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Nashville Children’s Theatre is “Courageously me!” in the 2023/24 Season

Executive Artistic Director Ernie Nolan is proud to announce the 2023/24 season lineup, which is comprised of 6 productions, 5 of which are world premieres for family audiences. “Whether playing on the basketball court or swimming in the deep blue season, our heroes this season celebrate and embrace their unique qualities and personalities. They face the worlds they live in and announce, “I am courageously me!”

Opening August 12, 2023 in the NCT Snuggery, THREE LITTLE KITTENS, created and directed by Nolan, is a detective game with cat-titude. When three little kittens discover they’re missing their mittens, they go on an adventure to find them before Mother Cat finds out. This interactive, immersive spy play takes little ones on a journey that involves meeting neighbors; building unexpected friendships; and like all good adventures, pie. “Nashville Children’s Theatre is one of the only theatres in the US that is dedicated to consistently producing work for the youngest of theatregoers, ages 0-5 years old,” says Nolan. “This makes us not only national leaders in theatre for the very young, but a part of an international conversation as well,” he adds.

The first production in Hill Auditorium is the world premiere of STRONG INSIDE, adapted by Tyrone L. Robinson from the New York Times best selling book by Andrew Maraniss. This portrait of fortitude is the inspirational true story of Nashville native Perry Wallace. Recruited and accepted to Vanderbilt, Wallace makes history as the first African American to play college basketball in the deeply segregated Southeastern Conference. Also directed by Robinson, this homegrown hero’s story plays until September 26, 2023.

Opening in time for the holidays, the world premiere young audiences version of Roald Dahl’s CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, and book by David Greig, plays from November 4 to December 17, 2023. Based on the famous novel by Roald Dahl, The world-famous Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his mysterious factory…but only to a lucky few.

Life continues to be sweet at Nashville Children’s Theatre in the new year with THE GINGERBREAD KID, a pop music fairy tale frolic, with music by Jodi Marr and book and lyrics by Abe Reybold. A remix of the traditional story of The Gingerbread Man, NCT’s third world premiere of the season opens January 27, 2024 and runs until February 25. When the magical child of a baking couple accidentally eats all of their parents’ sweets, they run away as fast as they can from facing the consequences. As the race builds, Allspice meets a kooky cast of storybook favorites including Henny Penny and her gang, Little Boy Blue, and Foofinella, of Little Bunny Foo Foo fame. Will Allspice always be on the run? Or will a hungry fox stop them in their sugary tracks?

Following THREE LITTLE KITTENS in the Snuggery, THE FLOPSY BUNNIES: A PETER RABBIT ADVENTURE opens on March 9, 2024 and runs until June 30. In this world premiere, based on a story by Beatrix Potter, the Flopsy Bunnies have disappeared! But have no fear, Mama Bunny is in pursuit.

Finishing the season from April 6 to May 19, 2024 in Hill Auditorium is the TYA world premiere of Disney’s FINDING NEMO, music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (FROZEN) and book adapted by Lindsay Anderson. The beloved 2003 Pixar movie, Finding Nemo, comes to life on stage, with new music by award-winning songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (FROZEN). Marlin, an anxious and over-protective clownfish, lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his kid Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. But when Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney, Marlin faces his fears and sets off on an epic adventure across the ocean.

2023/24 School field trip reservations and season memberships are available now. Single tickets go on sale July 1.