Scar calls Simba a “murderer”

  • Scar reveals he was the one who killed Mufasa

  • Scar says you shall not see another day, implying death to other characters

  • Zazu suggests that whenever Mufasa gets dirty he can “beat him”

  • Simba says to Zazu that hyenas are nothing but “slobbering”, “mangy”, and “stupid poachers”

  • Banzai says that Mufasa is as good as dead so they should not try to find him

  • Simba Suggested he would rip another lion apart

 

Situations and Themes

  • Themes include death, faith, love, wrestling with the past, redemption and reconciliation

  • Scar is a scary character and may be intimidating for younger children

  • The hyenas are scary characters and may be intimidating for younger children

  • The hyenas refer to Simba and Nala as food

  • The hyenas and Scar discuss killing Mufusa

  • Timon and Pumba introduce Simba to eating grubs

  • Timon and Pumba sing a song about Simba and Nala falling in love

  • Simba wrestles with strong emotions surrounding the death of his father 

  • Lions hunt and attack a gazelle

  • We see Simba and Nala pounce on different characters as they stalk them as prey

 

Potential Scary Moments:

  • Mufasa falls to his death

  • One scene has a stampede with many wildebeests running towards Young Simba

  • Simba grabs Scar's throat and threatens him to leave

  • Simba collapses to the ground

Other Cautions/Advisories:

  • Flashing lights and theatrical haze/fog will be used

  • There will be many actors in different animal costumes such as lions, hyenas, and many other animals in the jungle

  • The hyena costumes are very large and simulate a hyena on 4 legs. This may be scary for younger children

Disney's The Lion King Jr. (musical)

imagination never gets old.
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