JONESBOROUGH REPERTORY THEATRE

Performances Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 28 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 29 at 2 p.m. Friday, April 3 at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 4 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, April 5 at 2 p.m.

Interpreters for the Deaf at JRT’s Saturday Matinee of
The Phantom Tollbooth

Jonesborough Repertory Theatre presented The Phantom Tollbooth, based on the beloved children’s book by Norton Juster, and adapted for the stage by Susan Nanus. A special weekend included one performance on Saturday, April 4 at 2 p.m. interpreted in ASL for the Deaf.

The play featured a bored boy named Milo on a magical adventure through an imaginary land of magicians, princesses, and talking creatures. Milo’s journey begins when he discovers a magical car in his room that transports him on a quest from the Kingdom of Wisdom to the Castle in the Air. Along the way Milo strives to end the quarrel between King Azaz of Dictionopolis and the Mathemagician of Digitopolis. Tock the watchdog and Humbug are Milo’s companions on his journey to save the banished Princesses of Rhyme and Reason. Milo and company encounter an entire cast of unforgettable characters who give them clues and teach valuable lessons along the way.

There was two interpreters for the Saturday matinee performance – Janette Gaines and Patty Harmon. “This play will be interesting to interpret,” says Gaines, “There are so many idioms and plays on the English language. It will be a challenge to interpret that into another language and still retain the humor. We’ll have to come up with some signs to help describe the creative word play in the script.”

Making the set for Phantom Tollbooth.

The cast and crew included over thirty students, kindergarten thru 12^th grade, from across the area: Annika Burley, Audrey, Brent and Timmy Chaffin, Elliot Childress, Kasey Curtis, Christina Fulcher, Magda and Molly Gaines, Walker Godfrey, Pollie Griffin, Colin and Hannah Jeffress, Taylor Jeffries, Jacob Jones, Kathleen and Sarah King, Amber Leach, Georgia Link, Hollie Mathews, Hunter Miller, Sarah O’Leary, Cassidy Taylor, Emma Thompson, Lexi Turner, Robby Vance, Taylor Vanders, Jackie Wessner, Gabby Wexler, and Alaina Wood.

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JRT welcomed Pam Adolphi as the show’s lighting designer, Landon Simmons and Ellen LaPrade on light board operation, Janette Gaines and Taylor Vanders on sound board operation, Lizi Landers as the production’s stage manager and JRT’s Artistic Director, Kathleen Buttolph  directed the show.

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“This is such an exciting play.” says Buttolph, “Many of our audience members may remember reading the book, The Phantom Tollbooth as a child. It’s a wild ride of a tale and has been so much fun to create. The show is very colorful in design and full of fun word play. It’s not just a show for young people. I think people of all ages will admire and find much humor in the clever writing.”

The Phantom Tollbooth was sponsored by