“Bluey's Big Play" at the Adler Theatre -- June 14 and 15.
Wednesday, June 14, and Thursday, June 15, 6 p.m.
Adler Theatre, 136 East Third Street, Davenport IA
Hailed by The Guardian as "an incredibly fun, energetic performance" that "remixes some of your favorite moments from the show with a new and touching story," the stage version of a children's-TV sensation hits Davenport's Adler Theatre stage on June 14 and 15 in Bluey's Big Play, a blend of live actors and puppetry that, The Guardian continued, "doesn’t shy away from sharing honest truths while celebrating imaginative play."
An Australian animated television series designed primarily for preschoolers, Bluey was created by Joe Brumm, is produced by Queensland-based company Ludo Studio, and premiered on ABC Kids in October of 2018. The show was commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the British Broadcasting Corporation, and after making its debut on Disney Junior in the United States, it was subsequently released internationally on Disney+. The series follows Bluey, an anthropomorphic seven-year-old Blue Heeler puppy who is characterized by her abundance of energy, imagination, and curiosity of the world. The young dog lives with her father Bandit, her mother Chilli, and her five-year-old sister Bingo, the latter of whom regularly joins Bluey on adventures as the pair embark on imaginative play together. Other characters featured each represent a different dog breed, and Bluey's overarching themes include the focus on family, growing up, and Australian culture.
Bluey has received consistently high viewership in Australia on both broadcast television and video on demand services, where it has influenced the development of merchandise and a stage show featuring its characters. The program has won two Logie Awards for Most Outstanding Children's Program as well as an International Emmy Kids Award in 2019, and has been praised by television critics for depicting modern family life, constructive parenting messages, and the role of Bandit as a positive father figure. Readers of the New York Times' parenting blog, meanwhile, named Bluey their favorite children's show, describing it as charming, smart, and "very real," while the series was also called "laugh-out-loud funny" by Stephanie Convery of The Guardian.
In Bluey's Big Play, when Dad feels like he needs a bit of Sunday-afternoon "time out" with his iPhone, Bluey and Bingo have other plans. Family audiences are invited to join them as they pull out all of the games and cleverness at their disposal to get Dad off that bean-bag chair. A brand-new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy Award-winning animated series, Bluey's Big Play boasts an original story by Bluey creator Brumm, along new music by Bluey composer Joff Bush.
The touring presentation of Bluey's Big Play takes the Davenport stage on June 14 and 15, admission to the 6 p.m. performances is $28-68, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 and visiting AdlerTheatre.com.
