A cotton candy-blue colored dog will help the Eau Claire Children’s Theatre find the way into its 20th Anniversary Season.  The “Season of Choice” starts off with a “Kid’s Choice” stage rendition of Nickelodeon’s popular kids show, Blues Clues. Since November, 22 young Chippewa Valley talents have prepared for the musical performance. Nathan Libby, who played Monsieur D’Arque in ECCT’s Beauty and the Beast, and the Genie in Aladdin, will star as Steve; and Annika Ekblad, another ECCT veteran, will portray Blue. Blue’s Clues Live is brand new; ECCT’s show will be the first in the Midwest. According to ECCT Executive Director Wayne Marek, the show will contain around 60 musical moments, many of which are songs from the television show itself. The musical will engage attendees like no other ECCT show before it. “We’ve never done a show with this level of audience interaction between the audience and the lead character,” Marek explained. The fun will begin before the curtain rises, as the lead characters join audience members for pre-show crafts and coloring in the lobby of the State Theatre. Exciting costumes will make this performance one to please the eye.

Nick Jr. Blue’s Clues: The Most Spectacular Place on Earth • January 8-11 • The State Theatre, 316 Eau Claire St. • adults $18, seniors $16, youth $8 • Jan. 8, 6:30 p.m.; Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 10, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Jan. 11, 1:30 p.m. • 839-8877 • www.ecct.org