Download The New Victory Theater Announces 2014

CONTACTS AT THE NEW 42nd STREET:
Allison Mui (646) 223-3067
Arielle Katz (646) 223-3065
The New Victory Theater Announces 2014-15 Season
New Season Opens with
the Williamstown Theatre Festival production of
THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON
By PigPen Theatre Co.
Opens September 26
and Seven U.S. Premieres, including
U.S. Premiere of Isango Ensemble’s Young Vic production of
THE MAGIC FLUTE: IMPEPE YOMLINGO
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Adapted by Mark Dornford-May
Transposed for an Orchestra of Marimbas
Opens November 1
U.S. Premiere of Complicite’s LIONBOY
From the novels by Zizou Corder
Opens January 23
U.S. Premiere of PINOCCHIO
A Windmill Theatre/State Theatre Company of South Australia production
Based on the books by Carlo Collodi
Opens March 13
Other Highlights include Off-Broadway Premieres of Golden Dragon Acrobats’ CIRQUE ZÍVA,
A.R.T. Institute’s THE LIGHT PRINCESS and Rennie Harris RHAW’s LUV: AMERICAN-STYLE
New York, NY (May 29, 2014) – As New York’s premier Off-Broadway theater dedicated to kids
and families, The New Victory Theater is pleased to announce six NY premieres and seven U.S.
premieres from eight different countries around the world in a new season that runs from
September 26, 2014 through June 7, 2015.
Williamstown Theatre Festival’s THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON by PigPen Theatre Co.
opens the NEW VICTORY season from September 26 – October 13. Last seen in New York at the
Gym at Judson and in concert at the Music Hall of Williamsburg and Bowery Ballroom, the
seven young actor musicians of PigPen Theatre Co. perform a folk rock fable with spirited
music, inventive theatrical effects and a rollicking array of ever-changing characters.
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From the townships of South Africa, Isango Ensemble bursts onto the New Vic stage in the U.S.
Premiere of THE MAGIC FLUTE: Impempe yomlingo from November 1 – November 9. This Young
Vic production received an Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival (Young Vic, London) and a
Globes de Cristal for Best Opera (Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris) for its inspired reimagining of
Mozart’s masterpiece opera, sung in English by a cast of more than two dozen voices and
performed with an orchestra of marimbas.
The internationally-acclaimed Complicite (Shun-kin, A Disappearing Number) adapts Zizou
Corder’s bestselling LIONBOY novels in their first show for families and young people. Telling the
story of Charlie Ashanti—a boy with the power to speak to cats—this ensemble company fuses
theater, acrobatic movement and live percussion to take audiences on a cross-continental
rescue mission from January 23 – February 1.
PINOCCHIO makes its U.S. premiere from March 13 – March 22 after a successful run at the
Sydney Opera House, presented by the Sydney Theatre Company. With bold ballads, angsty
anthems and a plot knotted with tabloid twists, Carlo Collodi’s classic tale gets remastered in
this psychedelic rock musical by Windmill Theatre/State Theatre Company of South Australia.
Celebrate the holiday season with the amazing CIRQUE ZÍVA from December 5, 2014 – January
4, 2015. Lauded for their unparalleled precision and dynamic design, the Drama Desknominated Golden Dragon Acrobats (New Vic 2005) are the preeminent Chinese acrobatic
company touring the U.S. The large cast and spectacular set designs will wow auds with heartstopping stunts, ancient artistry and a Lion Dance that will have the crowd roaring.
Remaining U.S. premieres include Onyx Productions’ 360 ALLSTARS, showcasing seven street
arts champions, including two B-Boys, a cyr wheel artist and a BMX rider, from November 14 –
November 30; CAMBUYÓN, a mix of body percussion, tap dance, hip hop and drumming that
forms unique rhythms with African, Irish, Spanish and American influences from February 6 –
February 22; and CATCH ME! (Attrape-moi) from Quebec City’s Flip FabriQue, a young troupe of
professional circus artists drawn from Cirque du Soleil and Cirque Éloize, in a cool, light and
gravity-defying performance about camaraderie from March 28 – April 18.
Four of the 15 shows in the New Victory 2014-15 Season are by American companies, including
American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) and A.R.T./MXAT Institute’s THE LIGHT PRINCESS
(February 27 – March 8), a new musical written by Lila Rose Kaplan and Mike Pettry based on
the George MacDonald fairy tale, and Rennie Harris RHAW’s LUV: AMERICAN-STYLE (May 8 –
May 17), which sets Dr. Rennie Harris’s hip hop choreography to a soundtrack of chart-topping
rock.
This year’s “bridge shows,” designed to introduce young theatergoers to a traditional theater
setting, include THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE by London’s Tall Stories (The Gruffalo, New Vic
2004), based on the much loved book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler from October 18 –
October 19, and the kid rock concert of two-time GRAMMY®-nominated Justin Roberts & The
Not Ready for Naptime Players in THE MYSTERIOUS HAT from April 25 – April 26.
Babies as young as four months old are invited to BABBLE, an immersive theater experience
from Northern Ireland’s Replay Theatre Company, while kids ages one to four years will enjoy
MINIMÓN, a solo dance performance about the extraordinary stories found in a seemingly
ordinary room. For crafty kids ages two and older, PAPER PLANET by Polyglot Theatre (Tangle,
Lincoln Center Out of Doors) invites families to make original paper creations and add them to a
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jungle of cardboard trees filled with paper flora and fauna in a one-of-a-kind interactive
installation.
