Experience Sergei Prokofiev’s symphonic fairy tale, Peter and the Wolf, performed LIVE! at the Weinberg Center on Friday, January 10 at 7:30 p.m., elegantly told through exquisite puppetry, narration, and classical music. The performance, part of the Weinberg’s Family Series, pairs each character with an instrument of the orchestra, beginning with young Peter, who is represented by the sound of the strings as he wanders into the meadow. There he encounters many colorful characters, including a cat (clarinet), bird (flute), duck (oboe), and, of course, the wolf (French horn). Peter and the Wolf is a charming and captivating tale for younger audiences-and also an excellent introduction to classical music and the orchestra. The musical score was composed in just two weeks by Prokofiev (1891-1953) in 1936.

Das Puppenspiel puppeteers, whom the audience will see on stage, are dressed in black to blend into the background, appearing as “invisible” as possible so the puppet seems alive. Most Das Puppenspiel puppets are made from an instant papier mache, then molded, filled, and sanded. The hands and feet are often carved from basswood, with internal joints and mechanisms added before the puppet is costumed. Das Puppenspiel spends from 75 to 125 hours creating just one puppet.

Founded in 1974, Das Puppenspiel is an ensemble of diversely talented visual and performing artists dedicated to professional puppet theatre for children and adults. The company was honored by UNIMA, the international puppetry organization, with a Citation of Excellence-an award rarely accorded to American puppetry. The troupe has been generously funded by numerous arts organizations and is one of only several puppet companies in the U.S. to receive recognition and support from the Theater Program of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Tickets for Peter and the Wolf range from $6 to $10, reserved seating. Discounts are available for members of AAA and Prestige Banking and groups of 10 or more. To purchase tickets, please contact the Box Office at 301-228-2828 (228-2838 TTY), Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and one hour before performances. Tickets can also be ordered online at www.weinbergcenter.org.

The Weinberg's 2002-2003 Season is sponsored by Jeweled Season Presenter BB&T and Maryland Public Television, media presenter. The Family Series is sponsored by Oldies 106.9 and Sandy Spring Bank. Upcoming performances for young audiences include the 4th Annual Family Cartoon Festival (January 17), The Wizard of Oz (February 16), Yesterday: A Tribute to the Beatles (February 22), and Red Grammer.

The Weinberg Center for the Arts, a municipal facility of the City of Frederick, is located at 20 West Patrick Street in downtown Frederick, Maryland. The historic theatre opened in 1926 as the Tivoli, the grandest of three downtown movie palaces, and was donated to the City of Frederick in 1978. Today, as one of the region’s premier arts presenting facilities, the 1,160-seat Weinberg Center offers seven professional LIVE! series, including dance, music, theatre, family performances and films, weekday performances for students, and classic movies. In addition, the Weinberg Center makes performance space and professional services available to a variety of community arts groups, civic and business organizations, and other arts promoters. For more information, please contact the Box Office at 301-228-2828 (228-2838 TTY) or visit www.weinbergcenter.org.