TACOMA, WASH.— Tacoma Arts Live presents Giraffes Can’t Dance on Friday, January 12, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at Pantages Theater in downtown Tacoma. Giraffes Can’t Dance is a musical stage adaptation of the celebrated children’s book of the same name written by Giles Andreae and illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees. The story has over four million books in print and ranks as #1 in Children’s Self-Esteem Books on Amazon.
This musical adaptation follows the story of Gerald the Giraffe. All the animals in the jungle have their own special dances, but Gerald the Giraffe can’t seem to move without a clumsy step. With the help of a wise cricket, he finds his own song and learns to dance to the beat of his own drum. The show features puppetry, African drumming, and dancing, with the message that our differences are what make us special. Giraffes Can’t Dance is an hour-long performance and is recommended for ages 3 to 8.
Gloria Bond Clunie wrote the book and lyrics for Giraffes Can’t Dance with music by Elton Bradman and Lila Oleszkiewicz. Gloria Bond Clunie is a founding member of the Playwriting Ensemble at Chicago’s Regional Tony Award winning Victory Gardens Theater where her plays North Star, Living Green and Shoes premiered. She is also the founding Artistic Director of Evanston’s Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre where she directed scores of productions including Ain’t Misbehavin’, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, Home, and Raisin.
Clunie has been recognized for her work in theater and education by the NAACP, AKA and DST Sororities, American Alliance for Theatre and Education and the Vision Keepers. Awards include a Chicago Jeff, a Children’s Theater Foundation of America Orlin Corey Medallion, a Scott McPherson, a Dramatists Guild Fellowship, Theodore Ward African American Playwriting Prizes, New York’s New Professional Theater Award, Chicago Black Theatre Alliance Awards, NEA and Illinois Arts Council Fellowships, the Evanston Mayor’s Award for the Arts and most recently the 2018 YWCA YWomen Leadership Award.
Giraffes Can’t Dance is produced by Wishing Star Productions. Tickets start at $9 and are on sale now. To reserve tickets, call Tacoma Arts Live Box Office at 253.346.1721, visit Tacoma Armory in person at 1001 S Yakima Ave., or go to TacomaArtsLive.org.
