By Hailey Uhler
h-uhler@onu.edu
As the second show of the Children’s Series hosted by the Freed Center for the Performing Arts, “The Velveteen Rabbit” not only brings to life a favorite children’s story, but it also encourages literacy and has the potential to enrich children’s lives.
On January 15, the Enchantment Theatre Company will take a literary classic right off the page, and, with the addition of music, costumes and life-size puppets, re-create the tale on the Freed Center stage. Tickets are still available at the box office for the 7 p.m. show, and with an early-evening start time, “The Velveteen Rabbit” is the perfect opportunity for families to spend time together appreciating the fine arts — away from a television and taking a break from the everyday routine.
Not only does the Freed Center’s managing director, Catriona Macphie, fully believe in programming shows that are focused primarily on a young audience (like “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “The Magic Treehouse” that ran earlier this fall), but she also believes in the positive effects children’s theater can have on kids in the long run.
“It’s an inexpensive show; plus, it’s a great opportunity for parents and children to sit down together and read the book first before coming to see the show. It fulfills an intellectual need with high quality entertainment,” she says.
The Enchantment Theatre Company is likewise founded on a firm belief in the importance of children experiencing theater. The company agrees that theater and witnessing shows is vital to children and truly helps them to thrive.
“We aim to create a totally new world for children on stage, one that has never been seen before. We think that too much of what children experience today on the stage, on television, and in the movies has been unnecessarily ‘dumbed down’ or styled in cartoon fashion,” states the Enchantment Theatre’s artistic mission.
Children’s theater has gone through a tremendous growth spurt over the past few years — with benefits being reaped for the young audience members attending the shows.
Students are less likely to drop out of school and are generally more involved with community service when they make time for the arts, according to a study conducted at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education. On top of that, an article on Education.com titled “Why Children’s Theater Matters,” states that, “If you inspire a love of theater early on, there’s a better chance that your child will develop creative gifts, and maintain a lifelong appreciation for the performing arts.”  
While the children’s theater movement is significantly bigger in Europe — companies across the pond are creating shows for kids as young as 1 ½ or 2 years old — there are more and more children’s theaters popping up across the United States each year. Currently, more than 90 theaters are members of Theatre for Young Audiences, a national organization for professional children’s theaters.  
“Theater helps connect the head to the heart,” says Linda Hartzell, artistic director of the Seattle Children’s Theater.
There’s still time to purchase tickets for the 7 p.m. showing of “The Velveteen Rabbit” — either online at www.onufreedcenter.com, over the phone (419-772-1900) or in the Freed Center Box Office between 12 and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or on Saturday between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.