“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” written by Ernie Nolan, is this season’s Nashville Children’s Theatre “Snuggery” show and is being performed at Lipscomb University in the black box theater.
This is not the first year Lipscomb has hosted the NCT, but it is the first time the university have hosted the Snuggery, as well as the first time NCT has done a Snuggery show. The performance is geared toward kids 5-and-under, but is most certainly enjoyable for the parents as well.
The show is comprised of two characters: Glimmer and Sparkle. The two are star-catchers and spend the entirety of the show searching for “Little Star.”
The cast starts the show by inviting the young audience members as well as the adults to become star-catchers with them by giving them star-catcher kits and taking them through an interactive training that includes: dancing, singing, searching for stars and learning to be star-catchers.
An interactive theater is a new concept and a fun way to get away from a screen for 45 minutes, said Eric D. Pasto-Crosby (who portrays Glimmer).
“I personally love how different it can be,” he said. “I thoroughly enjoy that (children’s reactions0 part, having to loop that in as we go through. You could easily go on autopilot, but they don’t allow you to.”
The dynamic between the two-person cast creates a new energy in the theater, according to Pasto-Crosby: “We go through all the ranges. We get sad, happy and it’s a full art, they experience with you…. It’s the same energy each time, but different dynamic”
The actors are wonderful at including the whole audience in the show, with banter written and improvised that keeps even the adults entertained.
“The story is catered to 5-and-under, the performance is for everyone,” said Pasto-Crosby.
NCT’s goal in creating the Snuggery is to give the youth their first experience in theater, he said.
According to the NCT website, the Snuggery is defined as…
1. A snug place or position;
2. A comfortable or cozy room;
3. A cultural and creative experience for the very young on their own terms!”
Ryan Michael Friedman (Sparkle) said he loves the Snuggery because of “the fact that this is such a unique experience for TYA theatres.
“Not a lot of shows are specifically directed to the age group we’re targeting with this show,” he said, adding it “is cool to be a part” of bringing youngsters their first theater experience.
The Snuggery show is running from June 14-Aug. 4 at Lipscomb University. All tickets are $12.
Photo courtesy of NCT.