Dire ctor/Pro duction Desig ner

• Jim Morrow •

Dire ctor/Pro duction Desig ner

• Ste ven Naylor • Narration

• B eau Bridges •

MERMAID THEATRE OF NOVA SCOTIA PRESENTS

Guess How Much I Love You. Text copyright © 1994 by Sam McBratney; llustrations copyright © 1994 by Anita Jeram

II Love My Little Storybook by Anita Jeram. Copyright © 2002 by Anita Jeram

GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU

~ AND ~ I LOVE MY LITTLE

STORYBOOK

Based in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Mermaid Th eatre of Nova Scotia has established a global touring circuit and earned

worldwide respect for its elegant adaptations of children’s lit-erature. Founded in 1972, the company has enchanted more than three million spectators on four continents. For many, Mermaid’s visits have stimulated an interest in both the visual and performing arts, as well as an awareness of Nova Scotia and Canada. Among its honours, Mermaid has earned export excellence awards from the governments of both Nova Scotia and Canada in recognition of substantial contributions to cultural life and the economy.

Mermaid Th eatre of Nova Scotia ranks among North America’s foremost theatres for family audiences. Th e

company has represented Canada in the United States, Aus-tralia, England, Northern Ireland, Holland, Scotland, Wales, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Singapore, and has toured Japan on eight occasions

GUE S S H OW MU C H I LOV E Y O UText © 1994 by Sam McBratney; Illustrations © 1994 by Anita Jeram

I LOV E MY L I T T L E ST ORY B O OKBy Anita Jeram. © Anita Jeram 2002

Mermaid Th eatre of Nova Scotia is represented by K I D S ’ E N T E R T A I N M E N TFor booking information, please contact :19 Charlotte Street, Suite 404, Toronto,Ontario, Canada, M5V 2H5Tel: 416-971-4836Fax: 416-971-4841 email: info@kidsentertainment.net

For general information, please contact: M E R M A I D T H E AT R E O F N O VA S C O T I AP.O. Box 2697, Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada B0N 2T0Tel: 902-798-5841Fax: 902-798-3311 email: puppets@mermaidtheatre.ns.caWebsite: http://www.mermaidtheatre.ns.ca

Little Nutbrown Hare loves Big Nutbrown Hare as far as he can reach and as high as he can hop. But Big Nut-

brown Hare loves him as far as his long arms can reach and as high as his strong legs can hop. And so it continues. Mer-maid Th eatre of Nova Scotia is delighted to present a staged adaptation of “Guess How Much I Love You”, the award-win-ning classic created by author Sam McBratney and illustrator Anita Jeram. An eager little bunny lies on the grass and opens his book, and within moments the story he’s reading comes alive in fascinating detail. Mermaid’s version of Anita Jeram’s en-dearing tale, “I Love my Little Storybook”, is a true celebration of the joy of reading.

RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN FROM 4 - 8 YEARS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

D I R E C T O R ’ S M E S S A G E :

When my children were very young, we would play a game with each other - a gentle competition to see

who could love each other more. “I love you more than the moon”, I would say. “I love you more than the moon and the sun and all the stars in the universe!” would be the response. “I love you more than all the sand on all the beaches in the world”. Pretty soon we were loving each other to ridiculous places. It was fun and we meant it. Sam McBratney has created a touching story about a kind of love which is infi nite, reaching beyond the universe - and back. In a very short time, “Guess How Much I Love You” has become a classic in children’s literature. A perfect comple-ment is Anita Jeram’s “I Love My Little Storybook”. Ms. Jeram also illustrates both books. Our intention in making this play is quite simple - to recreate the magic and charm of these two stories as the characters emerge from the pages of the book, hop around trees, over fences and hills and into the child’s imagination. For children and their parents, it will appear as if the stories are actually coming to life. By incorporating innovative puppetry, gentle narration and beautifully scored original music, “Guess How Much I Love You” and “I Love My Little Storybook “ provides an ideal introduction to the magic of live theatre for very young children. ~Jim Morrow, Artistic Director ~Jim Morrow, Artistic Director ~

M E R M A I D T H E A T R E O F N O V A S C O T I A P R E S E N T S

GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOUGUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU~~AA DD~~

II LOVE MY LI LOVE MY LITTLE STORYBOOKTTLE STORYBOOK❝ A magical, meditative experience ❞~Elissa Barnard, The Chronicle Herald, Halifax, NS

❝ Superb puppetry from Nova Scotia ❞~Peter Birnie, The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, BC

❝ I could not have been more pleased. What a unique way to present a story❞~ Parent, Waterbury, CT

❝ Excellent and magical❞~ Parent/instructor, Rochester, NY

❝ Very age-appropriate. Excellent in all respects. Come again! ❞~ First grade teacher, Glen Ellyn, IL