Theater Preaches a Timely Message of Nonviolence in ‘Just-So Stories’ : Stage: The program was planned well before the outbreak of war in the gulf, organizers say.

Television footage shows brilliant flashes of exploding missiles. Newspapers print pictures of soldiers and artillery. Yellow ribbons adorn anything from car antennas to storefront windows.

Such images are not lost on the young, so perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising to find the influence of the Persian Gulf War in otherwise unlikely confines of a children’s matinee at the Encino Playhouse. The theater is presenting a theatrical adaptation of three Rudyard Kipling stories that preach nonviolence. The people at the playhouse insist that they never intended to be commenting on an actual battle.

Scott Guy began adding music and staging to Kipling’s “Just-So Stories” long before the first bomb fell on Iraq. The playwright and director chose the material because it was close to his heart, if only in a general way.

“I strongly believe that violence and brutality are not viable options in our society,” he said, “and I hope this will encourage creative, cooperative solutions to problems.”

As soon as fighting began in the Middle East, Guy’s trio of didactic plays became urgently specific. The cast, in rehearsal, sensed the immediacy.

“We realized that this was pretty apropos because the characters in these plays talk to each other instead of duking it out,” said Stephanie Angelini, the producer.

The plays begin a six-week run Saturday. They are “How the Whale Got His Tiny Throat,” “The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo” and “The Beginning of the Armadillos.” All three portray human and animal characters who succeed through cunning.

Kipling published these stories in 1902. The writer, who began his career as an ardent proponent of imperialism, was later disillusioned and embittered by the death of his 18-year-old son in World War I.

While the Gulf War has empowered the Encino production, the conflict has also forced certain alterations. Costumes originally included military-looking safari gear. That was changed because the producer did not want her plays to appear like CNN news footage.

“Kids can get so inundated by that sort of thing,” Angelini said.

A dog character originally wore dog tags. “No more dog tags,” the producer said.

And, despite the weighty message, particular attention has been paid to preserving Kipling’s sense of whimsy and his rhythmic language.

“Perhaps it’s not our destiny to shoot guns,” Guy said. “But maybe we can help prevent future wars by opening the minds of today’s kids and teaching them to think, rather than to respond.”

The “Just-So Stories” will be presented at 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through March 31 at the Encino Playhouse, 4935 Balboa Blvd. Tickets are $5. Call (818) 990-1613.