10-10-24

www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 10-16, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 39 ONSTAGE The story of Pinocchio is the quickest way to understand lying, shame and its consequences. It’s a story that resonates with children and even some adults. No wonder Pinocchio returns regularly to the Karen Wilson Children’s Theatre in Salinas. “We have staged it every few years since the 1980s,” says ARIEL Theatrical’s founder and artistic director, Gail Higginbotham. “Pinocchio is by far one of our favorites.” The story’s creator was Carlo Collodi, an Italian writer who released The Adventures of Pinocchio in episodes between 1881-1883. Pinocchio, the beloved story goes, was carved by a woodworker named Geppetto. The doll’s dream is to become a real boy. Collodi died not knowing that Pinocchio would become an international icon, inspiring countless interpretations, from musicals to the 1940 Disney movie and beyond. Literary scholars have described Pinocchio as an epic hero. He experiences rebirth through metamorphosis, a common motif in literature. He discovers that following the wrong crowd for some “fun” can lead to some very fishy situations. With the help of honest friends, including Parrot, a Talking Cricket and the Blue Fairy, Pinocchio learns to be “true, kind and unselfish.” “Theater is a vehicle of development,” Higginbotham says. “This play works particularly well because the central character is a child. It does have a good message. It’s about making positive choices in life, hard work and truthfulness.” Therefore for the ninth time, ARIEL’s adaptation of Collodi’s classic tale brings us Pinocchio, a wooden puppet who has his fill of adventures and misadventures. The cast consists of 45 young people ages 7 to 17, who don’t have to audition to be part of the project. The nonprofit company puts on about 10 plays per year, making them a seasoned group of actors. Located in Oldtown Salinas, ARIEL Theatrical provides opportunities for children to explore the stage and learn valuable lessons about Accountability, Respect, Integrity, Excellence and Leadership—A-R-I-E-L. “Everything is about children here,” Higginbotham says. Next stop: A Christmas Carol. Pinocchio 7pm Thursday-Saturdays and 2pm Saturday matinees Oct. 11-Oct. 19. ARIEL Theatrical in the Karen Wilson Children’s Theatre, 320 Main St., Salinas. $16/ adults; $14/students, seniors, military; $12/children; free/ children under age 3. 775-0976. arieltheatrical.org. JON TORQUIDO Nose Knows Pinocchio is an adventure with a moral for audience members both young and old, as well as a stage favorite. By Agata Pop˛eda The Fox (Kami Allen) and The Cat (Alexus Babbitt) convince Pinocchio (Stella Del Real) to give them his gold coins in ARIEL Theatrical’s production of Pinocchio. O C T O B E R EXPLORE LOCAL ART! SAT. & SUN. 11 AM - 5 PM 12-13 & 19-20, 2024 FREE TO THE COMMUNITY! COMING IN OCTOBER! Download the Mobile App: Open Studios Monterey County OSAT Magazine Guide available via Arts4MC & MC Weekly SCAN ME FOR MORE PARTICIPATING SCAN ME ARTIST STUDIOS TO SEE MAP OF bit.ly/osatmap Art by Deborah Good

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