The 2025 Youth Enrichment Series in Knox County will begin on September 3 with a performance by River City Puppets at the Knox Memorial Theater. The show, titled “The Wonders of Wiggly River,” is part of a touring production from Cincinnati-based River City Puppets.
Second-grade students from Centerburg, Danville, East Knox, Fredericktown, Mount Vernon, and St. Vincent de Paul schools will attend the 10 a.m. performance. Buses will transport the students to the theater on East High Street.
The Youth Enrichment Series aims to introduce young children to live theater and will continue through September and October. The program is organized by the Knox Educational Service Center and funded by the Knox County Foundation, except for performances produced by MTVarts.
In describing the opening event, organizers said: “With a cast of fantastical puppet creatures, they unravel the mysteries of a misunderstood river monster. Together, they discover that true friendship lies just beneath the surface, waiting to be found in the most unexpected places.”
David Shelton serves as founding artistic director of River City Puppets. He has written and directed original puppet performances for nearly two decades that have toured nationally and internationally.
Other scheduled events in the series include MTVarts’ production of “Spongebob the Musical” for second-graders on September 11 and third-graders on September 12. Both shows are set from 10 to 11:45 a.m.
Additional programs include:
- September 17: Robert Post’s “How to survive middle school” for seventh-graders.
- September 18: Tony West’s African Drumming & Imani Dancers for sixth-graders.
- September 23: Dylan Shelton and River City Puppets present “Tales for the Queen” for third-graders.
- September 25: Eric Paton performs taiko drumming for fifth-graders.
- October 8: Sarah Reed offers storytelling music for first-graders.
- October 30: Sarah Reed returns for fourth-graders.
MTVarts also plans shows for first-graders on April 23 and kindergarten students on April 24; titles will be announced later. On May 8, MTVarts will present “Death of a Salesman” to high school juniors studying American literature and English language arts.
