TWN children's theatre brings "Pinocchio" to Bennett Hall on Aug. 11
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
T he classic story of the little wooden puppet whose nose grew when he told a lie is coming to the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket stage at Bennett Hall starting August 11.

Featuring the talents of TWN's Resident and Children's Theatre Conservatory Camp companies, "Pinocchio" is directed by Roberta Esposito.

The tale follows the adventures and misadventures of a wooden puppet created by lonely woodworker Gepetto. When the Blue Fairy sees how alone he feels, she comes down from her star and gives Pinocchio life, although he remains a wooden boy. She promises that if he is good, she will one day make him into a real boy.

Even with a friendly, patient cricket sent to aid Pinocchio's conscience, he just cannot resist misbehaving. Instead of attending school, he wanders off and ends up in a puppet show and nearly gets burned for firewood. That lands him in the world of The Dingalings with other children who do not obey their parents' rules and he is turned into a donkey. The Blue Fairy saves him from being sold to a circus and tells him Gepetto has been searching frantically for him.

Pinocchio discovers that Gepetto was subsequently swallowed by a whale, finds and saves him, but loses his own life in the process. When the Blue Fairy learns of his bravery, she makes good on her promise and makes Pinocchio into a human boy.

Pinocchio is portrayed by Dick Baker of Rochester, N.Y. Gepetto is played by Boston's Jared Triolo, the cricket is Erin Baltsar of Pennsylvania and the Blue Fairy is played by Vanessa Calantropo of Boston.

Performances are at 2 p.m. on Aug. 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26. Tickets are $12 for kids and $15 for adults. I