ANN ARBOR—Spinning Dot Theatre, launched in 2014, creates theater for kids and their families, through inventive storytelling often with music, movement, shadow puppets, professional actors, and more. Their next production, which runs from August 17–20, is The Ogreling by Suzanne Lebeau of Canada, a dark play about the son of an ogre who decides to escape his destiny.

First, the son of the ogre must overcome three trials, challenges to his instincts and his troubling desires. From his father he inherited an appetite for flesh; but from his mother he received a hunger to live at peace with the world. Cinematic shadow puppetry, movement and music combine to create Suzanne Lebeau’s looming fairytale world. The play is directed by Tyler Calhoun, Jenny Anne Koppera, and assisted by Kelly Joyce Fielder.

The cast includes Repertory veterans Tae Hoon Yoo (Big Fire), Vicki Morgan and Emily Slomovits. Joining the company are Matthew Webb and Jedì Curva dual cast as the Ogreling and Emily Levickas as Mother.

The Ogreling performs in partnership with Riverside Arts Center, 76 N. Huron Street, Ypsilanti, MI 48197. Tickets are donation based and available 30 minutes prior to each performance. Suggested donations are $10 and tickets are first come, first served. The Ogreling performs at 8:00 pm each night of the run and is recommended for audiences between the ages of 13-25. For more information please call 734-585-5134 or visit the website at www.spinningdot.org.