The puppet theatre production, running from Tuesday (7/7) to Thursday at The Rabbit Theatre Studio, aims to do more than entertain. It hopes to inspire children to rediscover the magic of books while promoting important life lessons about friendship, trust, perseverance and embracing individuality.

The book written by sisters Marga and Keila van Vuuren follows the journey of a small grasshopper who dreams of singing alongside his friends. Carrying a secret he fears could cost him their friendship, Gary embarks on an adventure across the farm.

During his adventure, he meets colourful characters such as Henry the sheepdog and Mirabela the cow along the way. Through his journey, audiences discover whether Gary finds the courage to embrace who he truly is.

“We wanted to take the magic of the book and make it real,” said co-author and theatre creator Keila van Vuuren. “In a world where children are surrounded by cell phones and social media, we hope meeting these characters on stage will help them fall in love with stories and inspire them to start reading.

“Gary’s journey reminds children that it’s okay to be different. We want young audiences to leave knowing they don’t have to look or sound like everyone else; their uniqueness is something to celebrate.

“We hope to take Gary the Grasshopper has a Secret beyond Bloemfontein and tour communities across the Free State. We want children who don’t often get the opportunity to experience live theatre to discover both the wonder of literature and the magic of the stage.”

The production’s first performances in March formed part of a community outreach programme and the cast toured local schools and libraries, introducing hundreds of children to Gary’s story.

Van Vuuren said showcasing local talent has also been an important part of the project, with the cast and crew made up entirely of performers and creatives who studied Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of the Free State.

“There is so much talent in Bloemfontein. We want to encourage creativity because people are hungry for meaningful local storytelling. We understand our communities and can tell stories that resonate with them.”

The sisters hope to take Gary the Grasshopper has a Secret on tour throughout the Free State. Photo supplied

Performances take place at The Rabbit Theatre Studio, 20 Jock Meiring Street, on Tuesday at 09:00 and 11:00, Wednesday at 09:30 and 11:00, and Thursday at 12:30.

Looking ahead, the sisters hope to secure funding to take Gary the Grasshopper has a Secret on tour throughout the Free State, particularly to smaller communities where theatre productions are rarely staged.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame sm

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