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Madcap troupe visits library
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Jon Kovach of the Madcap Puppet Theatre works with Gabbi Pantaleo, 10, of Boardman, on Monday during a performance of “Rumpelstiltskin” at the Boardman Library.
BOARDMAN
When 10-year-old Gabbi Pantaleo, of Boardman, went to the library Monday, she didn’t expect to become a queen.
Gabbi was chosen from an audience of about 200 children and adults to play Rose, the female protagonist of Madcap Puppet Theatre’s “Rumpelstiltskin” at the Boardman Library on Glenwood Avenue.
“It was really cool because I’m never picked for anything,” Gabbi said.
Madcap entertained children at one of four scheduled performances at local libraries this week to kick off the library’s “Dream Big” Summer Reading program.
The Cincinnati-based puppet troupe was invited back to the area because of the success of its performances last year, said Janet Loew, spokeswoman for the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.
“Rumpelstiltskin” tells the tale of Rose, who must spin straw into gold and accepts the help of a mysterious little man.
Gabbi wasn’t familiar with the story before coming to Monday’s program.
“My favorite part was the sneaking scene, where she was sneaking
around Rumpelstiltskin to try to learn his name,” she said.
Loew said the programs are integral to getting children to read.
“With the programs, you get them into the library, and they feel good about being there. Then you see them after the program in the stacks looking for books, so it works,” she said.
Summer reading offers incentives, such as Mahoning Valley Scrappers game vouchers, for signing up and logging how many hours children read.
Loew said each year, the number of summer reading participants grows. The library is expecting more than 5,000 children to register for summer reading this year.
Emily Gorup, 5, of Canfield, is one of those reading this summer. She said she liked watching the play and thought it was funny.
Her favorite book?
“Alvin and the Chipmunks,” she said.
Wendy Gorup, Emily’s mom, called the summer reading program “wonderful.”
“We did it when she was an infant, and she loves it. She loves coloring the circles on her [reading] log and getting her prizes. They have programs that are free and educational,” she said.
Loew said children, from toddlers to teens, still can sign up for summer reading at their local library branches.