Emerald Coast Theatre Company presents “The Rainbow Fish”

MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Emerald Coast Theatre Company (ECTC) is ready to release a ‘dramatic’ rainbow just in time for spring.

The next offering in ECTC’s Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) program is Marcus Pfister’s “The Rainbow Fish” performed two weekends, Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27, and April 2 and 3. All performances are at 9 a.m. The running time is 60 minutes.

TYA productions feature ECTC professional actors performing for young audience members. Usually the theater is not a place for infants, not in this case. This special interactive TYA production is especially designed for the very young (from six months old to 5 years old).

In this special production, members of the Emerald Coast Theatre Junior Company perform along with professional actors to bring alive this colorful story of friendship and generosity.

Vincent Pelligrino, director/performer/musician/professor, who directed “Pinkalicious the Musical” for ECTC last season, returns to direct “The Rainbow Fish.” Set design is by Rebeca Lake. Costume design is by Tara Padgett with prop design by Anna Fisher.

The cast features two ECTC actor/teachers: Tara Padgett (The Rainbow Fish) who has appeared on ECTC’s stage in numerous productions including “Pinkalicious the Musical,” “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” “Red Riding Hood,” “First Date,” and most recently, “A Christmas Carol” and Samantha Savoie of Destin, who has worked as an actor, dancer, aerialist and freelance set designer throughout the state.

The cast also features Emerald Coast Theatre Junior Company players: Alexis Billi, 13, who has worked with ECTC since relocating to Freeport from New York in 2019; Gia Hall of Destin, a 13-year-old junior thespian who has performed with ECTC since 2016; and Hanna Maes, a 7^th grader at the Ohana Institute, who has performed with ECTC since 2^nd grade.

Stage management is by Madi McCall, a college senior majoring in theater education at Troy University.

“This is such an adorable show and an exciting opportunity for our Junior Company teens to work with professional actors Tara Padgett and Samantha Savoie and seasoned director Vincent Pelligrino,” says Anna Fisher, ECTC co-founder and associate artistic and education director.

With book, music and lyrics by Austin Zumbro, “The Rainbow Fish,” based on the beloved children’s book originally published in 1992, teaches that sharing makes you shiny. The story is about a unique fish with shimmering scales.

Other fish admire him and request some of his scales because they want to share in his beauty. At first reluctant, Rainbow Fish eventually relents and finds he enjoys sharing his scales.

In this beautiful adaptation of the children’s classic, audience members get to experience this powerful story through movement, song, color and hands-on sensory opportunities as they become part of the story with the actors.

“It is so wonderful to see the faces of the little ones as they see the actors bring characters to life on stage,” says ECTC co-founder and associate producing director Nathanael Fisher. “The Theatre for the Very Young creates a special time for kids and parents as they experience live theater together.”

This production will be staged at ECTC’s performance space located on the second floor of 560 Grand Boulevard in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin in Miramar Beach.

Come early to take time to browse the beautiful art on display in the ECTC lobby through June 12. Sponsored by the Cultural Arts Alliances of Walton County, this exhibit features around 40 pieces of original artwork by CAA members. This special partnership is a fundraiser for ECTC. Purchase a piece of original art and 50 percent of the proceeds will benefit ECTC and its education outreach programs.

Tickets to “The Rainbow Fish” are $18 per person; children ages 4 to 12 are $12 and children ages 3 and under are free. Purchase tickets online at www.emeraldcoasttheatre.org.