Photo Flash: First Look at Chicago Children's Theatre's HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON

Chicago Children's Theatre (CCT) and Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell open the season with the Chicago premiere of a new musical version of Harold and the Purple Crayon, based on the beloved children's books by Crockett Johnson, directed by top Chicago director Sean Graney. Performances are now through November 4, 2012. Get a first look at the show in the photos below!

Immediately following the Ruth Page run, Harold and the Purple Crayon will also go on a regional "mini-tour" with performances November 7-11 at the Beverly Arts Center, and November 14-18 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.

The cast for Chicago Children's Theatre's Chicago premiere of Harold and the Purple Crayon are Nate Lewellyn (Harold), along with Alex Goodrich and Bethany Thomas. As always, Chicago Children's Theatre has assembled a design team for Harold that reads like a who's who of Chicago's top professional theater artists: Sean Graney (director); Nick Davio (music direction); Geoffrey Curley (scenic design); Heather Gilbert (lighting design); Alison Siple (costume design); Tommy Rapley (choreography); Liviu Pasare (animation/video design); and Joanna Iwanicka (puppet and prop design). CCT's Chicago premiere of Harold and the Purple Crayon features a script by Don Darryl Rivera, lyrics by Robert Burgess, and music by Auston James.

Meet Harold, a curious four year old boy who, armed with his trusty purple crayon, has the power to create a world of his own simply by drawing it. When Harold wants to go on a walk in the moonlight, he finds there is no moon. So Harold draws one. When he has nowhere to walk, Harold draws his own path. Along the way he encounters dangerous dragons, embarks on a perilous sea voyage in a trim little boat, takes a hot air balloon ride, and enjoys a nine-pie picnic, just a few of his many adventures as Harold tries to draw himself back to his own bedroom. This imaginative musical uses breathtaking animation, inventive puppetry, video projections and live, original music to bring Harold's purple-hued world to life. Perfect for introducing young children to theatre, while simultaneously captivating their older companions, Harold and the Purple Crayon will amaze, delight and entertain, while teaching youngsters that anything is possible with a crayon and a big imagination.

Sean Graney (director), widely regarded for creating productions that "invariably are accessible, welcoming and really great fun" (Chicago Tribune), is a long-time Artistic Associate at Chicago Children's Theatre. His passion for creating immediate, exciting theater and passing that on to the next generation of live theater fans was wholly evident in his previous CCT productions, The Hundred Dresses, Honus and Me and Hana's Suitcase. Graney is also the Founding Artistic Director of The Hypocrites, where his most recent production, Romeo and Juliet, just finished playing to unanimous critical acclaim and box office success. He was named Chicago's Best Avant-Garde Director by Chicago Magazine and 2004's Chicagoan of the Year: Theater by the Chicago Tribune. He is the recipient of a Career Development for Directors Program award from the National Endowment for the Arts and Theatre Communications Group, and the winner of two non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards. This fall Graney will also stage Victory Gardens' 2012-13 season opener, Equivocation by Bill Cain.

New in 2012-2013: Chicago Children's Theatre strives to make every show a full-fledged family "experience" with interactive lobby displays and special value-added events. For instance, for Harold and the Purple Crayon, the Ruth Page lobby will be outfitted with blackboards and purple chalk so kids can doodle just like Harold pre- and post-show. As for special events, please note the performance schedule for Harold and the Purple Crayon introduces new, family-friendly 6:30 pm shows on Thursday evenings, preceeded by pizza parties in the Ruth Page Center's multi-purpose room starting at 5:30 pm. On Friday evenings, families are encouraged to kick off their weekend by wearing their PJs to the 6:30 pm show, then stay after for a fun post-show PJ Party with members of the cast.

For tickets, performance schedule and more information, go to chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

All photos feature Nate Lewellyn as Harold, and Alex Goodrich and Bethany Thomas as Storytellers. Photo Credit: Michael Brosilow.