If the Imagination Celebration had a slogan, it might be “What if?”Those two words have fueled many of its programs (and its big summer festival) throughout its long history of bringing the arts to Colorado Springs and nurturing creativity.This time, asking “what if” has resulted in an ambitious collaborative effort to adapt  a children’s classic. “Lil’ Pete and the Coyote,” premiering Sunday at the Pikes Peak Center, takes the classic “Peter and the Wolf,” written in 1936 by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev and puts a Western spin on it.Prokofiev wrote his composition to entertain children in Moscow, and in ensuing decades, it has been recorded, performed and adapted dozens of times.But this production is probably the first to be set in the Western United States; specifically in Colorado.  Its iconic characters have been tweaked in this adaptation written by Sean Anglum, public relations director for the Imagination Celebration. Peter?  Think Lil’ Pete.  The ominous wolf?  A coyote.  The little bird?  A glossy magpie, of course. Throw in a barn cat and an old ranch hand, and you’ve got “Lil’ Pete and the Coyote.”“Lil’ Pete” is being staged by the Over The Moon Family Theater as a part of the Imagination Celebration’s literacy-based family theater program. The home-grown theme doesn’t stop with the Rocky Mountain interpretation.  It continues with the participation of members of several arts groups — the Colorado Springs Philharmonic performing side-by-side with the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony and the Ballet Society of Colorado Springs. Don Moon from the local theater group Red Herring Productions is narrator.Deborah Thornton, director of the Imagination Celebration, says the collaboration of young people and adults makes this performance special.“We are always working to ensure that kids grow up with creative education, and we want the adults to get it, too,” she says. “There are so many adults who say, ‘I’m not creative.’ We are celebrating creativity, critical thinking and the importance of making connections.”Entertaining an audience of children and adults with musicians in the youth symphony and philharmonic playing together “also shows everyone that creativity has no age restrictions,” Thornton says.Live theater is the perfect vehicle for fostering creativity, Thornton says. “It’s all about the imagination.  There’s something about it that’s magical.”“And this time, we have this cool story that’s connected to Colorado.”Anglum says he was inspired to write his adaptation because of his love of the West.“I grew up around horses,” he says. “I took a pony to school for show and tell in the first grade. And I also love classical music. My mom was a classical pianist. I had a Disney recording of ‘Peter and the Wolf’ as a kid.  So it was a natural progression for me to combine those two interests.”Those involved in the production know they have an unsual opportunity to introduce area children to something special, Thornton says. “About 3,000 kids from area schools will be treated to this production.  For many, it’s the first time they will ever walk into the Pikes Peak Center. That’s a really big thing.”As always, this Imagination Celebration production involves many hands, and as the performance date nears, the creative process hasn’t stopped.

“I don’t think we have a campfire yet,” Thornton says. “We’ll have to work on that!”

“Lil’ Pete and the Coyote” with Charlotte Coltrin (Lil’ Pete), left, Mariah Plutt (the coyote), Kira Walton (the magpie). Photo by Photo credit: Bryan Oller

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(l. to r.) Aubrey Frandsen (flute), Elliot Osteroos (violin), Kelsey Stewart (oboe), Rebekah Gohl (clarinet), Jeffrey Reinsch (bassoon), Christina Wilkinson (french horn). Photo by Photo credit: Bryan Oller