Central Texas’ most well-known children’s theatre company, Pollyanna Theatre, a resident company of the Long Center for the Performing Arts, is bringing back Whether the Weather – An Interactive Theatre Experience for Very Young Children by Bethany Lynn Corey this season. The production runs June 14 – 24, 2017 at the AT&T Conference Room in the Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Dr., Austin, TX  78704.

Created for children 18 months – 5 years old, Whether the Weather follows two best friends, Sunny and Gus, as they explore the meaning of the British nursery rhyme. The pair moves between scenes with different types of weather—sunny, windy, rainy, snowy, etc.—discovering what makes each type of weather unique and confirming the strength of their friendship. Sunny and Gus learn that those we love and who love us are always by our side because they’ll “weather the weather whatever the weather.”

“We are learning so much about how much very young children love repetition,” says Artistic Director Judy Matetzschk-Campbell, “Not only is repetition built into Whether the Weather, we have heard from several parents that their young children want to revisit the characters Sunny and Gus and experience the story all over again. We love that young children are responding so positively to our Play and Play Series and are thrilled to bring this highly successful, rhyming theatre piece back to the youngest Austinites in June.”

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 now produced 6 successful TVY plays with playwright Bethany Lynn Corey, including In My Own Backyard, Under the Big Top, Jamie Doesn’t Want to Take a Bath, Cowboy in the Kitchen, Whether the Weather and All Aboard. 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 production stars Martinique Duchene-Phillips as Sunny and Craig Kanne as Gus with stage management and sound design by Andrew Perry, set design by Chase Staggs, properties design by Joanna Casey, and costume design by Bethany Lynn Corey, and Judy Matetzschk-Campbell.

In addition to public performances, Whether the Weather is also available for schools, daycare centers and camps throughout Central Texas.