imagination and she is certain that she knows just how to do it -- with children's theatre.

KIDFEST IS her way of reaching directly into the hearts and minds of every kind of Bermuda child and drawing upon their powerful imaginations.

KIDFEST will be presenting children's shows at the Elbow Beach Hotel, with the first show in January. One weekend a month Bermuda's children will be able to see real live theatre, in the broadest sense of that word. And Paula knows what she wants and what she doesn't want.

"I want to expose children to all kinds of theatrical art. I also want to involve Bermudian performers and have them hone their skills with professional performers. I don't want it to be elitist, I want every kind of performer and every kind of culture.'' If the idea proves to be the success that Paula believes it will be, this winter's tentative first steps will grow in the Fall 1994 schedule. By then, if KIDFEST and Paula have their way, the shows will run from October until March each year.

The whole idea must be an attractive one for those parents who wonder what they should do to keep their kids stimulated on this tiny, still somewhat isolated island.

A trip to KIDFEST can start with a meal. The Elbow Beach Restaurant Spazzizi's will be open for lunch for the young theatregoers and their parents. After a 7 p.m. meal, parents and children entering the Peacock Room to see the afternoon show.

Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for kids.

The list of first performers sounds exotic enough to stir any imagination: Iguanadon Fish Whiskers, Maritime Marionettes, Tomash Kubinek and Kirk and Magoo.

The programme will vary from show to show, enveloping all theatrical arts: dance, mime, puppetry, theatre, music. "It has taken ages to arrange the logistics of the whole thing,'' sighs Paula. "I've had to deal with everything, from Immigration approval to finding the performers. But Ruth Thomas has helped so much, she has been a great supporter of this dream of mine. I owe her a great debt.'' "I want it to be a full family event. The first performers will come from Canada but I hope to broaden the menu by having every kind of entertainer.'' The whole venture seems to be in just the right hands. Not only does Paula Maguire have a degree in education and also been a Martha Graham dancer, she can be seen any day of the week on Bermuda Cablevision's Nickelodeon channel in the Elephant Show, as the Elephant.

Her broad experience with children's theatre has convinced her that she has a shrewd idea as to what works in children's theatre and what doesn't.

At the Expo she will be offering Christmas Gift Certificates that will give the lucky recipient admission to the show. How about that for an original present for any child with an imagination, or even the child without one! DANCE LOCATION -- The Elbow Beach Hotel will be the location for KIDFEST dances in January.