Please see attachments for complete show descriptions and profiles for all NEW VICTORY 201415 season programming. All selections are subject to change.
Accessibility & Public Engagement
In consultation with Autism Friendly Spaces, Inc., select performances of THE SNAIL AND THE
WHALE, CIRQUE ZÍVA, CATCH ME! (Attrape-moi) and THE MYSTERIOUS HAT will be modified to
accommodate and support the sensory, social and emotional needs of individuals with autism
spectrum disorder. The New Vic will also provide Sign-Interpreted and Audio-Described
performances for most shows throughout the season. Through these services, The New Victory
looks forward to welcoming families with diverse needs to the theater all season long.
With every show in the season, The New Victory invites audiences to extend their time at the
theater for free events/activities that enhance their family’s visit to the New Vic. In addition to
post-show Talk-Backs with the creative team and performers, the New Vic offers Arts
Express, which invites ticket holders to come early and learn the basic techniques of the art
form they’re about to see on stage, and TXT Marks the Spot, which leads participants on a
theater-wide, text-based scavenger hunt after the show. With Try This!, patrons can come to
the theater early for a fun pre-show activity inspired by the show on stage. Before all shows
programmed for our littlest patrons, Busy Bee pre-show arts and crafts activities are available
to bring home as mementos of their first theater adventures.
Through these services and activities, every visit to the New Vic is that much more special,
memorable and rewarding. The New Victory Theater continues to find new ways to maintain its
status as a cultural home and premier entertainment destination for New York families. Visit
NewVictory.org/Calendar for further details.
Ticket Information
The NEW VICTORY 2014-15 season goes on sale July 1. Membership renewal begins June 11.
Theatergoers who buy tickets for three or more NEW VICTORY shows qualify for free
Membership benefits, including locked-in discount ticket prices, free unlimited exchanges (up to
48 hours in advance) and access to a first-look purchase period for newly added performances.
Tickets will be available online (NewVictory.org) and by telephone (646.223.3010). For summer
box office hours, please visit http://www.newvictory.org/boxoffice. Beginning September 2, The
New Victory Theater box office (209 West 42nd Street) will be open Sunday and Monday from
11am-5pm and Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm-7pm.
For shows at The New Victory Theater (except CIRQUE ZÍVA and the bridge shows), tickets are
$10, $13, $18 or $25 for Members and $15, $19, $28 or $38 at full price, based on seat
locations.
For CIRQUE ZÍVA, which runs throughout the holiday season, Member tickets start at $13 and full
price tickets start at $19. For bridge shows, Member tickets are $17 and full price tickets are
$25.
For shows at THE NEW 42ND STREET Studios and The Duke on 42nd Street, Member tickets start
at $10 and full price tickets start at $15.
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Credits
The New Victory Theater is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment
for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo
and the New York State Legislature; and from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs,
in partnership with the City Council. The New 42nd Street Board of Directors, the New Vic
Council and the theater’s dedicated individual, corporate and foundation donors also provide
essential contributions, helping to make possible programming of the highest quality.
About The New Victory Theater
The New Victory Theater introduces extraordinary performing artists from around the world to
extraordinary audiences in New York City, bringing kids to the arts and arts to kids. Created in
1995 for young New Yorkers, their families and schoolmates, The New Victory Theater presents
a diverse season of international companies at low ticket prices year after year. Through the
theater’s award-winning education programs, The New Victory continues to provide access to
schools and communities of New York City who seek to experience and engage with the work
on our stages, often for the very first time. The Off-Broadway theater’s contributions to the
cultural landscape of the city were celebrated by the prestigious New York critics’ organization,
The Drama Desk, which presented The New Victory Theater with a 2012 Special Award for
“providing enchanting, sophisticated children’s theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and
for nurturing a love of theater in young people.”
About The New 42nd Street
Building on the foundation of seven historic theaters, The New 42nd Street leads the dynamic
evolution of the reinvented 42nd Street, cultivating a unique New York City cultural and
entertainment destination through its three projects: The New Victory Theater, a performing arts
theater devoted to kids and families; the NEW 42ND STREET Studios, a state-of-the-art, 10-story
performing arts complex for rehearsal, performance and arts administration; and The Duke on
42nd Street, an intimate black-box theater. An independent, nonprofit organization, The New
42nd Street is committed to the transformational power of the arts.
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The New Victory Theater
2014-2015
THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON
PigPen Theatre Co.
New York, New York
September 26 – October 13
At The New Victory Theater
Directed by Stuart Carden and PigPen Theatre Co.
Designed by Lydia Fine and Bart Cortright
Sound Design by Mikhail Fiksel
Cast Alex Falberg, Ben Ferguson, Curtis Gillen, Ryan Melia, Matt Nuernberger, Arya Shahi
and Dan Weschler
The endlessly imaginative PigPen Theatre Co. elevates traditional storytelling to high art in the
fantastical, song-filled play THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON. After nearly a lifetime of tending
to the old moon, which leaks its liquid light daily, an old man abandons his post when his wife
unexpectedly leaves home. THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON premiered at the Gym at Judson
in 2012, was restaged at Writer’s Theatre in Chicago in 2013 and is a part of the 2014 season at
Williamstown Theatre Festival this August.
