Treehouse Shakers present “Hatched”

Treehouse Shakers return to Roxbury with Hatched, a performance created for the child in us all.  Treehouse Shakers was named for the wonders of nature, the power of imagination and the excitement of performance art.  The treehouse, like the theater, is a sacred space where imagination is the most potent currency and stories are the roots of the world. 

Written and directed by Mara McEwin, Hatched depicts the original performance of a newborn chick emerging from her shell at sunrise to a strange and busy world.  Created for the youngest of audience members –0-6 — as an introduction into the theatre, it incorporates both the museum and farm.  Performed through movement, handcrafted puppets, and very little human dialogue, the story is set amidst an American family farm.  The chick is met by a feisty old rooster, a wobbly calf learning to walk, a gaggle of dancing chicks, a lamb, and a noisy nest of baby birds. Intimately staged, young audience members are encouraged to interact with the newborn animals as they explore their worlds.  Through movement and music, the calf learns to walk, the baby birds attempt to fly, and the lamb makes a new friend with the curious hatched chick.  Audience members interact and play with the characters on stage; they give the chicks their feed, milk bottles to the lamb, are licked by the cow, and feed worms to the baby birds.  Babies in the audience are enticed by the animal sounds and textures, while toddlers love watching and imitating their favorite farm animals as they come to life.  Preschoolers delight in learning about life on the farm and older kids and the whole family are entertained by the delightful storytelling, live music and dance.  Hatched is a beautiful tale, told through exquisite visuals, music, and the exploration of baby animals on the farm.