rabbit burrow

PRESS RELEASE

The Velveteen Rabbit

By Phil Grecian
based on the beloved children’s story

by Margery Williams  

Margery Williams' classic storybook fable of the little toy rabbit who yearned to be real has been a staple of nurseries and pre-school storybook times since it was first published in 1922 with whimsical illustrations by William Nicholson.

Since then, the story has been re-published with a host of different illustrators who were inspired by the gentle images of the little Velveteen Rabbit, her young boy Alex, her mentor the Skin Horse, and the Toy Fairy who comes to take her away. Yes, this show for small children definitely has a happy, if poignant, ending.

The story has also been the source of countless stage adaptations.

Village Theatre is pleased to present Phil Grecian’s loving rendition, expanded to encompass a number of toys from the toy box, each of whom learns a lesson about love’s power from the little Velveteen Rabbit. This play is not a musical.

At Village Theatre, 11-year-old Alexandra DeJong, (Ally to her friends) plays the plucky little rabbit, and 9-year-old Daniel Rocchi plays Alex, the little boy whose love makes his toys real. Separated from his friends by a Scarlet Fever epidemic, Alex fills his days with fantasy play with his toys, a pastime that anyone young and old can relate to.

Helping the Velveteen Rabbit learn about love is the Skin Horse, played by Jennifer Graham, a Waterdown High School grad who recently finished up her B.A. in theatre studies at Brock University. She shares the stage with Kim Wood, currently enrolled at Waterdown High, who floats onto the scene as the Toy Fairy.

Other toys on hand who help out the rabbit include Mouse the wind-Up Toy, Timothy the Wooden Lion and Bulka the Rag Puppy, played by Julia Rocchi (14), Evan McDonald (13) and Shilo Nelson (14) respectively.

Julia and her brother Daniel were both Munchkins in Village Theatre’s wildly popular The Wizard of OZ a few seasons ago.

And what would the show be without REAL rabbits? Mia Presta (11), Emily Benham (10) and Austin Turner (10) are the wild rabbits who entice the Velveteen Rabbit to join them in their merry play. Austin was also a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz.

Rounding out the cast of twelve are VT regular Leena Lehtikallio, who was just recently seen as Lizaveta in A Month in the Country, as Alex’s loving Nana, and a newcomer to VT, none other than former Tivoli director Loren Lieberman, who makes his VT debut in the cameo role of the Doctor. Look for lots of sparks on-stage between these two theatre veterans.

The Velveteen Rabbit’s large production team includes; Director Kerry Corrigan, with ample input from Apprentice Director Susan Creer, and children’s coach Barbara Raimondi, and with loving production by Don Thorne, set design by Mike Rae, costume coordination by Nea Reid, lighting design by A. J. Fleet and sound design by Patrick Lannigan. Jeff Smith is our intrepid Stage Manager.

This play is suitable for children of all ages, old enough to sit quietly for minutes at a time. There will be an intermission, and a running time of under two hours. There will be some scary parts – you have to have those! – but rest assured, the good guys defeat the bad guy and our little Rabbit finally gets her wish.