America's Oldest · Founded 1808

WST For Kids presents MADELINE and the BAD HAT!

April 28, 2008

Madeline and the Bad Hat, produced by ArtsPower, will close the Walnut Street Theatre for Kids Season at the Walnut on Saturday, May 31 at 10:30 am, 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm.

Madeline and the Bad Hat by Ludwig Bemelmans is one of the most popular installments of the Madeline series about a delightful little girl living at a boarding house in France during the late 1930's. Madeline's adventures take readers to a place where learning new lessons is great fun and a special friendship is the world's most valuable commodity.

Madeline is quite unhappy when Pepito moves in next door. He is mean and rude, and not too friendly towards Madeline and her classmates. Worst of all, he's not even nice to her animal friends! As Pepito and Madeline find a way to be friends despite their differences, she learns not to judge a book by its cover. Madeline and the Bad Hat is a musical experience that will teach kids of all ages about acceptance, forgiveness and the unbreakable bonds of family and friendship.

Since 1985, ArtsPower has grown into one of America's premiere producers of professional Equity theatre for young and family audiences, the second-largest of its kind in the nation. Its 22 professional touring productions have been seen by nearly seven million people in 46 states - from Alaska to Florida - in some of the nation's top cultural centers, including The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and Lincoln Center in New York.

The Walnut Street Theatre for Kids' Series is celebrated for its commitment to encouraging parents (and grandparents) to read to their kids. Kids enjoy the storybooks, and then discover a whole new level of imagination when they see the shows live, in musical adaptations written especially for grades K-6th and their grown-up friends. The Walnut takes pride in bringing families together through reading and the arts.