Del Mar Rotary welcomed Cygnet Theatre Associate Artistic Director Rob Lufty and frequent Cygnet performer Steve Gouveia for a presentation on Cygnet Theatre’s upcoming production of Shockheaded Peter, a musical based on the 19th century German children’s book Struwwelpeter. Like the book, Shockheaded Peter tells cautionary tales about the consequences of bad behavior. Steve, a Poway High School graduate and original cast member of Jersey Boys on Broadway, performed two songs from the production.
 
Rob explained that Shockheaded Peter will include dance numbers and elaborate costumes, as well as masks and puppets to tell the stories. He also gave a bit of history of the Cygnet Theatre, which started in 2003 and now calls the Old Town Theatre home. The venue holds 256 in stadium-style seating.  When deciding on a name for the new theater, the founders thought of their ambition to rival Balboa Park’s Old Globe Theater, named after the Globe theater in London. Another prominent theater in Shakespeare’s day was The Swan, but given that the new company was so small, they instead adopted the name of a young swan, Cygnet.
 
Shockheaded Peter begins May 18, 2017 and runs through June 18, 2017.  Cygnet Theatre’s 15th season will begin July 5 with Animal Crackers, followed by six plays, including A Christmas Carol, A Little Night Music, and the world premiere of The Wind and the Breeze