The Phantom Tollbooth is a children's adventure novel and a modern fairy tale, written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Jules Feiffer. It tells the story of a bored young boy named Milo who unexpectedly receives a magic tollbooth one afternoon and, having nothing better to do, drives through, only to find himself in the Kingdom of Wisdom. There he accepts a quest to rescue the princesses of the kingdom, acquires two faithful companions, and has many adventures. The book is full of puns, and many events, like Milo's sudden jump to the Island of Conclusions, are the consequences of taking English language idioms literally. Juster claims his father's fondness for puns and The Marx Brothers' movies were a major influence. The Phantom Tollbooth was an "instant classic" when it was first published in 1961 and has never gone out of print since. Critics have compared it to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland series of books in terms of classic appeal and importance.
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and The Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences on Tour present The Phantom Tollbooth as the final production of this season's Programs for Young Audiences series at La Mirada Theatre. This specially commissioned musical will perform Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.
Adapted from Norton Juster's beloved children's book, this inventive musical features a melodious score by Arnold Black and witty lyrics full of wordplay by Pulitzer Prize and three-time Tony® winner Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me). The Phantom Tollbooth is an endearing show that audiences of all ages will find appealing.
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