Recently commissioned by Manhattan Theatre Club and Ars Nova as part of “The Writers
Room” program, PigPen Theatre Co. began creating their unique brand of music, film and
theater at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in 2008. They have since produced original
plays (The Nightmare Story, The Mountain Song and The Old Man and The Old Moon) OffBroadway and at regional theaters around the country. Their debut indie-folk album, “Bremen,”
was named #10 album of the year in The Huffington Post’s 2012 Grammy preview. Their follow
up EP, “The Way I’m Running,” was released on October 8th, 2013, and was premiered by
American Songwriter. Additionally, PigPen is thrilled to work with Writers House, one of the
world’s leading young adult literary agencies, to develop their debut children’s novel. They tour
and perform as an indie-rock band and theater company.
Off-Broadway Premiere
THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE
Tall Stories
London, England
October 18 & October 19
At The New Victory Theater
For Ages 4 to 7
Adapted by the company from the picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Director Toby Mitchell
Designer Isla Shaw
Lighting Designer James Whiteside
Composer Richard Heacock
Cast Patrick Bridgman, Lucy Grace and Rosalind Steele
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Some travel by bus and some get around by bike, but to see the whole world, it’s best to hitch a
ride on the tail of a giant humpback whale. One small snail does just that in THE SNAIL AND THE
WHALE, adapted from the Blue Peter Book Award-winning story by Julia Donaldson and Axel
Scheffler. Inspired by the work of UK’s Storybook Soldiers, who help British military personnel
abroad record bedtime stories for their children back home, Tall Stories’ “small but ingenious
pleasure” (The Guardian) uses beautiful live music and lots of laughs to remind us how even
little friends can be big heroes.
London’s Tall Stories (The Gruffalo, New Vic 2004) is a registered charity founded by codirectors Olivia Jacobs and Toby Mitchell in 1997. The company has performed at the National
Theatre, at various West End theaters and Off-Broadway. Tall Stories’ shows tour throughout
the UK and have performed abroad as far away as Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Hong
Kong, Ireland, Poland, Singapore and Taiwan.
U.S. and Off-Broadway Premiere
THE MAGIC FLUTE
Isango Ensemble
Cape Town, South Africa
November 1 – November 9
At The New Victory Theater
Produced by Eric Abraham and the Young Vic
Adapted and Directed by Mark Dornford-May
Arranged by Pauline Malefane and Mandisi Dyantyis
Music Amadeus Mozart
Choreography Lungelo Ngamlana
Costumes Leigh Bishop
Cast Noluthando Boqwana, Mandisi Dyantyis, Thobile Dyasi, Ayanda Eleki, Zamile Gantana,
Nontsusa Louw, Sifiso Lupuzi, Pauline Malefane, Bongiwe Mapassa, Zanele Mbatha,
Siyasanga Mbuyazwe, Sinethemba Mdena, Zebulon Mmusi, Mhlekazi (Wha Wha) Mosiea,
Zoleka Mpotsha, Nolufefe Mzondi, Siyanda Ncobo, Cikizwa Ndamase, Busisiwe Ngejane,
Zolina Ngejane, Sonwabo Ntshata, Tukela Pepeteka, Luvo Rasemeni, Masakane Sotayisi,
Ayanda Tikolo
From the townships of South Africa, Isango Ensemble brings a cast of more than two dozen
vibrant voices in an inspired reimagining of Mozart’s masterpiece opera THE MAGIC FLUTE:
Impempe yomlingo. Arranged by Isango music directors Pauline Malefane and Mandisi
Dyantyis, exhilarating orchestrations of marimbas and percussion enliven classic arias. A
brilliant fusion of fairy tale and African myth, the show shines especially bright when Malefane
performs her acclaimed interpretation of the Queen of the Night. Winner of an Olivier Award for
Best Musical revival, a Globes de Cristal for Best Opera and an Arts and Culture Award (South
Africa) for Excellence in Opera, THE MAGIC FLUTE brims with dazzling drama, crisp comedy and
the sublime joy of finding true love.
Isango Ensemble is a South African theater company that draws its artists mainly from the
townships surrounding Cape Town. Their stage productions (The Magic Flute: Imepempe
yomlingo, A Christmas Carol: Ikrismas Kherol) reimagine classics from the Western theater
canon, finding a new context for the stories within a South African or township setting, thereby
creating inventive work relevant to the heritage of the South African nation. Isango’s awardwinning film, U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, and a second film, Son of Man, were filmed on location in
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Khayelitsha and propelled this historically disadvantaged township into the international
spotlight. Local residents were given the opportunity to be part of the films and U-Carmen
premiered in Khayelitsha’s O. R. Tambo Sports Centre where it played there for three weeks to
excited audiences. Isango intends to further develop this process by building a truly mixed
audience, reflecting and uniting a diverse South African nation.
