Children's Theatre
From June through September, our talented children's theatre casts brings stories from around the world to life.
Youth Theatre participants receive over 50 hours of performing arts training with professional artists and educators, and will portray characters from folklore and children’s literature in stage productions at the park.
Our 2024 shows are:
Abuelita’s Tamales
Based on the English folktale “The Apple Dumpling,” our tale follows a generous grandmother as she seeks out what she most wants….masa to make tamales! Abuelita helps out a gaggle of villagers each stumped by a problem. Will she ever get enough masa to make her world famous tamales??
Performance Days: March 16-17, April 13-14, May 4-5, June 22-23, July 12-14, August 3-4
The Friendship Bridge
Two towns both alike in dignity, but very different in their fashion sense. Come to the villages of Bloo and Greene and meet two kids that will bring their towns together and end their village feuds through the power of friendship.
Performance Days: April 6-7, April 27-28, May 18-19, June 9, July 6-7, August 17-18
Hungry Anansi
Based on the folk tale “Why Spiders Have Long Legs” from Ghana, our tale follows Anansi and his animal friends. Anansi, anxious for a tasty snack, ends up with a little more than he can chew! Come join us in this hilarious romp through the rain forest as we learn why spiders have those long spindle legs.
Performance Days: March 23-24, April 20-21, May 11, June 2, June 29-30, July 20-21, August 10-11
Why these plays?
With the new year beginning, the power of friendship has been a big focus here at Children’s Fairyland. With the pandemic behind us, we learned just how important our friends and family are to us and we wanted to bring that alive onto our Children’s Theatre stage. Whether it’s finding new friends, breaking down barriers, or even learning that your true friends will always have your back no matter what happens, each of our tales shows that friends are our family!
History of Children's Theatre
Since 1957, Fairyland has been encouraging children to create their own live theater in the park. Starting with teenage Storybook Hosts in ’57, and becoming the Fairyland Personalities in 1960, the program evolved into The Children’s Theater program and has been lead by Dr. Doyle Ott since 2008. In the theater program, children ages 8 - 11 portray characters from world folklore and Children’s literature in stage productions. They also make outside appearances representing the park at community events and parades. Auditions for the Children’s Theater Program are held once a year in January/February. Find out about the audition process.
More about Aesop's Playhouse
Aesop’s Playhouse accommodates over 200 people in festival seating and was funded entirely by Oakland’s Measure DD, a $198.25 million bond measure passed by voters in 2002. Oakland-based Ace Architects designed the structure; Scientific Art Studio of Richmond created the fanciful sculptures of Aesop and his characters.
In addition to our own children’s theater, our playhouse has hosted the Bay Area Children’s Theatre, Oakland School for the Arts, the Pacific Boychoir, the Oakland Ballet Company, popular characters from KQED, and a host of young performers from local schools and community arts groups.
