Friday Show: The Story Of Thumbelina with Oregon Shadow Theater

Thumbelina is one of Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen's most delightful characters, a miniature girl born from a flower who has to find her own way in the world of nature. In this OST production Thumbelina journeys through a series of natural habitats to discover her home in the land of the flower fairies. Through the seasons of the year, Thumbelina has adventures with frogs in a pond, flying beetles in a tree, a swallow in the woods, a mouse in a field and a mole in his underground home.

The visual design of this colorful shadow play is drawn from Art Nouveau, the decorative art movement of the late 1800s which is characterized by its flowing organic lines and its nature themes. Art Nouveau had a resurgence in the 1960s, and the art and music of the Rock 'n Roll era inspired much of the visual and aural design of the play. While the plot of the play follows Andersen's story, the script supports a comic sub text linking music of the 1960's and '70s to Thumbelina's desire to find her home in a land of flowers. The live music is performed on hammer dulcimer, electric guitar, and an assortment of percussion and sound effects devices.

Oregon Shadow Theatre's production of "Thumbelina" has been awarded the UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry.

Program Running Time: 45 To 50 Minutes

About Oregon Shadow Theater

The Oregon Shadow Theatre is a Portland Oregon based company specializing in the art of shadow puppetry. Their award-winning shadow plays have toured across the United States and in Canada, including performances at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the Detroit Institute of Arts, Festival Place in Alberta, the Chilliwack Cultural Centre in British Columbia, the Puppeteers of America National Puppet Festivals, the Atlanta Center for Puppetry Arts and The Northwest Puppet Center in Seattle, Washington. OST productions are noted for exquisite, colorful puppets, live music and sound effects, and lively good humor. Among other honors, OST has twice received the Unima Citation for Excellence in the Art of Puppetry.

Refunds: All sales are final. Tickets are non-refundable

Parking: We encourage guests to use public transportation or ride-sharing services. Our 75-space parking lot is open on a first come, first-served, basis and limited street parking is available on SW 89th & 90th Avenues.

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Accessibility: Nordia House has two accessible parking spots in our main lot facing SW Oleson Rd. Both the main entrance facing SW Oleson Rd. and our side entrance facing SW Taylors Ferry Rd. are wheelchair accessible. All restrooms have accessible stalls but no power doors. We will do our best to accommodate your needs upon arrival. Please call 503-977-0275 or email info@nordicnorthwest.org to arrange further assistance.