It's a sneak preview of Tops and Bottoms, one of our new stories for the upcoming season, and aren't you lucky to be hearing it now? Hailing from Scandinavia, this is a variation of a popular tale in many cultures, including the Southern U.S., where it was often passed down by African-Americans, and it has been published in a popular picture book.

The story is of a type known as a trickster tale, which generally involves a smaller and weaker animal getting the better of a larger and stronger one. Examples can be found in Native American lore, which often features the Coyote Trickster.

We come to you from Portland (the one in Oregon, not the one in Maine – or Nebraska, if there is one there), having come up from Los Angeles and vicinity since last we met. We presented several shows in the Bay Area and Northern California (including the second and third of our school residences funded by Target).

Despite our sometimes hectic schedule, we managed to find time to take a simulated parachute jump at iFly before taking the long drive up the coast and through the redwoods to Oregon and Washington. All while rehearsing, sewing, composing music and making props for our new production opening next month.

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• See Act!vated perform live! Upcoming shows in California, Arkansas, Kansas this June. Free and open to the public.
  

Happy Listening!
Dennis (Narrator, Bear) and Kimberly (Narrator, Fox)