Love in the Time of Russian Puppets

It is a children’s play with grown-up credentials. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer (and former Miami resident) Nilo Cruz, who adapted it from the short story by Nobel Prize-winning Gabriel García Márquez. Mix that literary lineage with the inventive direction of the Playground Theatre, and you’ve got a magical family-friendly fable.

The Playground’s fourth season opens at the Byron Carlyle Theater today at 10:00 a.m., when the title character drops from the sky and lands on a Caribbean island. Is he an angel? A sideshow freak? Told through the eyes of the two children who discover him, the story examines the power of faith and imagination. Expect all the Russian-crafted puppets, giant masks, and fantastic sets from the Playground’s Miami Shores home theater, which is under renovation. The show, recommended for ages eight and up, runs through November 18. Find showtimes, study guides, and more at www.theplaygroundtheatre.com.
Oct. 28-Nov. 18, 2007