State High Thespians will present the world premiere stage adaptation of “Wishtree,” Nov. 16-19 in the State College Area High School Performing Arts Center, 650 Westerly Parkway.
An oak tree and a crow help their neighbors embrace their differences in this story, originally written as a novel by New York Times-bestselling author Katherine Applegate and adapted for the stage by State College theater maker Kathleen Morrow and puppeteer Adam Swartz.
“We began writing the script pre-pandemic and it is a thrill to bring it to fruition at my alma mater,” Morrow said. “While State High facilities have undergone some major upgrades since my time as a Thespian, the club remains the same: a sometimes serious, sometimes silly and always safe space for creative exploration and expression.”
Red is an oak tree who is many rings old and is the neighborhood “wishtree.” People write their wishes on pieces of paper or cloth and attach them to Red’s branches. Along with a crow named Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red’s hollows, this wishtree watches over the neighborhood. When a new family moves in and not everyone is welcoming, Red’s experience as a wishtree is more important than ever.
“‘Wishtree’ is a story of finding friendship and community,” Morrow said. “It could be about any child, in any family, wishing for these things. It happens to be about Samar, a 10-year-old girl in the only Muslim family in her neighborhood. The book was written during an uptick in Islamophobia in 2016 and published in 2017, when many Muslims could still remember a similar rise of violence against their community after 9/11. Still, and especially now, due to the current Israel-Hamas conflict, Islamophobia and antisemitism threaten families everywhere.”
Featuring a compelling story, custom-made puppets and unique technical elements, “Wishtree” aims to delight and inspire the whole family.
Performances are at 7 p.m. Nov. 16-18 and 2 p.m. Nov. 19.
Tickets are $10, and can be purchased at https://tinyurl.com/wishtreetickets or at the door.
