McCallum Theatre Welcomes Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters

With the Field Trip Series, MTI offers the best artists in music, dance, and theatre to the youth of the region. The Series, designed with a multicultural focus, is based on the premise that the arts are as important and necessary to the learning process as other traditional subjects. The Institute provides study guide materials and hopes that educators will find ways to incorporate McCallum performance experiences with the core curriculum. For many students, these visits to the McCallum are their only encounter with the performing arts, and serve as an introduction to other programs being offered.

MTI - Mufaro

"I think fine arts education is so important especially now with shrinking budgets for art and music in schools. Many of my students would not get the opportunity to attend theatre performances if it were not for the generosity of the McCallum and its donors." - Margaret Reed, Friendly Hills Elementary School

The FTS currently serves over 21,000 students from public and private schools within the Coachella Valley. FTS performances are offered at no cost to schools and students thanks in part to generous underwriting from individual donors, foundations and municipalities including The City of Indian Wells, The City of Palm Desert, Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic and Target Stores.

The Institute offers a spectrum of arts education programs for the community, including free activities for more than 37,200 schoolchildren and classroom teachers each year.

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is a folktale set in Zimbabwe. Based on John Steptoe's Caldecott Award-winning book, this Cinderella story has been adapted for the stage by Karen Abbott. When a great African king desires a wife, only the most worthy and beautiful maidens in the land are invited to meet him.

Mufaro's pride and joy, his two daughters of very different dispositions, travel across a river and journey half a day to go before the king. Which of Mufaro's beautiful daughters - the cruel and self-centered Manyara or the sweet and kind Nyasha - will win the king's favor? With traditional chanting and African song, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters celebrates goodness, generosity and love. -- www.mccallumtheatre.com