a beautiful show for all ages in your family
adapted from Kate DiCamillo’s book
by Dwayne Hartford

on the Owen and Margaret Wellford Tabor Stage
generously sponsored by Allison and Tom Garrott in memory of Mary Elizabeth “Meg” Garrott, and by Independent Bank.

January 30 – February 16, 2020

Purchase Tickets

You and your family are cordially invited to enter the many worlds of a very special, sojourning rabbit in our regional premiere of this award-winning children’s book.

Edward Tulane shares the fantastic voyage of a toy rabbit made of china that gets separated from his owner, a young girl named Abilene who adores him.  The play follows Edward’s miracle journey between a diverse group of owners from all walks of life.  He travels across the world, from the ocean on a fisherman’s boat to a garbage heap in a homeless camp, and finally to the bustling streets of Memphis.  A different experience with each owner, Edward’s journey, filled with live music on stage, brings to life what it is to love, what it means to lose that love, and how to find the courage to love again.

The 85-minute performance plays weekday mornings, weekend matinees, and early evenings to accommodate families with children as young as two years old.  There are no Preview performances.

“This family-friendly tale is a journey about learning to love,” Yorke said. “But what does it mean to love?  For Edward, the situations he experiences and the array of characters he encounters force him to develop an awareness of others beyond himself and, most importantly, to be grateful.  Edward’s gratitude for the joy and heartbreak he encounters leads him, and us, to an understanding of what it means to love, a valuable lesson for children and an important reminder for adults.”

TSC’s professional cast features Michael Khanlarian as The Traveler, Merit Koch as The Musician, Tyler J. Vernon as The Man, and Emily McCormick as The Woman.

The design team includes scenic designer Brian Ruggaber, costume designer Alexandria Perel-Sams, lighting designer Jeremy Fisher, original music composer Kyle Sorrell and properties/rabbit designer Melanie Mulder. The production stage manager is Alison Letsos, and Brianna Roche is the assistant stage manager.

Tiered seating tickets range from $15-29 with student and senior discounts available.  Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.tnshakespeare.org or calling the TSC box office at 901-759-0604.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing, Woodstock, Illinois; and was originally commissioned, developed and produced at Childsplay in Tempe, Arizona, by artistic director David P. Saar and managing director Steve Martin.

Performance schedule for “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”

All performances will take place at TSC’s Owen and Margaret Wellford Tabor Stage, 7950 Trinity Road.

• Thursday, Jan. 30 at 10:30 a.m.
• Friday, Jan. 31 at 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m.and 4 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 6 at 10:30 a.m.
• Friday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 8 at 11 a.m.and 4 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 10:30 a.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 13 at 10:30 a.m.
• Friday, Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m.and 4 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m.

Cast and Director Bios

Michael Khanlarian (The Traveler) is a founding member of TSC and a senior artist-manager. TSC: Julius Caesar, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Macbeth, As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing, To Kill a Mockingbird, Henry V, All’s Well That Ends Well, Twelfth Night, Othello, As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet. Education: University of Memphis.

Merit Koch (The Musician) TSC: Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Winter’s Tale, Eudora Welty: Mississippi Myth, Flannery O’Connor: Georgia Gothic, The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Education: University of Memphis (B.A. in Professional Writing); Vassar & New York Stage and Film’s Powerhouse Theater (Acting/Directing Apprentice); Shakespeare & Company.

Emily McCormick (The Woman) TSC: Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Pericles, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Romeo and Juliet Project. Other credits: Next to Normal, Nine, Measure for Measure, Candide, The Pajama Game, Spring Awakening. Education: University of Memphis (B.F.A. in Musical Theatre).

Tyler J. Vernon (The Man) TSC: Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Pericles, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and The Romeo and Juliet Project.  Other credits: 1776, The Servant of Two Masters, The Wild Party, Nine. Tyler is an active member of the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD), with certifications in various weapon disciplines. Education: University of Memphis (B.F.A. in Musical Theatre Performance).

John J. Yorke (Director) celebrates 17 years as an instructor at the University of Memphis Department of Theatre and Dance, where he teaches courses in Introduction to Theatre, Directing Experiments, Script Interpretation and Theory and Criticism. University of Memphis: The Secret in the Wings; Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine. Theatre Memphis: The Pavilion; The Twilight of the Golds. University of Findlay: The Robber Bridegroom; The Philadelphia Story. Education: University of Memphis (M.F.A. in Directing).

Sponsors and Partners

TSC’s generous sponsors and partners of its season, productions, and Education and Outreach Program include FedEx, International Paper, ArtsMemphis, Tennessee Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest, First Tennessee Foundation through an ArtsFirst grant, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Independent Bank, Evans|Petree, P.C., Plough Foundation, the family of Pat and Ernest Kelly, Nancy R. Copp, the family of Owen and Margaret Wellford Tabor, C. Cato Ealy, the Barbara B. Apperson Angel Fund, the Dunbar Abston Fund for Sustainable Excellence, University of Memphis’ Department of Theatre & Dance, Shelby County Schools, Germantown and Collierville Municipal School Districts, Memphis Juvenile Justice System, Memphis VA Hospital, the Benjamin Hooks Library and the Germantown Library.

TSC’s season is funded under a Grant Contract with the State of Tennessee.