Event: The Department of Theatre and Dance presents a play for all ages. “The Transition of Doodle Pequeño” includes glowing oranges the size of pumpkins, vaudeville vampires, pirate princesses, a troll who might not be a troll and a sassy, fast-talking goat. Doodle and his mother have just moved into a quadruplex where nothing is as it seems. Accompanied by his imaginary goat, Doodle meets Reno, a boy who has a fondness for wearing tutus year-round and is the target for the neighborhood bullies. Through the course of the night, Doodle discovers the meaning of true friendship and acceptance. A blend of English, Spanish and “Goat,” this award-winning comic play takes a heartwarming look at the consequences of misused language and interrogates the issue of gender-bullying.
When: Performances start at 7 p.m. Nov. 30-Dec. 2, and 2 p.m. Dec. 3
Family Day: Masks, Movement and Mayhem! Noon-1:30 p.m. Dec. 3
Where: Oscar G. Brockett Theatre. 300 E. 23rd St. in the F. Loren Winship Drama Building on The University of Texas at Austin campus. A map is available online.
Tickets: Tickets ($10 for single purchase ticket, $5 for additional tickets) are on sale at the Bass Concert Hall Box Office, most H-E-B stores and all Texas Box Office outlets, online at TexasPerformingArts.org, or by calling 512-477-6060 or 800-982-BEVO.
Background: Playwright and M.F.A. candidate Gabriel Jason Dean has been honored with numerous awards including the Kennedy Center’s 2011 Ken Ludwig Prize. “The Transition of Doodle Pequeño” won the 2011 New England Theatre Conference (NETC) Aurand Harris Award and has been selected for the 2012 Kennedy Center New Visions/New Voices Festival.
Families are invited to attend the Family Day event Dec. 3. Family Day includes admission to the performance and a pre-performance workshop exploring creative activities and theater games designed to reveal that things are not always what they seem. The intergenerational workshop is appropriate for ages 8 and older. Family Day tickets are $5 per participant. Contact theatreanddancefamilyday@gmail.com for inquiries and reservations. Space is limited.
This story is timely and pertinent for today’s youth. Dean explains, “With the number of children who take their lives each year because of gender-bullying, it’s time we openly talked with our younger ones about these issues. At its heart, ‘Doodle’ asks us all to be careful with labels, to understand pejorative terms and the deleterious consequences of misused language. Words have the power to enslave and destroy. But when examined with open hearts, those same words can free and restore us.”
Learn more about “The Transition of Doodle Pequeño.”