U.S. and Off-Broadway Premiere
MINIMÓN
Mons Dansa
Barcelona, Spain
November 8 – 23
In Studio 3A/B at the NEW 42ND STREET Studios
For ages 1 to 4 years
Concept and Direction Claudia Moreso
Music Pascal Comelade, Barbatuques and Winton Marsalis
Stage Designer and Construction Miquel Ruíz
Lighting Roger Guinot
Illustration Elenio Picó
Animation Hernán Alescio
Production Rosa Pino
Booking Manager Iva Horvat & Silvia Lorente
Cast Sarah Anglada
Using lyrical movement and clever projections, a solo dancer discovers stories on the doors of a
wardrobe, upon the covers of a bed and even in the opening of a drawer in MINIMÓN, which
directly translates to “small world.” Created by Barcelona-based Mons Dansa (formerly known
as Nats Nus Dansa), this dance piece specially created for one- to four-year-olds ends with a
treat for young theatergoers who are invited to explore the set and participate in guided
activities with the dancer following the performance.
Since 1998, under the direction of Claudia Moreso, Mons Dansa has created artful dance works
for kids using choreography as a channel for communication, expression, amusement and
education. The company has earned many awards, including the 2009 Premio Nacional de
Catalunya de Dansa, the FETEN 2009 prize and the 2010 Award from the Association Dansa
Cat. In 2006, Mons Dansa launched the educational project “Dansa a les escoles” to introduce
contemporary dance to public school students throughout Spain. Mons Dansa is subsidized by
the Ayuntamiento de Barcelona (ICUB), Department of Culture and Media of the Generalitat de
Catalunya, Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (INAEM) and Ramon Llull Institute (IRL).
The company is also a founder/member of La Caldera and a member of TTP (Públics Tots
Theatre Association), ASSITEJ (Association of Theatre for Children and Youth) and Te Veo
(Theatre for children and youth). While specializing in works for young theatergoers,
choreographers Claudia Moreso and Toni Mira have created works for all ages both
independently and with dance companies throughout Europe.
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U.S. and Off-Broadway Premiere
360 ALLSTARS
Onyx Productions
Brisbane, Australia
November 14 – November 30
At The New Victory Theater
Director & Producer Gene Peterson
Lighting Design Geoff Squires
AV/Video Design Freddy Komp
Score Gene Peterson and Sam Perry
Cast Rashaun Daniels, Jared Graham, Rhys Miller, Sam Perry, Gene Peterson and Peter
Sore
360 ALLSTARS showcases seven street arts champs on a single stage with the aim to
deconstruct a typical circus by replacing traditional art forms with contemporary performance
styles. Instead of acrobats, break dancer Jared “B-Boy Leerok” Graham from New Zealand joins
the roue cyr wheel “Spin King” Rhys Miller from Australia. In lieu of a juggler, basketball
freestyler Rashaun “Basketball Man” Daniels, from the U.S.A., gives the Harlem Globetrotters a
run for their money. And two-time world champion flatland BMX rider Peter Sore, from Hungary,
makes a unicycle look easy. Complex beats from multi-award winning percussionist and show
director Gene Peterson fuse with the chart-topping, live-looping beatboxer Sam Perry to
complete this international roster of champions who circle the globe and spin circles around the
competition.
Founded in 2011, Onyx Productions has produced 13 major tours, delivering over 1000
performances across Australia, Europe and Asia. In addition to theater-based touring, Onyx
regularly caters to festivals and events of scale. 360 ALLSTARS is their latest work and has
toured throughout Australia with over 350 performances and workshops, followed by a two
month tour throughout Europe. The New Victory Theater will host the company’s U.S. premiere.
***Holiday Show***
Off-Broadway Premiere
CIRQUE ZÍVA
Golden Dragon Acrobats
Hebei Province, China
December 5 – January 4
At The New Victory Theater
Creator, Producer and Director Danny Chang
Choreographer and Costume Designer Angela Chang
Lighting Designer Tony Tucci
Technical Director Randy Williamson
The newest show from producer and artistic director Danny Chang, CIRQUE ZÍVA is a fast-paced,
technically innovative and beautifully presented performance. The large cast and spectacular
set designs illustrate Chang’s brand of artistic merit, high production value and solid
commitment to cultural exchange. Since 1985, the Golden Dragon Acrobats remain the only
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Chinese acrobatic company touring year-round in the United States, and present over 200
performances at hundreds of venues across the country each year. In 2005, their Off-Broadway
debut and seven-week run at The New Victory Theater earned two prestigious New York Drama
Desk Awards nominations (Angela Chang for Best Choreography and Danny Chang for Most
Unique Theatrical Experience).
Today, the Golden Dragon Acrobats have been recognized as the preeminent Chinese
acrobatic company in the U.S. Every year, along with his wife and choreographer Angela
Chang, Danny Chang attends different acrobatic competitions to constantly select the most elite
performers to join the Golden Dragon Acrobats and work with the industry’s best, including
CIRQUE ZÍVA lighting designer Tony Tucci, a two-time recipient of B. Iden Payne Awards and a
Critics Table Award winner for lighting. In recent years, individual members of the Golden
Dragons have been recipients of awards at the Hebei Regional Acrobatic Competition, the
China National Acrobatic Competition, the National Teen Acrobatic Competition, the Italian
National Acrobatic Competition, the International Young Adult Acrobatic Competition in Japan
and the President’s Award at the International Acrobatic Competition.
