Want to hear a kooky bedtime story authored by a local kid? Climb aboard the REM spaceship with Sleep Squad’s Captain Siesta Shuteye for an adventure in Slumber Galaxy. The Sleep Squad immersive musical theater experience, presented by kid entertainment team Story Pirates, takes viewers, or “recruits,” through exercises that will help them sleep soundly and dream.
The show’s producers invited kids to share original stories for the chance to be featured. Sonali Herbert, a nine-year-old from Aurora, who’s been a fan of the Story Pirates podcast for about a year, offered her Stuck Island tale. It goes a little something like: Larry and Jerry were on the Titanic but were asleep for the big sink. When they woke up they were stranded on an island and very hungry. After some attempts to leave, the mighty dog Carlton (who happens to be Sonali’s beloved pet) saves the day.
The Story Pirates crew turned her submission into the program’s first “dream mission.” Co-founder and creative director of Story Pirates Lee Overtree says Sonali’s submission was the perfect way to kick off Sleep Squad. “The desert island setting of her story allowed us to play with the textures and sounds of the ocean and beach to create a relaxing, immersive audio experience. Best of all, Sonali’s story included one of those perfect details that only a kid could come up with—a talking dog named Carlton who becomes king and drives a turtle car.”
Sleep Squad is appropriate for ages four through 12. Tickets for a two-week streaming window are available online through April 11. Ticket holders may purchase a “dreamtime travel kit” that includes Sleep Squad badges, a dream journal, starry night light, and sleep mask. $35 video only, $50 with one dream kit; $15 additional dream kit. storypiratessleepsquad.com
