The curtain goes up at 3 p.m....

The curtain goes up at 3 p.m. today on the Inglewood Playhouse production of “Marmalade Gumdrops,” a children’s play about the power of imagination.

Playwright Carol Lauck’s colorful comedy will also be shown three times next weekend, then in Spanish for three weekends starting June 6 and ending June 21.

It will mark the first time the playhouse, which is operated by the city of Inglewood, has done a children’s production in Spanish. If the response is positive, playhouse Producer Pierre Salloum said there will be more Spanish-language productions.

He is sending out flyers to city schools and advertising in Spanish-language publications. Inglewood’s population is 38% Latino.

In “Marmalade Gumdrops,” the central character, 10-year-old Walter K. Hampton, embarks on an imaginative journey through his toy collection after his mother orders him to put away the old toys he no longer uses.

Much like the toys in the famous “Nutcracker” ballet, Walter’s desk, his bed and his lamp spring to life to give him advice on what he could do with each of the old toys if only he would use his imagination.

The desk, which in the play goes by the name of Winthrop, says to Walter: “Imagination is like a marmalade gumdrop; once you’ve tasted it, you’ll never settle for just plain.”

Written in two acts, the English version of the play is being directed by Salloum. The Spanish version will be directed by Al Alvarez.

The playhouse is located in Centinela Park at 740 Warren Lane. Saturday performances are at noon and 3 p.m. On Sundays, the curtain goes up at 3 p.m. Admission is free, although donations are accepted.

Reservations will assure that seats are available. Reservations can be made by calling the playhouse at (310) 412-5451 or (310) 412-5508.