Theatre-Hikes Colorado: Into the woods with Hansel and Gretel
Once upon a time, a mother and her children set out for an adventure. They got into their magic carriage and headed to the enchanted land of Chautauqua in the kingdom of Boulder.
The trio met a passel of other families with kids ages 2 to 12. It was the custom to wear hats with brims and to squirt onto themselves a special potion that would protect their skin from burns, as well as to carry their water in curiously transparent waterskins.
Some nice thespians at a picnic area offered them blankets to carry with them on the rest of their journey. The group set out on its quest for nature, beauty, entertainment and mild exertion in the Chautauquan wilderness.
Before long, a PLAY broke out, one with actors and a minstrel!
Hikers young and old were captivated by the tale of Hansel and Gretel. They laid down their blankets and watched the story unfold. The woodcutter’s family was so hungry! The wife was beside herself for sending her children into the woods to pick berries! The father came home with horrible tales from the village of a witch that inhabited the woods — alas!
The group picked up their blankets and walked the trails to help the woodcutter and his wife find their children. Lo and behold, the adventurers encountered this.
And this.
But no matter the beauty around the hikers, there remained two children to save — from a horrible witch!
Fortunately, Hansel and Gretel were clever enough to ask for help from their audience, and soon the woodcutter’s family was reunited.
Two hours after they began, the mother and her children finished the 2 mile loop and found a nearby inn that provided nourishment for the hungry adventurers.
And they all lived happily ever after. At least until the next chore time.
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Want to get your Theatre-Hike on? There are three more chances to see Hansel and Gretel at Chautauqua:
- Sat., Jun 25, 2 p.m.
- Sat., Jul 2, 11 a.m.
- Sun., Jul 3, 11 a.m.
Tickets are $19/adults, $15 children 10 and under, plus a service charge. Discounts are available for Chautauqua and Colorado Mountain Club members. See Chautauqua.com for tickets and information on this and other family events.
See also CO.Theatre-Hikes.org for Hansel and Gretel in Greeley and Sedalia, as well as information on the autumn play-hike in October, Frankenstein. The author’s children have already told her that they are most definitely going to attend.
Such fun and I love all the pictures! I’ve been wanting to get my kids more into the arts and this is a great way to do it.
The theatre-hike organizer put it this way: “It puts the storytelling back into the theater, minimizing the reliance on sets and props and scenery.”
And such scenery!
Gorgeous – and looks like a lot of fun for everyone! Thanks for the tip, Lori!
It was like combining art, music and PE all in the same class!
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did, Jenna.
Yeah, this does sound pretty cool!
HOW FUN!!!!
That looks so interesting and fun!! I had no idea they did such a thing.
I love this. What a fun way to spend an afternoon!
[...] weekend I took the kids on a theatre-hike. As we settled at the first clearing where Hansel and Gretel unfolded in front of us, we laid down [...]