Back by popular demand, the B. Iden Payne nominated production runs July 12 – 21 at the AT&T Conference Room in the Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Dr., Austin, TX  78704.

Written and designed specifically for preschool audiences, All Aboard brings the world of transportation to life through colorful characters, sound, music and motion. Everyone seems to be zooming around on wheels! But when Davi Boy meets Flash, The Traveler, she has a very hard time figuring out how to help Flash get home before a very important delivery. It is going to take a lot of imagination, trial and error, and help from the 18 month – 4-year old children in the audience to transport Flash to his destination.

“So many of our youngest audience members are a part of a growing family,” says director Judy Matetzschk-Campbell, “Many are welcoming a sibling into their environment and existing family dynamic. While they are still learning all about how the world works, a new baby is coming that will change the world they know. It is an exciting time and our play attempts to capture some of that excitement and anticipation.”

Pollyanna Theatre Company is the first to bring ‘Theatre for the Very Young’ (TVY), a variety of theatre work and practices intentionally designed for children under the age of 6, to the Central Texas region. TVY engages children through a visual and physical style of performance merged with elements of dramatic play. Professional actors perform and invite children to participate, providing a bridge for them to use their natural instincts to engage in dramatic play. Pollyanna has produced 5 successful TVY plays with playwright Bethany Lynn Corey, including Jamie Doesn’t Want to Take a Bath, Cowboy in the Kitchen, and most recently, Whether the Weather.

For many children, Pollyanna’s “Play and Play” series will be their first exposure to a formal theatre experience. The leaders of Pollyanna hope that these productions are a great introduction to a childhood that is rich in audience experiences. The company provides a year-round program of seven professional theatre productions for children ages 18 months thru 12 years of age.