The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (adapted for the stage by Susan Nanus) is a story of a young boy named Milo who is convinced that his life is boring, and that nothing is worth learning or doing – what’s the point? But one day, returning home from school, he discovers a package in his room – a magic tollbooth. With nothing better to do, Milo drives his electric toy car through the toll booth, and he immediately finds himself in a whimsical country called the Lands Beyond. Here he travels to strange places like Wisdom, The Doldrums, Dictionopolis and Digitopolis where he meets characters like Rhyme, Reason, the Spelling Bee, Dr. Dischord, the Mathemagician, and a watchdog named Tock. As Milo travels, he finds himself solving problems, overcoming challenges, making friends, and discovering adventures.  When he finally returns to his room from his magical journey, Milo realizes that his life is not so tedious after all and that his own imagination and initiative can fuel a life time of adventures.  The future is full of possibilities. 

This is a story that appeals to young and old alike. The whimsical characters, comical situations and locales delight children while the word play tickles the more intellectually inclined. While the play is full of fun and fancy, its conclusion drives home a few transformative truths: we can choose to be engaged with life; our curiosity and imagination can transform even mundane moments into beautiful and silly memories; and taking a few simple steps outside of ourselves can open up a whole new world.  This story reminds all of us that we live in an interesting and captivating world, but we must open our eyes to see the wonder.

Corban Theatre strives to worship God by presenting stories that justly depict God, truth, the human condition, healthy and unhealthy relationships, and good and evil. The Bible, of course, does not shy away from showing reality as it is rather than how we might want it to be, and neither do we shy away from telling stories that depict struggle, sin, and controversy, but we do so with an eye toward the redemptive power of Christ to transform our lives and to heal the world. 

We recognize that imagination and creativity are two characteristics we see in God from the Creation account forward. As image bearers, we all have an instinctive desire and compulsion to create, to appreciate beauty, to tell stories; some are especially gifted for creative endeavors and find their place in the kingdom as they express this gift. We endeavor to be faithful stewards of our God-given creativity as we serve the playwrights, the play text, the directors, our fellow actors and our audience. We honor the imagination as an appropriate vehicle for communicating truth sometimes with humor, sometimes with pathos. We honor the medium of art. In beautifully unusual ways, it illuminates, enhances and broadens our understanding of God’s character and values.

For more information about Corban Theatre, visit our website: https://www.onthestage.tickets/corban-university.