U.S. and Off-Broadway Premiere
LIONBOY
Complicite
London, England
January 23 – February 1
At The New Victory Theater
From the novels by Zizou Corder
Adapted by Marcelo Dos Santos
The internationally acclaimed Complicite (Shun-kin, A Disappearing Number, The
Chairs, Mnemonic) brings its first show for families and young people to the New Vic in a stage
adaptation of Zizou Corder’s bestselling LIONBOY novels. In a near future where cars are
banned and companies are more powerful than countries, Charlie Ashanti is a perfectly normal
boy, except for one thing: he can speak to cats. When his parents are kidnapped, he sets off on
a rescue mission with a little help from a floating circus and its pride of performing lions.
All of Complicite’s shows are created over many months of exploration; for the staging
of LIONBOY, the company took several trips to the circus and many visits to the zoo. Coproduced with Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, Wales
Millennium Centre and Warwick Arts Centre, LIONBOY made its world debut at the Bristol Old
Vic in 2013.
Complicite, founded by Simon McBurney (All My Sons), Annabel Arden and Marcello Magni,
began 30 years ago as a collective of theater-makers who broke away from text-based drama
and experimented with devising, movement and design to create work that “hinges on the
imagination” (Financial Times, London). Since then, they’ve won a Perrier Comedy Award,
multiple Oliviers (A Disappearing Number, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Visit) and have
headlined the Avignon International Festival.
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U.S. and Off-Broadway Premiere
CAMBUYÓN
Enlace S.C.
Canary Islands & Barcelona, Spain
February 6 – February 22
At The New Victory Theater
Director Carlos Belda
Lighting Design Dimas Cadrés
Sound Design Ubaldo Párez
Set Design María Toledo
Costumes Raquel Rodríguez
Video artist/photo Jonatan Rodríguez
Production Josefa Suárez
Assistant Production Ana Pérez
Cast Néstor Busquets, Raul Cabrera, Jep Meléndez, Berta Pons, Clara Pons, Jonatan
Rodríguez and Rubén Sánchez
When it comes to making instruments out of everyday objects, anything goes for the Canarian
and Catalan artists of CAMBUYÓN. Wooden crates, recycled glass bottles and even a small
matchbox find new life in the hands and feet of this percussion and dance ensemble. Through
body percussion, tap dance, hip hop and drumming, these performers trade robust beats and
cultural cadences to form unique rhythms with African, Irish, Spanish and American influences.
Created by Enlace Servicios Culturales and co-produced by the Tenerife Opera House and
L’Estruch de Sabadell in Barcelona, CAMBUYÓN is inspired by the evolution and cross-cultural
pollination of rhythm and music made possible by sea travel. The origin of the show title stems
from signage used in Spanish trading ports for over 100 years; British ships would dock with
sellable goods, inviting locals to row out and “Come Buy On.”
Off-Broadway Premiere
THE LIGHT PRINCESS
A.R.T. Institute
Cambridge, Massachusetts
February 27 – March 8
At The New Victory Theater
Music & Lyrics Mike Pettry
Book Lila Rose Kaplan
Adapted from the fairy tale by George MacDonald
Director Allegra Libonati
Scenic Design Julia Noulin-Merat
Costume Design Arthur Oliver
Choreographers Jeff Kuperman and Rick Kuperman
Can a girl who can’t fall at all, fall in love? THE LIGHT PRINCESS follows the journey of a young
princess cursed to live without gravity. Based on the nineteenth-century Scottish fairy tale, this
new musical adaptation by Lila Rose Kaplan (Wildflower, Second Stage; Biography of a
Constellation, 2010 National Science Playwriting Award from the Kennedy Center) and Mike
Pettry (2012 ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Lyric Award winner and a 2007 Jonathan
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Larson Award winner) features graduate actors of A.R.T. and the A.R.T./MXAT Institute for
Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University.
The A.R.T. Institute was established in 1987 by the American Repertory Theater as a training
ground for the professional American theater. It is a two-year, five-semester training program
for young theater professionals, operated in association with the Moscow Art Theater School
(MXAT). The wide range of courses given by the international faculty offers students unique
preparation for the multi-faceted demands of the professional theater. Each year, approximately
twenty-three carefully selected students are admitted for a full-time, two-year, five-term program
of study in acting, dramaturgy, or voice pedagogy.
The American Repertory Theater at Harvard University was founded in 1980 by Robert
Brustein, who served as artistic director until 2002, when he was succeeded by Robert
Woodruff. Diane Paulus began her tenure in 2008, and has since advanced the A.R.T.’s core
mission to expand the boundaries of theater by programming events that immerse audiences in
transformative theatrical experiences. Throughout its history, the A.R.T. has been honored with
many distinguished awards, including consecutive Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical
for Pippin (2013) and The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (2012), both of which Paulus directed, a
Pulitzer Prize, a Jujamcyn Prize for outstanding contribution to the development of creative
talent, the Tony Award for Best Regional Theater, and numerous Elliot Norton and I.R.N.E.
Awards.
