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Center for the Arts Presents Laura Ingalls Wilder: Growing Up on the Prairie

The pioneering adventures of beloved author Laura Ingalls Wilder comes to Pepperdine University on Saturday, Oct. 24, as the Center for the Arts presents an original musical production, Laura Ingalls Wilder: Growing Up on the Prairie. The musical will grace the stage of Smothers Theatre, Malibu, at 11 a.m., followed by an afternoon performance at 1 p.m. 

Chronicling Wilder's own childhood experiences, which she recorded in her iconic Little House novels, the musical depicts the adventures of the spirited pioneer girl and her family. The story follows tomboyish Laura, her older sister, Mary, and their parents as they travel across the unsettled frontier of the late-1800s American Midwest. Challenges threaten the Ingalls family's security, including Indian attacks, disease, and devastating crop losses. Powered by their devotion to one other and an unwavering "pioneering spirit," however, they are able to overcome anything.

Written and directed by Greg Gunning, with music by Richard DeRosa, Laura Ingalls Wilder has been a hit with audiences since its premiere in 1995. The show features a musical score with five original songs, among them "Move On," which captures the restlessness and excitement of loading up the covered wagon to find a new home, and "Fishin'," a duet in which Laura and Pa laugh and share tall tales at a favorite fishing hole.

Laura Ingalls Wilder is an ArtsPower's production. Mark and Gary Blackman founded ArtsPower in 1985 and have been steering its course ever since. "At ArtsPower, we are committed to enriching children's lives through the performing arts," says executive producer Gary Blackman. "By introducing our audiences to enthusiastic characters like Laura, children can see new possibilities in life and in themselves.

For more information about Laura Ingalls Wilder: Growing Up on the Prairie, visit the Center for the Arts Web site, or contact the Smothers Theatre Box Office at (310) 506-4522.