An art aims, above all, at producing something beautiful which affects not our feelings but the organ of pure contemplation, our imagination. – Eduard Hanslick
Part of our mission statement at Charleston Stage is to share [our] talents with young people, teachers, and schools in the community; and inspire participants to celebrate their own creativity. Imagination is such an important part of our childhood and our adulthood. This may be the first theatrical experience for many children. In a modern American culture where kids can easily be inundated with the special effects of movies, television, and internet media, we as theatre artists seek to push them to use their own imagination, which is a beautiful thing! There is something magical about seeing a human actor transform into a dog or a cat, and cause an audience member to forget that they are actors. There is something magical about believing that dogs and cats really do break into song and dance to express their feelings! There is something magical about 450 people sitting together, being told the same story and laughing along.
You’ll notice that the actor controlling the puppet of Bunnicula is clearly visible. It is my hope that audiences will use their imagination to accept the artistic medium of puppetry. This magic allows us to believe that Peter Pan can fly across the stage without strings, and that Dorothy is truly carried by a tornado to Munchkinland. Theatre is about magic, creativity, and escape from the realities of test scores, budgets, and the gravity that keeps us on the ground.
There are so many themes in this piece that range from the dynamics of friendship to the judgment and perception of other creatures before actually knowing them. Is Bunnicula really a vegetable-juice-sucking-bunny-vampire? Where did that music come from?! WHY DID THE LIGHTS JUST GO OUT?!
Don’t worry, its just theatre magic…
I encourage you to watch, laugh, listen, and take a journey with Harold and Chester into the mysterious tale of Bunnicula!! Bunnicula runs October 15th at 7:30pm and 16th at 3:00pm at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. Get your tickets today!