A feast of comedy, music, dance, circus, storytelling and theater
COCA recently announced its 2005-2006 COCA Family Theatre Series featuring exciting performances for kids, teens, parents and grandparents at its intimate 400-seat theatre. Subscriptions for the series, sponsored by Emerson, are on sale now.
The series begins October 7-9 when Comedy Pet Theatre brings hilarious animal acrobatics to the stage in an inventive romp featuring dogs, cats, mice and more. The crazy critter stars of the show, all rescued from animal shelters, steal the spotlight from their ringmaster, the first Moscow Circus alumnus, to become part of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Comedy Pet Theatre has received rave reviews in People Magazine and the New York Times.
From November 11-13, performers from Cirque du Soleil, the Moscow Circus and Ringling Brothers will have audiences rolling in the aisles at the cartoon craziness of Cirkus Inferno. This fantastically creative show comes to the COCA stage from Broadway, where it was an Ovation Award nominee. The Los Angeles Daily News calls Cirkus Inferno “a booming success” for its contagious high energy and danceable, rocking score.
From December 9-11, Ball in the House will be in the house with a cappella song stylings and human beatbox sounds from five talented singers delivering R&B, pop and vocal percussion in beautiful arrangements.
From January 13-15, famed young choreographer Robert Battle will take the COCA stage in Battleworks, a gritty, edgy work that will dazzle audiences with its bold artistry. Battle, who was awarded the prestigious Princess Grace Dance Scholarship while at Juilliard, has presented his internationally acclaimed works at the Joyce Theater, St. Mark’s Church, The Juilliard Theater, Dancenow, the Joyce Soho, The Hubbard Street Repertory Ensemble and Ailey II.
From January 27-29, the rhythm of African drums will take over COCA as Diadie Bathily leads his troupe of talented dancers in Dance Africa with Afriky Lolo and Yele. This cultural safari will feature the bold costumes, colorful face paint and beautiful jewelry of the African continent, along with dances and drumming.
From February 10-12, an unlikely menagerie of silly creatures – insomniac hippos, guilty raccoons, hitchhiking rabbits and more – will come alive in the visual feast Biglittlethings, with colors, costumes, and mind-boggling movement from Imago Theatre Company, creators of the St. Louis favorite, Frogz. The Oregonian calls Biglittlethings, “a delight for kids” and notes that “playfulness prevails.”
From March 10-12, magical, moving storytelling will take the stage at COCA with The Happy Prince, fresh from a run on Broadway. Oscar Wilde’s classic fable about friendship is inventively staged by Scotland’s MacRoberts Productions. A sweet story of unlikely friends, this tale, called “charming” by the New York Times, is brought to life by rival storytellers and a cast of fabulous puppets.
This season, audience members can get in on the act and learn to dance, juggle, act, sing. Classes and workshops will teach the skills seen in the inventive shows of the performance series. Circus Day at COCA will accompany Aga-Boom. After each performance of Battleworks, families can join COCA in a celebration of dance. Other exciting offerings at COCA feature comedy improv, magic and illusion and much more.
Performance times are Friday at 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Subscriptions ($84-$98) are now on sale at the COCA Box Office, 524 Trinity Avenue, in the U-City Loop. Single tickets for the performances also are on sale and range in price from $14 to $20.
For more information, call the COCA Box Office at (314) 725-1834, ext. 124. Or visit www.cocastl.org.
