'Pinocchio' tells Acting Company lies this weekend

When most people think of lying, they inevitably imagine a person’s nose getting longer as more and more fibs are told.

The origin of the “nose getting longer” notion comes from, of course, the story of “Pinocchio,” the marionette who wanted to be a “real boy.”

The Acting Company’s adaptation of “Pinocchio” begins Friday.

This version of “Pinocchio” is an original adaptation by the play’s director, John Trent.

“I added some fun stuff to it,” Trent said. “When people watch (the Disney) movie, they wonder whatever happened to the characters of Honest John and Gideon. In my adaptation, I answer those questions.”

However, the core story of “Pinocchio” is still present. “There’s still the focus on the original characters, like Pinocchio and Gepetto, but I fleshed out the minor characters like Gideon.”

“Pinocchio” tells the story of a marionette made by a poor woodcarver named Gepetto (played by John Elliott). The marionette is brought to life by a blue fairy (Bonnie Williams), who tells the marionette, Pinocchio (Keegan MacLennan), that he can become a real boy - and not a wooden one - if he learns how to become courageous, kind and trustworthy.

Pinocchio goes on a quest to become a “real boy” with Jiminy Cricket (Danielle Arnold), who acts as a kind of conscience to Pinocchio.

Ultimately, however, the quest leads Pinocchio to encounter the crafty Honest John (Thomas Hanns) and Gideon (Jeremy Trent), who sell the marionette under the pretense of getting him into show business. Pinocchio ultimately ends up on Pleasure Island, a place where the excesses of Pinocchio and the boys he travels with turn them all into donkeys.

“The appeal of ‘Pinocchio’ is what happens when you lie,” Trent said. “When you say ‘Pinocchio,’ (people) think of the nose getting longer, but (the story) is deeper than that; it’s about being loyal and true to your friends and being brave. It’s about sticking your neck out for other people.”

Trent said his approach to “Pinocchio” was to make it appealing to audiences of all ages. “We have a little bit of something for everybody,” he said. “It has the music people are familiar with and the timeless story.”

The production also has the infamous effect of Pinocchio’s nose getting longer. “We had some fun with that one,” Trent said. “There are a couple of little gimmicks like that (in the play).”