COMING SOON:
RAMONA QUIMBY
a play by LEN JENKIN, based on the series of books by Beverly Cleary
March 12 - 27, 2010
Thursdays at 7 PM, Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 3 PM & 7 PM & Sundays at 3 PM
Unpredictable. Exasperating. Boisterous and independent. That’s Ramona Quimby for you. Always aggravating her older sister, Beezus, constantly getting into trouble and sometimes “making a big, noisy fuss” when things don’t go her way. As narrator, Beezus (Beatrice Quimby) introduces the Quimby family and friends and thereby sets the scene for the collection of vignettes that trace Ramona’s tumultuous passage through third grade and through her family relationships. At school, she throws a tantrum when provoked by a classmate and is sent home in disgrace. The teacher’s wrath, an important family wedding, persistent sibling bickering and Mr. Quimby’s attempts to give up smoking are part of the fabric that shape a humorous, loving family portrait.
NOTE: CTK is changing the times of Saturday performances with this production. Saturday shows will now be held at 3 PM and 7 PM.
The COMPLETE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE is:
Friday, March 12 at 7 PM
Saturday, March 13 at 3 PM and 7 PM
Sunday, March 14 at 3 PM
Thursday, March 18 at 7 PM
Friday, March 19 at 7 PM
Saturday, March 20 at 3 PM and 7 PM
Sunday, March 21 at 3 PM
Thursday, March 25 at 7 PM
Friday, March 26 at 7 PM
Saturday, March 27 at 3 PM and 7 PM
Reservations are strongly recommended for all CTK performances. To reserve tickets for the production, e-mail the number of adult and child tickets needed, along with your requested performance date and time, to tickets@childrenstheatreknoxville.com . Or you may call us at (865) 599-5284. Tickets are $11 per person. CTK is continuing our special Adult & Child Combination rate for this production: If an adult and a child enter together, these two may be admitted for $9 each.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
The play is being performed by 13 of the Knoxville area’s finest child actors, being joined by six veteran adult performers. Samantha Hatmaker plays the title role of Ramona Quimby. CTK audiences may remember Sam from her previous roles of Templeton the Rat in “Charlotte’s Web” and The White Rabbit in “Alice In Wonderland.” Amber Hull portrays Beezus, Ramona’s older sister. Amber recently played the bratty singer Ashley Chaffin in “Zink: The Myth, The Legend, The Zebra” and adeptly played triple roles in “James and the Giant Peach.”
Other children appearing in the play include nine previous CTK performers (Madison Austin, Jaden Lily Branson, Jesscia Burks, English Daugherty, Zachary Hull, Bethany Moon, Wheeler Moon, Brandon Wilhoit, and Rowan Young) and two young actors making their CTK debuts (Georgia Barton and Isabelle Hannah).
Since the play is about families, it’s only fitting that the cast contain a familial bent. Lisa Hatmaker is a veteran Knoxville performer who is playing Ramona’s teacher Mrs. Griggs. Lisa is Samantha Hatmaker’s mother. Houston Daugherty is making his CTK debut as Mr. Quimby, and he is the father of English Daugherty. Wade Houston is playing the millionaire Hobart Kemp, and his daughter Madison also appears in the play. And two sets of brothers and sisters are in the cast: Amber and Zachary Hull, and twins Bethany and Wheeler Moon. CTK is privileged to have three additional successful veteran adult actors in the cast: Rachel Jae (playing Mrs. Quimby), Jacqueline Nunweiler (playing Aunt Bea) and Janice Stanton (playing Next-door-neighbor Mrs. Kemp).
The play is directed by Zack Allen, CTK’s Executive Director. Wade Austin is the show’s scenic designer, and Jamie Jensen is the backdrop artist. Josh Beach is the production’s lighting designer, and Amie Dyer will provide the costumes.
LOCATION
The play is being performed at CTK’s theatre facility in downtown Knoxville, located at 800 Tyson Street. Heading north from downtown on Broadway, Tyson Street turns left (west) just past Old Gray Cemetery. Tyson Street is between the traffic lights on Broadway at Fifth Avenue and Central Avenue, and is directly across the street from historic Emory Place. The theatre is about 300 feet down Tyson Street, immediately next door to Dixie Kitchens. The CTK sign is visible from Broadway, looking down Tyson Street.
The play is made possible through the support of UT Surgical Associates, Schaad Companies, Kersey Family Care, and Knology.