U.S. and Off-Broadway Premiere
PINOCCHIO
Windmill Theatre / State Theatre Company of South Australia
Adelaide, Australia
March 13 – 22
At The New Victory Theater
Author Carlo Collodi
Director and Creator Rosemary Myers
Writer Julianne O'Brien
Set and Costume Designer Jonathon Oxlade
Composer and Musical Director Jethro Woodward
Video Designer Chris More
Lighting Designer Geoff Cobham
Movement Carol Wellman Kelly
Cast Mitchell Butel, Paul Capsis Danielle Catanzariti, Jude Henshall, Nathan O'Keefe,
Jonathon Oxlade and Alirio Zavarce
Musicians Jethro Woodward and Paul White
With bold ballads, angsty anthems and a plot knotted with tabloid twists, Carlo Collodi’s classic
tale about a wooden boy with a nose for trouble gets remastered in this psychedelic rock
musical. Direct from the team that created the award-winning productions Wizard of
Oz (2009) and School Dance (2013), PINOCCHIO continues to gather accolades wherever it
performs and was last seen by an audience of over 13,000 at the Sydney Opera House.
Alongside a spectacular set and enchanting costume design by multi-award winner Jonathon
Oxlade, PINOCCHIO features the cream of Australia’s musical theater talent, including Nathan
O’Keefe (Me and My Shadow, New Vic 2013; Grug, New Vic 2013) in the title role with multi11
Helpmann Award winning stage and film actors Paul Capsis (Angela’s Kitchen, Boulevard
Delirium) and Mitchell Butel (The Mikado, Avenue Q).
Flagship Australian theater companies Windmill Theatre and State Theatre Company of South
Australia have teamed up to deliver a highly memorable, multi-award winning production for
family audiences. Since its inception in 2002, Windmill Theatre’s enduring purpose has been to
create incredible shows and tour them nationally and internationally. Windmill continues to
inhabit new media spaces and participate in the development of innovative means to connect
artists and audiences and to tell, create and share stories. State Theatre Company of South
Australia serves as a major community and cultural resource for all South Australians and is
committed to the development of new works for the stage and to the development of Australian
artists through fellowship programs. Throughout their 40 year history, the company has played a
pivotal role in the careers of many of Australia's leading artists including Neil Armfield, Ruth
Cracknell, Judy Davis, Gale Edwards, Mel Gibson, Garry McDonald, Geoffrey Rush, Jim
Sharman, Hugo Weaving, Jacki Weaver and John Wood.
U.S. and Off-Broadway Premiere
BABBLE
Replay Theatre Company
Belfast, Northern Ireland
March 18 – 29
In Studio 3A/B at the NEW 42ND STREET Studios
For ages 4 to 18 months
Director Anna Newell
Composer David Goodall
Video Artist Conan McIvor
Bubble Design Ciaran Bagnall
Bubble Cover and Costume Design Niall Rea
Dive in to the aquatic wonderland of BABBLE when you enter “the bubble” a unique and intimate
performance space designed to gently surround kids and their caregivers with new shapes and
sounds. To delight and astonish little ones, soothing seascapes and schools of fish are
projected all around while four singers provide a lullaby of vocal harmonies with music by
award-winning composer, David Goodall (Silver Rose for Best Sound Design). Developed in
close creative consultation with nursery schools and language specialists in Belfast, BABBLE is
an immersive theater experience for kids ages four to 18 months.
Founded in 1988, Replay Theatre Company is Northern Ireland’s longest running theater
companies for young audiences. The company makes innovative, quality work for everyone
under the age of 18, including school groups, families, festivals and for children and young
people with profound or multiple learning difficulties. At the heart of every show they create,
Replay prioritizes the patrons’ needs first and develops each production through creative
consultation with its intended audience and those who live and work with them.
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Off-Broadway Premiere
CATCH ME! (Attrape-moi)
Flip FabriQue
Quebec City, Canada
March 28 – April 18
At The New Victory Theater
Director Bruno Gagnon
Cast Jeremiah Arsenault, Jade Dussault, Bruno Gagnon, Christophe Hamel, Francis Julien
and Hugo Ouellet Cote
With astounding acrobatics and aerial acts, the witty, wild and wonderful CATCH ME! (Attrapemoi) features the six young talents of Flip FabriQue, an up-and-coming troupe from Quebec
City, Canada, who have combined performance experiences with Cirque du Soleil, Cirque
Éloize, 7 Fingers and more. As the company’s premiere show, CATCH ME! Attrape-moi)
highlights all of their individual talents, including juggling, aerial hoop, aerial straps, banquina
and trampowall, among others.
Flip FabriQue is a promising young troupe lauded for their unbelievable speed, rhythm and
technical ease. Founded by a group of friends who all studied at the École de cirque de
Québec, they shared a dream to create circus shows that reflect their unique image and
unleash each member’s full potential. The sole female company member, Jade Dussault,
received the “Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione Paris” award in July 2013 at an international circus
festival in Quebec.
THE MYSTERIOUS HAT
Justin Roberts & The Not Ready for Naptime Players
Chicago, Illinois
April 25 & April 26
At The New Victory Theater
For Ages 4 to 7
Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar Justin Roberts
Electric Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals Liam Davis
Drums and Vocals Gerald Dowd
Bass and Vocals Jacqueline Schimmel
Trumpet, Keyboard and Percussion David Winer
It’s Not Naptime when two-time GRAMMY® nominee for Best Children’s Album (Jungle Gym,
2011; Recess, 2014) Justin Roberts pulls up in his Yellow Bus with his band of Not Ready for
Naptime Players. Revealing new songs, discerning diddies and Pop Fly lullabies, THE
MYSTERIOUS HAT is a brand new concert experience designed especially for the New Vic. With
musical stylings compared to Elvis Costello, Fountains of Wayne, Paul Simon and Nick Lowe,
Justin Roberts, “the Judy Blume of kiddie rock” (The New York Times) brings his indie hits to the
NYC family scene with intelligent and whimsically rocking music for kids and their parents.
