A pair of cobblers invent the first cross-trainer.

Though they did not author the tales, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were such ambitious publishers and proficient recorders of oral folklore that they helped ignite the popularity of the stories – now known as fairy tales – throughout Europe and beyond. The Eau Claire Children’s Theatre aims to compile five of their tales into one conglomerate play for their upcoming Tales from the Brothers Grimm. The constant in these tales, which will be presented separately, will be the Grimm Brothers themselves entering their own fictional worlds. Selections will include The Bremen Town Musicians, The Elves and the Shoemaker, Hans in Luck, The Fisherman and His Wife, and The Golden Goose. While somewhat less familiar than stories that Disney later launched to fame (such as Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves), they are geared toward young children and families, and are sure to become new favorites. Some of the stories even come equipped with lessons, such as Hans in Luck, which highlights the distinction between the value of possessions and the value of familial ties. True to Grimms’ style, however, these lessons are presented in an accessible and entertaining way.

    Tales from the Brothers Grimm • June 24 at 10am, 1:30pm, & 6:30pm; June 25 at 10am & 1:30pm • The Oxford Theatre, 1814 N Oxford Ave • $5 • 839-8877 • www.ecct.org