Toddler inspiration for new Christmas show
By KAREN SHADE, 12/8/2005
Lottie Cruncleton, 2, and her dreams are the source of her father John Cruncleton's shadow puppet show, "Lottie in Dreamland: A Christmas Fantasy," debuting at the Nightingale Theater this weekend. SHERRY BROWN / Tulsa World
When looking for the inspiration of his latest show, director John Cruncleton looked to his own for something imaginative and unique, even for the Nightingale Theater.
That rosy-cheeked inspiration is often seen toddling between the theater's green room and lobby on performance nights.
Cruncleton based his shadow puppet theater, this weekend's "Lottie in Dreamland: A Christmas Fantasy," on his 2-year-old daughter Lottie and her dreams.
"She's always been a fighter. She wakes up all the time and has dreams. She tells me as much as she can," Cruncleton said.
A fan of Windsor McKay's "Little Nemo in Slumber Land" (a popular newspaper comic strip in the early 1900s), Cruncleton used the old illustrations as a guideline for his show's style, similar to the way images from ancient Greek vases and vessels influenced the style for the shadow puppets in 2004's "The Golden Ass," which he also directed at the Nightingale.
"It's kind of a snapshot, in a way, of things she's interested in," things such as robots and lions. The curly red-headed moppet is also a fussy sleeper.
In the story, the Prince of Dreamland is going to tour the North Pole to meet Santa and wants to take Lottie with him. But Lottie needs to go to sleep to enter Dreamland and join him.
"Lottie's a real excitable sleeper, so when something crazy happens in her dreams, she tends to wake up," Cruncleton said.
Another character named Flop, however, would rather have the prince for herself and does everything she can to keep Lottie from getting to Dreamland, but with a little help from some new friends, she might make it after all.
"Lottie" is light and moves away from the thematic edginess associated with many shows presented at the Nightingale, but it also stays the track of providing an alternative take on the live theater experience, Cruncleton said.
"I'm really excited about it," he said. "It's pretty incredible."
Theater
"Lottie in Dreamland: A Christmas Fantasy" shadow Puppet Show
When:
7 and 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and Dec. 15-17, matinees at 1 and 2 p.m. Saturday and Dec. 17
Where:
Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. Fourth St.
Admission:
$5-$10
For more information and reservations, call 583-8487 [As of February 2007, 633-8666]