LACLO Will Offer Children’s Theater

The 1990s’ children’s entertainment phenomenon has already seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the ‘toon boom, stunning growth of the children’s recording industry and children’s concerts at such mainline venues as the Universal Amphitheatre. And now children’s theater may finally be shedding its poor-orphan status.

The Los Angeles Civic Light Opera announced Tuesday that it will offer fully professional children’s theater productions, beginning with its 1990-1991 season, at the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills and the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.

That news came just a month after the Coronet Theatre, a midsized Equity house in West Hollywood, said it is becoming a year-round children’s theater.

The Nederlander-managed LACLO’s first show will be Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic “The Secret Garden,” set for a Feb. 13-March 6 run at the Wilshire Theatre, weekday mornings and weekend afternoons and evenings. It will be produced in association with the Great American Children’s Theatre of Wisconsin, a 16-year-old company, run by Teri Solomon Mitze, noted for big-stage professionalism.

LACLO producer Martin Wiviott described the new venture as “a fabulous program.” Joining forces with Mitze and her Great American Children’s Theatre “seems such a natural, since she has been producing children’s theater around the country. By combining the two organizations, we have a ready-made children’s theater program. It’s a perfect marriage.”

The two Wisconsin shows that have toured here since 1988--”Charlotte’s Web” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”--”have done capacity business,” Wiviott said.

From Wisconsin, Mitze said she is pleased to be joining resources with the LACLO and praised the organization’s support for her artistic goals.

Although the 1991-92 LACLO children’s season has not been set, Mitze plans to include an adventure story, “something like ‘Treasure Island’ ” or “Ali Baba,” and a more serious play, such as “The Miracle Worker.”

In addition to targeting grades K-8, Mitze wants to offer shows that appeal to older teens, such as “Harvey,” “You Can’t Take It With You,” or Moliere plays. “Shows that maybe adults have seen too many times, but most children have never seen,” she said. “That’s my goal, and the Nederlander organization, Marty and I seem to be in total sync.”

In a statement released Tuesday, James Nederlander, LACLO’s chairman of the board said, “The future of theater in America is dependent on the development of the audience. We feel certain once (children) attend a play at the Wilshire or Pantages Theatre, they will look forward to another and another.”