Citrus Curses

Whenever you’re sick, you’re probably told by one or more concerned acquaintances to get plenty of vitamin C. The usefulness of this advice is debatable, but this flu season, you might as well dive head first into plenty of citrus at the Playground Theatre’s The Love of Three Oranges. The children’s play follows Prince Tartaglia, a poor wretch who’s been suffering from a seemingly incurable ailment for years. When a pair of strange doctors visits and advises the prince that laughter may be the right medicine for his condition, the prince is only too happy to start chuckling away. But at first giggle, an evil witch curses him. Her spell forces his highness to wander the earth in a feverish daze, seeking three mysterious oranges, which will finally free the pitiful chap from his pain. The production is based on an 18th Century Italian play by Count Carlo Gozzi. The Playground’s own Stephanie Ansin, who also directs the production, adapted the play to appeal to a modern family audience.

Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m. Starts: Jan. 12. Continues through Feb. 6, 2011