WAILUKU – If you have children under 11 years old, don’t miss Maui Academy of Performing Arts’ upcoming free performances of “The Emperor and the Nightingale” at Steppingstone Playhouse in Queen Ka’ahumanu Center on Saturday, March 22, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Based on the Hans Christian Andersen classic, the play follows the story of a powerful emperor and a sweet-voiced nightingale who teaches him that the greatest treasure of all is true companionship.

Performed by MAPA actors Jesse Fischer and Marsi Smith under the direction of Derek Nakagawa, the 40-minute live play is appropriate for students up to fifth grade.

MAPA has brought live, professional theatre directly into preschools and elementary schools across the State of Hawaii through Educational Theatre Tours for over 30 years.

For many students in the audience, this program introduces them to the power of live theatre for the very first time.

Nearly 18,000 students across the state will see “The Emperor and the Nightingale” in their schools this semester.

The program is supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaii and the National Endowment for the Arts.

No reservations are required for the free performance. To download grade level-specific study guides for students in kindergarten through fifth grade for “The Emperor and the Nightingale,” visit www.mauiacademy.org.

For more information on MAPA’s programs, call 244-8760.