Roberts began his music career in the early 1990s in the Minneapolis-based indie-rock band
Pimentos for Gus, but his love for kids music grew from his day job as a Montessori preschool
teacher and he released the first of his current 12 albums, Great Big Sun, in 1997. Since then,
he has played at renowned venues and festivals including Symphony Space, DC's National
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Geographic Live, LA's Getty Museum, Seattle's Moore Theater, Lollapalooza and Chicago's
Ravinia. He has performed on “The Today Show,” been featured on Nick Jr. television and his
song "Get Me Some Glasses" was featured on a World Series broadcast. He is the winner of
seven Parents' Choice Gold Awards, and Naptime was selected as one of Parents' Choice “25
Best Children's CDs of the Past 25 Years.” The winner of seven National Parenting Publications
(NAPPA) Gold Awards, he has been one of Amazon.com’s “Top 10 Children's CDs of the Year”
four times and he was voted as the “#1 Children's CD of the Year” by the Fids and Kamily Poll in
2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013.
Off-Broadway Premiere
LUV: AMERICAN-STYLE
Rennie Harris RHAW
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 8 – 17
At The New Victory Theater
Choreographer Dr. Rennie Harris
Company Manager/Director Rodney Hill
Artistic Director Raphael Xavier
Dancers Jenay Anolin, Davion Brown, Joshua Culbreath, Katia Cruz, Brandyn S. Harris, Mai
Le Ho Johnson, Rodney Mason, Neha Sharma, Samantha Shepherd, Shafeek Westbrook and
the Hood Lockers Richard Evans, Joshua Polk and Andrew Ramsey
RHAW goes rock in LUV: AMERICAN-STYLE. Popping & locking to a soundtrack of chart-topping
rock, the talented performers of Rennie Harris Awe-inspiring Works (New Vic 2013) use dance
and dialogue to portray one young man’s struggle with identity, love and justice. Dedicated to
his eldest son, Brandyn, LUV: AMERICAN-STYLE is choreographed by Alvin Ailey Award recipient
and urban dance guru Dr. Rennie Harris (Legends of Hip-Hop, New Vic 2004, 2006;
Puremovement, New Vic 1999), whose laws of hip hop—individuality, creativity and
innovation—rule in this compelling mix of street styles.
Inspired by the overwhelming interest from local teens and young adults who hoped to join his
internationally renowned company Rennie Harris Puremovement, Philadelphia native Dr.
Rennie Harris founded RHAW to serve urban youth, cultivate hip hop culture and preserve its
legacy by demonstrating discipline and focus through performance, dance education, outreach
programming and mentorship. Dr. Rennie Harris started teaching hip hop at the age of 15 with
the Smithsonian Institute and continues to teach worldwide. In 2001, for Rome & Jewels, Dr.
Harris received three Bessie Awards, two Black Theater Alvin Ailey Awards, a Herb Alpert
Award nomination and a Lawrence Olivier Award nomination. Among his many awards and
honors, he was honored by the Kennedy Center as a Master of African-American
Choreography, received a 2010 Guggenheim Fellowship for recognition of his work as a
choreographer and a 2007 United States Artist Fellowship, and was presented with an honorary
doctorate from Columbia College and Bates College.
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Off-Broadway Premiere
PAPER PLANET
Polygot Theatre
Melbourne, Australia
May 30 – June 7
At The Duke on 42nd Street
For ages 2+
Concept and Director Sue Giles
Designer and Construction Mischa Long
Sound Designers and Operator Maddy Flynn and Tim Humphrey
Cast Mischa Long, Keira Lyons, Stefanie Robinson and Tim Wells
Venture into a wild woodland unlike any other. In PAPER PLANET, an interactive installation by
Polyglot Theatre (Tangle, Lincoln Center Out of Doors), kids and their adults team up to explore
a jungle of cardboard trees filled with paper flora and fauna. Folding, scrunching and crawling,
families make original art and populate the everchanging environment with their own paper
creations. When the mic comes around, families will have a chance to chime in and add their
own sounds to the music of Mother Nature.
For over 30 years, Polyglot Theatre has been recognized one of Australia’s leading kids theater
companies, whose works encourage free artistic expression and an imaginative interpretation of
the world. Polygot plays to over 60,000 children on four continents annually, including recent
performances at Lincoln Center in New York and the Singapore Arts Festival. Directed by Sue
Giles (2012 keynote speaker for the Young People and the Arts National Symposium in Sydney,
2011 panelist for the Association of Theatre for Children and Youth International Children’s
Theatre Festival and Congress, 2004 Victorian Representative on the National Board of YPAA,
2003 Australian representative at the International Director’s Forum) with sound design by
Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey (Green Room Award for Outstanding Composition/Sound
Design; Melbourne International Arts Festival Award; Australian Network for Art and Technology
Synapse Award; Australasian Performing Right Association 2012 Art Music Awards for
Excellence in Experimental Music), PAPER PLANET was originally created for the 2011 “Puppets
at Fed Square” at the BMW Edge indoor amphitheatre in Melbourne. Polyglot Theatre is
assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and
advisory body.
