The Arcata Playhouse's Family Fun Series opens this weekend with the award-winning Australian Windmill Theatre's Big Bad Wolf on Friday, March 11 at 7 p.m. and March 12 at 2 and 7 p.m. ($12, $10 kids 12 and under).

This year, the Playhouse celebrates 10 years of bringing kids to the theater and the theater to the kids, at schools and at the playhouse, through its Family Fun Series. And the kick-off show is something else.

The story is an unusual take on a classic fairy tale character. The Big Bad Wolf's not bad, you see, he's simply misunderstood. As another Animal once sang, he's just a soul whose intentions are good, but people can't get past his scary appearance (he has yellow eyes and is a bit long in the tooth). Thankfully, one girl sees that he is, in fact, just a lamb in wolf's clothing, and the two of them develop a charming connection. Through song, dance, puppetry and humor, the mismatched pair discovers that true friendship knows no size, shape or species. 

Bring the kids (suitable for ages 5 and up) to this colorful show and keep your eye on the marquee. The series continues through April and May with troupes coming our way from Portland and San Francisco.