Playwright Dani Stoller Brings Children's Book to Stage in Debut Young Audiences Work
Helen Hayes Award winner Dani Stoller adapted April Genevieve Tucholke's 2022 children's book into a stage play for Adventure Theatre MTC's 75th anniversary season. The world premiere production, directed by Patrick Flynn, follows a young girl named Beatrice who discovers a magical world that emerges when darkness falls. Stoller discussed her inspiration for the project, including her lifelong fascination with magic and her desire to capture the brilliance and wonder she observes in children.
Adventure Theatre MTC, a Glen Echo-based nonprofit dedicated to theatrical productions for young audiences, marks a significant organizational milestone with its 75th anniversary season. The theater selected Stoller's stage adaptation as the flagship production for this celebratory year, positioning it as a world premiere that combines established literary source material with fresh theatrical interpretation. Director Patrick Flynn shaped the adaptation, which required substantial creative expansion beyond the source book's narrative scope to accommodate stage production demands and theatrical storytelling conventions.
Stoller's creative background, distinguished by a Helen Hayes Award and feminist-focused dramatic work, represents a notable shift in her artistic practice. Her decision to pursue children's theater emerged from personal reflection on parenthood within her social circles and observations about childhood creativity. The adaptation process involved developing antagonistic dramatic elements and introducing new character archetypes—teachers and other figures—absent from the original book to create theatrical conflict and character development opportunities.
This production may influence how contemporary theater engages with children's literature adaptations, potentially demonstrating that successful young audience works require substantial creative reimagining rather than direct translation. The play's emphasis on children who experience the world differently—preferring darkness and quieter sensory environments—could resonate with neurodivergent audiences and their families, possibly fostering greater representation in youth theater. Stoller's approach of weaving themes of acceptance and difference into entertainment may contribute to broader cultural conversations about celebrating individual preferences and diverse ways of experiencing the world.