Storybook Land Theatre returns to Ipswich today

For the third straight year, Aberdeen's Storybook Land Theatre will be touring northeastern South Dakota with a new production, "Ivy + Bean the Musical," with book, music and lyrics by Scott Elmegreen.

Area residents are invited to this family-friendly musical today, August 7, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. at the Ipswich Bandshell. The performance is free to the public and is sponsored by the Ipswich Lions, Ipswich Commercial Club, Active Care Chiropractic, Ipswich Tribune and Avantara Ipswich.

The show is based on the New York Times best-selling book series written by Annie Barrows and illustrated by Sophie Blackall.

Ivy is a quiet seven-year-old who loves books – especially ones about magical spells, as she aspires to be a witch when she grows up. Ivy is new to Pancake Court and inadvertently meets Bean, the outgoing neighbor girl who loves to put her ideas into action in hopes that the whole world will know who she is. When the two of them get together, there's plotting, scheming and laughter at every turn. Join the mischievous second-grade heroines of The New York Times best-selling series as they hatch their exploits onstage in this lively musical. They've got worms to catch, spells to cast, and lessons to learn about the challenges and joys of family, friendship and love.

The cast of "Ivy + Bean the Musical" is made up entirely of the Storybook Land Theatre summer cast: Haven Brunes, Julia Friedrichsen, Judah McKinley, Brian T. Schultz, Loretta Simon, Kara Sinar, AnneMarie Smith, Claire Vetter and technician, Erica Carda.

Storybook Land Theatre, a program of Aberdeen Parks, Recreation and Forestry, is in its 31st season of free, family-friendly performances. Partnering with Aberdeen Community Theatre's Young People's Theatre, under the direction of ACT Associate Artistic/Managing Director Brian T. Schultz, SBLT performs eight different shows in eight weeks in the Storybook Land Castle in Aberdeen's Wylie Park. Performances are typically held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, June through August.

This is the third year SBLT has added a touring element to its programming.

"We've so loved visiting all our friends in northeast South Dakota the last two years with 'Curious George' and 'Junie B. Jones,'" explained Schultz. "We're so pleased to be able to return. We're looking forward to meeting up with old friends that we made on the road last two years, plus meeting some new friends.

"This is a tremendous experience not only for the communities we visit, but the actors that are part of the SBLT company. This is invaluable professional experience for them, too." Schultz hopes the touring element of SBLT's programming is something that will be able to continue for several years to come.

For more information about SBLT, contact Schultz via SBLT's Facebook page or [email protected].