THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE & DANCE
PRESENTS

A PLAY FOR ALL AGES!
THE TRANSITION OF DOODLE PEQUEÑO
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 3, 2011
AT THE OSCAR G. BROCKETT THEATRE
SPECIAL FAMILY DAY EVENT ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance presents The Transition of Doodle Pequeño, November 30 – December 3 at the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre.

Glowing oranges the size of pumpkins, vaudeville vampires, pirate princesses, a troll who may not be a troll and a sassy, fast-talking goat…Doodle and his mother have just moved into the quadruplex and nothing is as it seems. Accompanied by his imaginary goat, Doodle meets Reno, a boy who has a fondness for wearing tutus year-round and is the target for the neighborhood bullies. Through the course of the night, Doodle discovers the meaning of true friendship and acceptance. A blend of English, Spanish, and “Goat,” this award-winning comic play takes a heartwarming look at the consequences of misused language and interrogates the issue of gender-bullying.

Playwright and M.F.A. candidate Gabriel Jason Dean has been honored with numerous awards including the Kennedy Center’s 2011 Ken Ludwig Prize, the 2010 Essential Theatre New Play Prize for Qualities of Starlight, and the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Festival Award for PigSkin. The Transition of Doodle Pequeño won the 2011 NETC Aurand Harris Award and has been selected for the 2012 Kennedy Center “New Visions/New Voices” Festival.

For Dean, this story is timely and pertinent for today’s youth. He explains, “With the insane number of children (particularly boys) who take their lives each year because of gender-bullying, it’s time we openly talked with our younger ones about these issues. At its heart, Doodle asks us all to be careful with labels, to understand pejorative terms and the deleterious consequences of misused language. Words have the power to enslave and destroy. But when examined with open hearts, those same words can free and restore us.”

For more information on The Transition of Doodle Pequeño, please visit texasperformingarts.org/event/doodle.

The Oscar G. Brockett Theatre (300 E. 23rd St.) is located in the F. Loren Winship Drama Building on the University of Texas campus. For a map of the campus, please visit www.texasperformingarts.org/visit/maps_directions.

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENT:
FAMILY DAY: MASKS, MOVEMENT, AND MAYHEM!
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 12:00 – 1:30 P.M.

Families are encouraged to attend a Family Day event on Saturday, December 3rd, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. at the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre. Family Day includes admission to The Transition of Doodle Pequeño and a pre–performance workshop exploring creative activities and theatre games designed to reveal that things are not always what they seem. The intergenerational workshop is appropriate for ages 8 and older.

Family Day tickets are $5 per participant. Contact theatreanddancefamilyday@gmail.com for inquiries and reservations. Space is limited.

CALENDAR LISTING:

November 30-December 3, 2011 – The University of Texas Department of Theatre & Dance presents The Transition of Doodle Pequeño in the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre (300 E. 23rd St.), located in the F. Loren Winship Drama Building. A map of the campus: texasperformingarts.org/visit/maps_directions. Performance times are November 30 – December 2 at 7:00p.m, and December 3 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets ($10 for single purchase ticket, $5 for additional tickets) are now on sale at the following authorized ticket outlets, which include the Bass Concert Hall Box Office, most H-E-B stores and all Texas Box Office outlets, online at TexasPerformingArts.org, or by calling (512) 477-6060 or (800) 982-BEVO.

Media Contact:
Gene Bartholomew; 512.471.0632; gbartholomew@TexasPerformingArts.org
Cassie Gholston; 512.232.5301; gholston@austin.utexas.edu