Off the back of their sold-out hit Trial by Jury last year, State Opera will again feature on the Adelaide Fringe line up, but this time with the kids show, The Frog Prince at Botanic High School this month on the last weekend of the Fringe.
The Frog Prince is a modern retelling of the classic Grimm fairy-tale about an unlikely friendship that blossoms between a spoiled princess and a sassy frog, and their adventure in the city’s underground waterways. It’s a fantastical and uplifting journey, meeting new friends along the way, and learning life lessons and the importance of looking after the environment.
State Opera South Australia Executive Director Mark Taylor said that more than 2500 kids have already seen and raved about The Frog Prince, with the show touring primary schools across the state since late last year.
“We’ve had a phenomenal response to this bright and wonderful production already. It’s the perfect platform to get younger kids familiar with an opera experience.
“That said, we wanted to make it even more accessible for ALL kids, so we have been working with Allied Health professionals to provide a suitable experience for families of children with special needs and have provided these accessible aspects to the show so all kids can enjoy it at the same time,” he said.
The Saturday 10am performance will have an AUSLAN interpreter side stage (supported by The Growing Space) to support any patrons in the audience who are deaf or hard of hearing with a sign language translation of the dialogue and songs. On Sunday at the 10am performance, a sensory-friendly breakout space will feature as part of the relaxed performance, available for kids with communication, learning and/or sensory needs. For those who are blind or have a vision impairment, tactile tours are also available upon request.
Soprano Lucy Stoddart, who performs the role of “Princess Juniper May” and is also an educator and vocal coach for young people, said that this show was the perfect merging of her two passions. “Bringing opera to kids is a truly magical experience. There’s nothing quite like the squeals of excitement and look of wonder when I hit a high note,” she said.
Tenor Callum McGing, who plays the protagonist Gilbert Gravy in his first lead role with the company said that he felt privileged to introduce this wonderful artform to kids. “When kids walk away at the end of the show singing opera, it fills my heart with joy,” he said.
Fellow tenor, James Nicholson who plays multiple characters in the show agreed. “You know you have a winning show when teachers are surprised that kids are so engaged and quiet during the show – even the troublemakers!” he said.
Alongside a compelling storyline, the show features a rich variety of operatic music including composers such as Mozart, Rossini and Bizet, who have been revisited to wow the kids.
Originally produced by Opera Queensland and shake & stir theatre co, The Frog Prince is suitable for ages 12 & under.
The Frog Prince will perform four shows at the Adelaide Botanic High School Gym, with shows at 10am and 2pm on Saturday and Sunday, 16-17 March 2024: https://stateopera.com.au/productions/the-frog-prince/
In-school performances of The Frog Prince are also available for bookings in terms 2 and 3. Visit https://stateopera.com.au/schools-program/ for further information.