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The New Victory Theater
Autism-Friendly Performances
During the 2014-15 season, The New Victory will host autism-friendly performances of select
shows, which will be modified to accommodate and support the sensory, social and emotional
needs of individuals on the autism spectrum.
THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE – Saturday, October 18 at 7pm
CIRQUE ZÍVA – Friday, December 12 at 7pm
CATCH ME! – Friday, April 10 at 7pm
THE MYSTERIOUS HAT – Saturday, April 25 at 7pm
The New Victory Theater
Public Engagement Activities
New Victory Family Workshops
NEW VICTORY Family Workshops invite adults and kids to discover their creative talents and play
together in unique workshops themed to the shows playing on the NEW VICTORY stage. Led by
NEW VICTORY Teaching Artists, NEW VICTORY Family Workshops offer families the opportunity to
deepen their relationship to the arts, make memories as a family and, most of all, have fun.
THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON – Shadow Puppetry: Sunday, October 5 at 2:30pm
THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE – Storybook Theater: Sunday, October 19 at 12pm
360 ALLSTARS – Breakdancing: Saturday, November 15 at 12pm and 4:30pm
CIRQUE ZÍVA – Circus Tricks: Saturday, December 13 at 12pm and 4:30pm
CIRQUE ZÍVA – Juggling: Sunday, January 4 at 2:30pm
CAMBUYÓN – Body Percussion: Sunday, February 22 at 2:30pm
THE LIGHT PRINCESS – Theater Games: Sunday, March 1 at 1:30pm
THE LIGHT PRINCESS – Storytelling and Music: Saturday, March 7 at 1:30pm
PINOCCHIO – Design for Theater: Saturday, March 14 at 4:30pm
CATCH ME! – Clowning: Saturday, March 28 at 1:30pm
CATCH ME! – Family Acrobatics: Sunday, March 29 at 1:30pm
THE MYSTERIOUS HAT – Songwriting: Saturday, April 25 at 12:30pm and 3:30pm
LUV: AMERICAN-STYLE – Hip Hop: Saturday, May 9 at 1:30pm and Sunday, May 17 at 1:30pm
Arts Express
By coming early to select performances at The New Victory Theater, patrons will have the
opportunity to learn more about the art form onstage, just before they see the performance. Led
by the NEW VICTORY Education Department and Teaching Artists, these free events are “dropin” format and are available up to an hour before a show begins.
THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON – Saturday, September 27 at 7pm and Sunday, October 12 at 5pm
THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE – Sunday, October 19 at 3pm
CIRQUE ZÍVA – Sunday, December 7 at 5pm, Sunday, December 14 at 5pm and Sunday, January 4 at
5pm
CAMBUYÓN – Sunday, February 8 at 5pm and Saturday, February 21 at 5pm
THE LIGHT PRINCESS – Sunday, March 1 at 5pm and Saturday, March 7 at 5pm
PINOCCHIO – Saturday, March 21 at 7pm and Sunday, March 22 at 5pm
CATCH ME! – Saturday, March 28 at 5pm and Sunday, March 29 at 5pm
THE MYSTERIOUS HAT – Saturday, April 25 at 3pm and Sunday, April 26 at 3pm
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TXT Marks the Spot
TXT Marks the Spot combines digital gaming, scavenger hunting and the performing arts into
unique experiences for families to enjoy together after select NEW VICTORY shows. Equipped
with a map and a personal mobile device, families will interact with NEW VICTORY Teaching
Artists as they roam throughout the theater, completing challenges and learning more about the
New Vic and the performance they have just seen.
THE MAGIC FLUTE – Saturday, November 1 at 2pm and Sunday, November 9 at 12pm
360 ALLSTARS – Sunday, November 23 at 5pm and Friday, November 28 at 7pm
LIONBOY – Sunday, January 25 at 12pm and Friday, January 30 at 7pm
LUV: AMERICAN-STYLE – Saturday, May 9 at 7pm and Friday, May 15 at 7pm
Talk-Backs
The New Victory Theater will continue to host its talk-back program, in which audience
members can ask questions and get to know the creative team and performers after select
performances.
THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON – Sunday, October 5 at 5pm and Saturday, October 11 at 2pm
THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE – Sunday, October 19 at 11am
THE MAGIC FLUTE – Sunday, November 2 at 12pm and Friday, November 7 at 7pm
360 ALLSTARS – Friday, November 21 at 7pm
CIRQUE ZÍVA – Saturday, December 13 at 2pm
LIONBOY – Saturday, January 24 at 2pm and Saturday, January 31 at 7pm
CAMBUYÓN – Friday, February 13 at 7pm
THE LIGHT PRINCESS – Sunday, March 8 at 12pm
PINOCCHIO – Sunday, March 15 at 3pm and Sunday, March 22 at 12pm
CATCH ME! – Saturday, April 4 at 5pm
LUV: AMERICAN-STYLE – Sunday, May 10 at 5pm and Saturday, May 16 at 7pm
Busy Bee
Before all shows programmed for our littlest patrons, families are invited to participate in preshow arts and crafts activities which they can bring home as mementoes of their first theater
adventures.
MINIMÓN – November 8 – 23
BABBLE – March 18 – 29
PAPER PLANET – May 30 – June 7
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