Good grief! It's a griffin.

Yes, it is a griffin, a creature with the body of a lion, the head and wings of an eagle, and a glowing, swishing tail. This weekend a griffin will make an appearance in State College.

In its second off-season production, the State College Community Theater brings to life the musical children's play, Good Grief, A Griffin. The play, directed by Nan Resnick and produced and funded by SCCT, tells the story of a griffin who sets out to find food and comes across a town full of rotten people. Since the griffin only eats twice a year, when he feasts he has to eat something good. The only thing good in the town is a young priest, the Minor Canon, whom the griffin grows to like, Resnick said.

The play has a couple of messages, Resnick said, one of which is that you do not eat your friends.

"One of the main themes is that basically it feels good to do good," Resnick said.

"You have to be careful when presenting this play to children or else they are going to think that to be good means you are going to be eaten by a griffin," Resnick said.

"You can't be as subtle. Some things have to be more exaggerated so children will understand," said Richard Gidez, who plays the mayor.

But adults, too, may appreciate the show.

"While the play is directed towards children, I think it is one that the adults will enjoy. I think the relationship between the Minor Canon and the griffin is one adults can enjoy," Resnick said.

"Some of the lines are witty and funny and I think the play appeals to both children and adults," said Gidez, associate professor of American studies and English.

The play also contains a several musical numbers, Resnick said.

"There won't be any songs you recognize but they will be reminiscent of Mister Rogers," Resnick said.

Acting in the play are people from throughout the community, Resnick said.

"I have professors in it. I have townspeople and high school students. Playing the part of the griffin is Kevin Nelson, a disc jockey and radio personality. It's a real hodge podge of people," Resnick said.

Resnick said she feels there are a number of graduate students with children looking for something special to do on weekends. She said this play is a good opportunity.

The play is suitable children five years of age and older, Resnick said.

Good Grief, A Griffin will be performed at 8 p.m. tonight and at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. tomorrow in the Fairmount Avenue Elementary School auditorium. Tickets are available before each performance in the lobby box office. Ticket prices are $3 for adults and $2 for children under 12.