'Darwin the Dinosaur' at Lied Center April 27

In a unique and innovative theater experience where electroluminescent, crayon-like creatures light up the stage, "Darwin the Dinosaur" tells a heart-warming tale of a dinosaur discovering the true meaning of love. This Lied Family Series show will appear at the Lied Center for Performing Arts at 7 p.m. April 27 with a LiedFamFest pre-performance party at 5:30.

"Fantastic! One of the best kids shows out there..." raved the Vilar Performing Arts Center, while the Detroit Music Hall agreed, calling the show "a truly a unique and innovative theatre experience."

To tell the story, creators Corbin Popp and Ian Carney developed an array of creatures and characters using flexible electroluminescent wire manipulated by their hands and bodies against a blackout setting. Kids will be delighted by antics of the larger-than-life, neon-squiggle creatures while parents will appreciate the production's warm message of love and compassion.

The tale begins with the magic scientist, Professor Henslow, as he creates and brings Darwin to life. Though he thinks he'd make a good pet, he soon finds that Darwin is still a wild and dangerous dinosaur...so he gives him a heart. As Darwin explores the world, he encounters many different creatures, learning the value of good and bad, love and hate, friends and enemies. The lessons he learns from these experiences are up to him and only he can decide his fate.

"The ingenuity of 'Darwin the Dinosaur 'is the kind of magic-on-a-shoestring that is only possible in the theater. You can't get this at the movies or in a DVD. Taking your kids to see 'Darwin the Dinosaur' teaches them why live theater will never go extinct," said the New York Post.

LiedFamFest is a family-friendly pre-show party featuring free food and hands-on activities like face painting and games. All ticket holders are welcome to attend FamFest.

Tickets for this performance are $14. Students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and other participating colleges with a valid ID, and youths age 18 and younger may purchase tickets for half price. Call the Lied Ticket Office at (402) 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231 for availability. Regular ticket office hours are 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. For weekday evening performances, Lied Center Ticket Office hours are from 11 a.m. until 30 minutes after show time. The Lied Center is located at 301 N. 12th St. on the UNL City Campus [map]. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.liedcenter.org.

The Lied Center's 20th season is supported by Friends of Lied and grants from Association of Performing Arts Presenters; National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; Mid-America Arts Alliance; Nebraska Arts Council; New England Foundation for the Arts; and Lincoln Arts Council. All events in the Lied Center are made possible entirely or in part by the Lied Performance Fund, which has been established in memory of Ernst F. Lied and his parents, Ernst M. and Ida K. Lied.

For more information about "Darwin the Dinosaur," visit www.kidsentertainment.net/roster/darwin.

WRITER: Nicole Manske, Marketing Intern, Lied Center for Performing Arts