My Father’s Dragon – Dawn McAndrews

Adam P. Blais Director	Stacey Koloski Set Designer	Elizabeth Rocha Costume Designer	Daniel Brodhead Lighting Designer
Grey Conderman Sound Designer	Hayley Wenk Assistant Stage Manager

Cast (In order of appearance)

Mackenzie Shaw Cat/Dragon	Mike Dolan Elmer	Emery Lawrence Mother/Monkey	Ben Shaw Narrator/Gorilla
CJ Stewart Sailor/Rhino

From the Director

First published in 1948, Ruth Stiles Gannett’s award-winning children’s novel My Father’s Dragon tells the story of young boy named Elmer Elevator who ventures to Wild Island in order to rescue a baby dragon. Furnished with a knapsack containing two dozen pink lollipops, rubber bands, chewing gum, colorful ribbons, and a fine-toothed comb, Elmer must use his ingenuity and bravery to avoid being dinner and return home.

In its purest form, My Father’s Dragon is the story of a child who sets out on a whimsical journey to right a philosophical injustice. As a young child, Elmer possesses the privilege of being unaffected by the surrounding world, allowing him to view others through a lens of equality and harmony. As individuals around the world campaign to be treated equally regardless of their cultural, physical, and biological differences, My Father’s Dragon reminds audiences to put aside their differences and to work together to promote a world that embraces and celebrates our unique gifts and experiences.

This production of My Father’s Dragon sets Elmer’s journey in the year it was first published; utilizing a talented cast of five actors to portray 31 wild and unconventional characters. Harkening back to a time where children relied on their imaginations and ingenuities to provide countless hours of entertainment and play, this production of My Father’s Dragon celebrates the spontaneous and playful nature of children young and old. It is my hope that this production of My Father’s Dragon will encourage audiences of all ages to use their imaginations, lead with their hearts, and dare to fly.