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MainStreet Theater
Date
Frederick: May 5 - 12, 2018
OLIVÉRio: October 12 - 27, 2019
Location
MainStreet Theater
Lewis Family Playhouse
Victoria Gardens Cultural Center
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
"The word 'beautiful' comes up a lot in conversation with Mireya Hepner, whether she is talking about the 550-seat Lewis Family Playhouse in the Southern California city of Rancho Cucamonga, where for 14 years she produced theatre for young audiences under the company name MainStreet Theatre Company, or talking about the production values of the plays staged there, almost all of them adapted from popular children’s book titles, and all starring Equity actors, featuring Ovation Award-winning designs, and directed by some of the region’s most acclaimed directors of 'adult' work." American Theatre Magazine, September 8, 2020.
MainStreet Theater Company
Frederick
Book by Susan Maynard Miller
Music and Lyrics by Sarah Durkee and Paul Jacobs
From the Leo Lionni Directed by Robert Castro
Creative Team:
Scenic and Projection design by Victoria Petrovich
Costume Design by Raquel Barreto
Lighting design by Brian Gale
Sound Design by John Zalewski
“In this charming musical adaptation of Frederick, the award-winning book by Leo Lionni, summer is quickly turning to fall and all the mice are out collecting supplies for the cold winter that lies ahead. All except for Frederick, who seems to have his head in the clouds or so it would appear. When winter finally arrives it is Frederick who has stored something special that helps save the day. With a foot-tapping score that adds to the fun, Frederick is is a perfect introduction to musical theatre for our youngest audiences.” (For ages 4 and up)
OLIVÉRio – A Brazilian Twist
West Coast Premiere
Book and Lyrics by Karen Zacharías
Music by Deborah Wick La Pluma
Directed by Robert Castro
Creative Team:
Scenic and Projection design by Victoria Petrovich
Costume Design by Raquel Barreto
Lighting design by Bosco Flanagan
Sound Design by John Zalewski
“In this joyful retelling of Oliver twist set in Modern-day Rio de Janeiro, everyone has to choose between doing what’s easy and doing what’s right. This colorful musical tackles issues of poverty, inequity, greed, and betrayal in a way that’s easy for young people to understand – set to a samba beat and ending with a note of hope.” (For ages 6+)
I designed seven productions in collaboration with MainStreet Theater, a company focused on bringing beautifully designed, smart adaptations of children classic books and new plays for young audiences and their families. The shop support was minimal for those projects, which required imaginative and impactful solutions with minimal resources. For many audience members, this was their introduction to live performance. The creative team invariably aimed for designs that were out of the ordinary and unique, rather than literal and illustrative. My work with MainStreet Theater is at the core of a mission to bring design to audiences of all ages as a way to teach about the world and foster the possibilities of the imagination.
