 
Pictured above: Matt Reece (Boy) and Kristin Wolanin (The Velveteen Rabbit) and the Cast
The Velveteen Rabbit  
Pictured above :Desmond Porbeni (Rabbit), Morgan Russell (Rabbit) and Kristin Wolanin (The Velveteen Rabbit) by William J. Buck
Adapted from the book by Margery Williams
Directed by April-Dawn Gladu Some children want every toy in the world, while other children see the world in one toy. Hop into spring as a toy bunny, stuffed with sawdust, becomes a real bunny, stuffed with love. Bring the family on Saturday or Sunday afternoon and enjoy the fun and excitement! Meet the cast after the show and take a picture or get an autograph for your young romper! For weekday school shows, see below.
Weekend Performances for Children and Adults- Saturdays at 2:00 and 4:30 (running time 50 minutes)
- Sundays at 4:30
February 21,22, 28, 29 March 6,7, 13,14, 20,21, 27 Contact our Box office at 407-447-1700 x 1 for tickets.
All Audience Tickets for children and adults: $8
REVIEWSFunny bunny tale keeps things hoppin' for kids -- and adults. The Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival's Velveteen Rabbit is full of heartfelt whimsy.The Orlando Sentinel
excerpts from the review by Rebecca Swain Vadnie
Posted February 27, 2004  Pictured: Paula Rossman (Nana)
Growing up, my favorite toy was a shabby stuffed dog that went everywhere with me. I thought he was real enough to miss me when I was gone, real enough to play with the other toys when I wasn't looking. Little did I know that "real is what all toys want to be," as a toy horse says in the Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival production of Margery Williams' The Velveteen Rabbit, adapted by William J. Buck and directed by April-Dawn Gladu.
Any toy can become real in time, provided a child loves it enough, and being real is the one thing a humble Velveteen Rabbit (Kris Wolanin) wants more than anything. The rabbit's sawdust stuffing and purple faux fur isn't as fancy as his boy's toy lion or toy boat, but the Velveteen one soon becomes the favored toy in the nursery. The rabbit and the boy have all sorts of afternoon adventures together in a backyard garden.
Somehow, we always manage to lose track of our toys, though, and after a bout with scarlet fever, the boy cannot find his beloved rabbit. Perhaps the mysterious "nursery magic" does exist -- maybe the boy's love has finally made the Velveteen Rabbit real.
It would be easy to take the overly sentimental route, but Gladu and the cast pair the touching story with fun bits and clever touches. Wolanin makes for a perfectly sweet rabbit, happy to spend hours with the rambunctious boy (Matt Reece). Paula Rossman is funny as a swing-dancing nanny, and Sarah Mathews brings a sassy Southern drawl to the role of Skin Horse, the boy's oldest and wisest toy.
Perhaps one of the funniest moments, though, is when the rabbit encounters real bunnies -- rapping, hip-hop street bunnies to be exact, played by Morgan Russell and Desmond D. Porbeni. Mel Barger's creative costumes and Bob Phillips' amazing fold-out set help complete the production's whimsical feel... a wonderful tribute to a classic story.
Weekday Performances for School GroupsSchool Matinee Performance Days: February 19,20,24,25,26,27
March 2,3,4,5, 9,10,11,12,23,24,25,26 School Matinees at 10:00am & 11:30am Tue's, Thur's, Fri's (running time 50 minutes)
School Matinees at 10:30am Wed's (running time 50 minutes) All matinees for school groups are held at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center
in Loch Haven Park, Orlando. Weekday Student Tickets: $7
1 free chaperone ticket for every 10 students
Tickets call 407-447-1700 x 1 Study GuideStudy Guides are available for all of our shows.
Click here for the Study Guide to The Velveteen Rabbit Reserve your morning at the theaterCall the box office at 407-447-1700 x1, Monday Friday from 9:30am-5:00pm.
Tell our friendly staff what day you would like to attend, how many students
you plan on bringing and how many chaperones will join the fun. We are
pleased to offer one free chaperone seat for every 10 student seats
purchased. Confirmation FormAfter you reserve your tickets, you will be mailed a Confirmation Form.
Please sign and return your Confirmation Form with a 50% deposit no later
than 30 days prior to your show date. This Confirmation Form is a binding
contract between the school you represent and the theater. Up to 30 days
prior to your show, you may decrease your number of reserved seats by
calling the box office with your new seat count. You may increase your seat
number at any time based upon availability. If your signed Confirmation Form
has not been received 30 days prior to your field trip date or you have not
decreased your seat count by telephone, the school you represent is
financially responsible for the estimated seat count being held under your
name. Balance DueA 50% deposit is due no later than 30 days prior to your performance. The
remaining balance is due 14 days before your performance. Special NeedsTo guarantee that all members of your group can be accommodated, please
request special arrangements when making your reservation. TransportationPlease make transportation arrangements that ensure your arrival will be 30
minutes before the performance time. Late arrivals will be seated at the
discretion of the theater staff. LunchWe are located at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center in Loch Haven Park. Loch
Haven Park offers a grassy spot for picnics and relaxation for your group
before or after the performance.
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