WPAA

Wichita Children’s Theatre Professional Touring Company will present “Three Billy Goats Gruff” Oct. 14 to 16 in several area schools.

One evening public performance is scheduled at the Decatur Community Junior-Senior High School Auditorium, Monday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. CDT. The performance of “Three Billy Goats Gruff” is free to all attendees. The school is located at 605 E. Commercial, Oberlin.

The Western Plains Arts Association and each sponsoring district school is making this traveling program possible to elementary school children in Hoxie, Atwood, Winona, Sharon Springs, Colby and Quinter, with the support of public grants.

This WPAA project is supported in part by the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce. The KCAIC receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Area contributors include grants from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan; the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation- Dane G. Hansen Community Grants for Logan and Thomas County, and the Seele Foundation, Colby.

“Three Billy Goats Gruff” is the story of three sibling goats, Nanny, Billie, and Fred, who realize they have just run out of grass in their farmyard. Across the bridge they see a yard full of nice, green, yummy grass. The only problem is, underneath that bridge lives a grumbly, grouchy troll.

The three goats retreat into the barn to make their plans on how to get across the bridge to the new grass. Meanwhile, children meet a friendly, gentle troll that would never hurt anyone who loves to play but he’s just lonely for someone to play with. After numerous attempts, the three goats return and are determined to get across that bridge. Because the goats are so rude to the troll, he stops them before they can pass. The troll helps them understand how important manners are and that it’s not always greener on the other side. There is nothing to fear from the troll, in fact, they now have a new playmate– and lots of nice, fresh, new grass!

Wichita Children’s Threatre performs from September through February in Kansas and Nebraska. The company is professional in every facet, complete with storybook sets, costumes and props appropriate for each production.