Studio East, StoryBook Theater launch anniversary seasons with fall performances

Performances of Willy Wonka and Hansel & Gretel will take place throughout October and November.

Founded in 1992 to provide theater arts education to young people on the Eastside, Studio East is celebrating its anniversary with performances this month.

Studio East’s StoryBook Theater, a professional adult touring troupe which introduces young children to live theater venues through the Puget Sound region, launches its 25th anniversary season with the classic childhood tale, “Hansel & Gretel.”

Studio East’s take on “Hansel & Gretel” is presented by Premera Blue Cross, and will be performed at the Renton Carco Theatre, located at 1717 Maple Valley Highway, and the Kirkland Performance Center, located at 350 Kirkland Avenue, in October and November.

The 55-minute original musical features a squabbling brother and sister duo, Hansel and Gretel, as they travel through a forest in search of tasty treats. Along the way, the duo meet a chef who has a hunger for the siblings, and the siblings must learn the importance of working together.

StoryBook Theater will perform Hansel & Gretel at the Renton Carco Theater on October 22 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., with tickets costing $15.

The cast will also present two sensory-friendly performances with special ticket prices of $7 per viewing; the shows will be held in Renton Carco Theater on October 22 at 3 p.m., and Studio East in Kirkland on October 29 at 3:30 p.m. For additional Kirkland show times, visit storybooktheater.org.