3 little pigs come to town

A mother pig becomes a sole parent when the progenitors’ father gets taken away by the Big Bad Wolf, and she must encourage them to leave the family’s sty to make their way into the big wide world.

Carousel Theatre for Young People (CYTP) presents the Canadian premiere of a classic tale with a musical twist with Stiles & Drewe’s The 3 Little Pigs at Granville Island’s Waterfront Theatre from Nov. 30 to Dec. 30, 2022.

The touching tale about perseverance, bravery and friendship, directed by Chris Lam, is a witty, endearing reimagining of the popular children’s fable with toe-tapping musical numbers, bubbly costumes and brilliant puppetry.

The fast-paced humorous musical offers 45 minutes of ceaseless laughter, music and magic. The musical’s cast includes Angela Chu, Tanner Zerr, Frankie Cottrell, Kamyar Pazandeh and Steffanie Davis.

“We are thrilled to present the Canadian premiere of this whimsically reimagined take on such a well-known and treasured classic. Stiles & Drewe’s The 3 Little Pigs promises to delight audiences of all ages this holiday season with its uplifting message and adorable charm,” says Jennica Grienke, co-artistic and managing director of CYTP.

Piglets Cha, Siu and Bao are encouraged by Mother Pig to leave the family pigsty. | Photo courtesy of Carousel Theatre

Into the world

Originally commissioned by the Singapore Repertory Theatre for their Little Company as part of a trilogy, the musical Stiles & Drewe’s The 3 Little Pigs follows the coming-of-age adventures of three piglets, Cha, who is exercise-obsessed, Siu, green to the core, and Bao, the sociable book-worm.

In the story the three piglets are encouraged by their mother to leave the family pigsty and make their own way in the big wide world. But the piglets can’t agree on their ideal living arrangements and so they each build their own dream home – one out of straw, one of sticks and one of bricks. Soon enough, the insatiable Big Bad Wolf enters the scene. Yet, just when the pigs think they are safe, the Big Bad Wolf takes Mother Pig hostage, hoping to lure the piglets out of hiding. The siblings must then band together to defeat their wolfish foe. Will they succeed?

“This musical is chock full of upbeat and catchy songs that are infectiously fun and instantly hummable; you’ll be singing them with your families for weeks on end,” says Dave Deveau, co-artistic and managing director of CTYP.

About the authors

The duo of George Stiles (composer) and Anthony Drewe (lyricist) is best known for their Olivier Award-winning Honk! as well as their original musical additions to the Broadway production of Mary Poppins. Including The 3 Little Pigs, the pair have created a trilogy of musicals for young audiences along with Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Their shows, presented all over the world, have been translated into several languages.

Stiles & Drewe’s The 3 Little Pigs premiered in 2012 at the Singapore Repertory Theatre, one of the largest producers of children’s theatre in Southeast Asia, followed by a smash hit run on London’s West End in 2015. The musical has since been performed on stages across Europe, China and the United States.

The musical is geared toward children ages 3 and up.

For more information visit:

www.carouseltheatre.ca