FAIRMONT — TheatreWorksUSA will return to the Fairmont Opera House with its production of “The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System,” to be staged 7:30 p.m. Friday.

When the class gets lost on the way to the planetarium, Ms. Frizzle saves the day by blasting into outer space for an epic interplanetary field trip. But when rivalries old and new threaten to tear the students apart, the young heroes must learn to pull together or risk getting forever lost in the solar system.

Theatreworks USA is America’s largest and most prolific professional not-for-profit theatre for young and family audiences. Since 1961, it has enlightened, entertained and instructed more than 68 million people in 49 states and Canada, now performing for about 4 million people annually. Every year, the company tours about 16 shows from its repertoire of 110 plays and musicals.

In addition, Theatreworks USA has an extensive multicultural guest artist roster, including storytellers, puppeteers, poets and magicians.

Under the direction of Barbara Pasternack (artistic director) and Ken Arthur (managing director), Theatreworks USA is also one of the most honored theatres of its kind. It is the only children’s theatre to receive both a Drama Desk and a Lucille Lortel Award. In addition, Theatreworks USA was the recipient of a 2001 Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award and, in May 2000, The Actors Fund of American bestowed its Medal of Honor upon its founders, Jay Harnick and Charles Hull.

Tickets for The Magic School Bus are available at fairmontoperahouse.org or by calling (507) 238-4900. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The show is sponsored in part by Martin County Area Foundation.