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Towngate’s “Reluctant Dragon” Engages Children with Empowering Messages

Not All Dragons Are Scary; Not All Heroes Carry Swords

Oglebay Institute presents “The Reluctant Dragon” for one-show only at 3 p.m. Saturday, November 4 at Towngate Theatre.

Part of Towngate’s children’s theater season, this delightful tale follows the unlikely friendship between a peace-loving, poetry-spouting dragon who prefers a cup of tea to a battle and a young boy and his sister.

Filled with colorful costumes and valuable moral lessons, this enchanting production is a great way for children to enjoy an “enriching and memorable live stage performance in an intimate theater setting,” said Oglebay Institute director of performing arts Tim Thompson.

Show Explores Themes of Peaceful Conflict Resolution

The show explores serious themes of bullying, prejudice, self-esteem and conflict resolution through non-violence.

“It also includes very empowering, positive messages about friendship, honor and loyalty, ” Thompson said. “It does so through captivating and colorful characters and an engaging plot that captures and holds the attention of young audiences.”

Audiences Participate, too!

There will be plenty of audience participation, too.  Children in the audience will portray the villagers, who will respond to cues during the play.

Thompson will give an introduction prior to the performance and explain to the audience how they can participate throughout.  After the show, families are invited onstage to meet the characters, see the set and look backstage.

The show is adapted for the stage from the 19th Century children’s book by Kenneth Grahame. While true to the spirit and language of the charming original, this adaptation embraces the dramatic power of what happens when misunderstanding escalates into prejudice and violence.

“The dragon in our story is far from a fire-breathing monster. He is a shy, peaceful fellow. Unfortunately, the villagers blame the dragon for their misfortunes and summon a famous dragon slayer to rid the village of this creature they see as a dangerous nuisance,” Thompson explained. “The dragon’s young friends convince the villagers that violence is not the answer.”

Cast members include Zachary Michael, Kacie Craig, Evan Oslund and Thompson. Thompson directs the show. Dave Henderson designed the set.

The November 4 show is the only public performance of the production, which has traveled to area schools in four counties as part of Oglebay Institute’s educational outreach program.

Get Tickets

“The Reluctant Dragon” will be staged at Towngate Theatre at 3 p.m. Saturday, November 4.

All tickets are $8.  Purchase tickets at www.oionline.com, by calling 304-242-7700 or at the door, if available.

Experience the Magic of Children’s Theater…

Want to boost literacy? Teach your child to imagine the unimaginable? Cultivate curiosity? Go to the theater, and bring your kids.

Plays ignite the imagination and bring stories to life. Words and characters jump from the page to the stage, thus connecting children to the importance of reading.   They learn valuable lessons, too. Theater teaches skills such as empathy, critical thinking and teamwork. Kids watch the actors working together onstage. They see that REAL people are behind entertainment and realize performers are not just images on TV or computer screens. Live action happens right before their eyes. There’s no app for that! All their senses are engaged “in the moment.” Nothing can be paused or muted.  Some may even discover the actor, director or writer within themselves. Most of all, you get to spend quality time as a family.  Theater is a social experience meant to be shared with one another. So, gather the kids, go to Towngate and experience the magic of theater together.

Keeping the Community in Community Theater in Wheeling. . .

Located in Wheeling’s historic Centre Market District, Towngate is a cornerstone of creative life in Wheeling and serves as an entertainment destination for residents of the Ohio Valley and beyond. People of all ages and backgrounds gather here to create and experience art onstage. Most of all, Towngate celebrates the essential power of theater to illuminate our common humanity. The community enjoys and participates in hundreds of live performances, classes and workshops year-round.

Classic Films (for free) at Towngate: Annie Hall is Nov. 10

The Wheeling Film Society will present a free screening of Woody Allen’s Oscar-winning film “Annie Hall.” It will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 10 at Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre.  A conversation about the film takes place at noon Tuesday, November 14 at the Ohio County Public Library.

A special addition to this year’s Wheeling Film Society lineup is the option to have dinner in Towngate’s social room prior to the film screenings.

“Annie Hall” marked a turning point in the career of Woody Allen, as he moved from the pure silliness of his early slapstick, one-liner movies to the invention of a new genre, the “dramedy.”

Originally conceived as yet another star-vehicle for the writer-director, the film evolved during production. Hours of scenes were shot and discarded. Allen finally “found” his multiple-Oscar-winning film in the editing room, when he shifted more of the focus from his own character to that of his co-star, Diane Keaton. Keaton won a Best Actress Oscar for her role as a woman finding herself during the era of women’s rights.  Allen would subsequently write several more Oscar-winning roles for actresses.

Come for the laughs, but leave with a wistful sense of the difficulty of relationships.

Dinner and a Movie!

With advance reservations, moviegoers can enjoy a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m. in Towngate’s social room. After dinner, guests head upstairs for the free movie at 7:30 p.m.   The cost for dinner is $15 and includes all food, soft drinks, coffee, tea, water and a box of popcorn to enjoy during the film.   You can purchase beer and wine, too.

Popular Wheeling eatery Ye Olde Alpha provides the food for the November 10 dinner and a movie. The menu features steak, chicken and vegetable fajita buffet along with rice, beans, chips and salsa.

Reservations for the dinner must be made by 5 p.m. the Wednesday prior to the screening.  Reserve online or call 304-242-7700.

Oglebay Institute, Wheeling Jesuit University and the Ohio County Public partnered to form the Wheeling Film Society. WFS events bring movie buffs together to watch and discuss classic films.  All screenings and discussions are free and open to the public.

Other upcoming 2017-18  Screenings & Discussions:

“Vertigo”
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 masterpiece stars Jimmy Stewart as a nice guy driven mad by longing for a lost woman. Screening at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 9, 2018 (Conversation about the film takes place at noon March 13 at the Ohio County Public Library.)

“2001: A Space Odyssey”
Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 mind-blowing epic pushed the limits of narrative and special effects toward a meditation on technology and humanity. It deals with the themes of existentialism, human evolution, technology, artificial intelligence and extraterrestrial life. Screening at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 20, 2018 (Conversation about the film takes place at noon April 24 at the Ohio County Public Library.)

About Towngate

A church-turned-theater, Towngate is located in Wheeling’s historic Centre Market District and is part of the nonprofit Oglebay Institute. Towngate offers entertainment almost every weekend.

“Most people think of community theater when they hear the name Towngate,” said OI director of performing arts Tim Thompson. “Yes, our theater season is a huge part of who we are, but we offer many other programs as well.”

In addition to main stage theater productions, Towngate also offers poetry and spoken word performances and children’s theater.  Towngate also features comedy and improv shows. Local and regional musicians perform concerts on the Towngate stage, and a variety of acting classes are offered year-round for all ages.

As a single screen cinema, Towngate shows a variety of films on select weekends throughout the year.

Thompson said film selections include classic films in conjunction with the WFS as well as independent films, thought-provoking documentaries and film shorts by local and regional filmmakers.

“Our movie selections encourage thought and conversation,” he explained. “Our regulars know we only show quality films. Sometimes, they show up for screenings without knowing the title of the film. They trust us that much.”

For more information on Towngate Theatre, visit www.oionline.com or call 304-242-7700.