EUGENE, OR - "Charlotte's Web" opens Thursday, Oct. 4 at Lane Community College.
Since 1952, families have shared the experience of the novel, "Charlotte's Web." Acclaimed as a children's classic in literature, the story is depicted in American movies and toys, and is popular all over the world.
Author E. B. White also wrote Stuart Little, and the well-known manual for writing in English, "The Elements of Style."
White's farm life inspired his unforgettable barnyard animal characters, whose relationships and loyalty highlight the poignant reality of the animals' lives and deaths. "I didn't like spiders at first," White said, "but then I began watching one of them, and soon saw what a wonderful creature she was and what a skillful weaver. I named her Charlotte." White studied the lives of spiders for a year before writing his novel. "I discovered, quite by accident," he explained, "that reality and fantasy make good bedfellows."
In the story, a young girl, Fern, adopts a little pig and names him Wilbur. A barn spider, Charlotte, befriends Wilbur. As Wilbur grows, Fern hopes to save him from slaughter by entering him in the county fair. Charlotte devises an arachnid strategy to save Wilbur's life: she weaves flattering descriptions of him in her web – words like "SOME PIG" and "TERRIFIC." Charlotte and Templeton accompany Wilbur to the fair. There, Charlotte weaves a new web, and heroically gives her all, writing words that dazzle the humans. The wisecracking rat, Templeton, provides wild action. The resident sheep and geese are nosey, noisy, and full of snappy comments.
Director Judith "Sparky" Roberts says, "The stage production, like the book, is fun, funny, wise, and sad. The humanity, even of the animals, touches everybody."
This production is enhanced by music, puppets, and filmed sequences by Michael Maruska, showing some of the characters at a real county fair.
Actress Talia Meade, who plays Charlotte, is a regular performer in the Moombah (Musical Vaudeville for Kids) at the Shedd. Wilbur is played by Ben Buchanan. "One bonus," adds Roberts, "is that Nick Caisse, who plays Templeton the rat, is a break dancer."
A sneak preview (dress rehearsal) open to the public will be held Tuesday, October 2, at 7 p.m., for the special price of $1. Regular performances are Thursdays through Saturdays from October 4-20 at 7 p.m., and two matinees on Sunday, October 14 and Saturday, October 20 at 2 p.m. Audience members must be age 8 or older. Tickets are $10 general, $5 for children age 8-12. All performances are in the Ragozzino Performance Hall at Lane main campus, 4000 East 30th Avenue, Eugene. Parents are asked to prepare children about being "watchers and listeners" and to manage their children during the show.
For more information contact the Lane Community College Student Productions Association at (541) 463-5761.
For disability accommodations, contact Center for Accessible Resources at (541) 463-5150 or (541) 463-3079 (TTY) in advance.
Lane is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Visit online at www.lanecc.edu or www.twitter.com/lanenews or www.facebook.com/lanecommunitycollege
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Media contact: Joan Aschim, PIO, aschimj@lanecc.edu or (541) 463-5591