(NETCONG, NJ) -- The Growing Stage – The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey has announced its 2017 – 2018 Main Stage Season. The lineup includes Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella - A Holiday Musical, Boy Sees Flying Saucer, and DreamWorks' Madagascar - A Musical Adventure. All productions take place in the Historic Palace Theatre on Route 183 in Netcong, New Jersey.
Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Howard Ashman & Tim Rice Book by Linda Woolverton Step into the enchanted world of Broadway's modern classic, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, an international sensation that has played to over 35 million people worldwide in 13 countries. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, the stage version includes all of the wonderful songs written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice. The original Broadway production ran for over thirteen years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. Presented October 6 – 29, 2017
CINDERELLA – A Holiday Musical - Book & Lyrics by Alyn Cardarelli Music by Steve Goers The holidays have arrived, and with them the anticipated Royal Ball! Cinderella's cruel Stepmother and Stepsisters are plotting to win the heart of The Prince, but a spunky and barefoot servant girl may just become the belle of the ball. This swashbuckling Cinderella just needs a little help from her Fairy Godmother and one ratty Footman to find her happy ending. The piece comes from Chicago’s Emerald City’s and this adaption of everyone’s favorite fairy tale is a musical holiday wish come true.
Alyn Cardarelli (book and lyrics) is the Emerald City co-founder and graduate of Second City Training Center where he attended classes and performed with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Alyn has written over 20 plays for Emerald City Theatre including adaptations of How I Became a Pirate, Stellaluna, and Where the Wild Things Are. He has been produced in major markets across the United States as well as overseas. In 2009-2010, he was the most produced children’s playwright in the United States. Steve Goers (composer) has been composing and performing for more than 20 years. He has provided music for radio, television, film and stage. He has written and produced full orchestral scores for productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and over a dozen scores for Emerald City Theatre. Presented November 24 – December 17, 2017
BOY SEES FLYING SAUCER - Based on the true and original story by Brian Dorscht Written by Mike Czuba Bobby Radcliffe is sure he has lost his brand-new bicycle. After his parents go out for the evening, he is left with his sister and instructions from his father to “make sure the bike is found and in the garage” before Bobby goes to bed. Frustrated that he can’t find his bike, he returns home and decides to tell a lie to his gullible sister; “A flying saucer came down and took my bike”. Half believing what he says, she asks him for details of how it happened – and a story starts to develop. The sister runs to the phone to tell her best friend what Bobby just told her. The best friend tells her father who is the town Sheriff and tells her he is coming over to the house.
Bobby has to decide to either continue the lie, or confess the truth. Surely they would know this isn’t true. But, people in the neighborhood and around the city get stirred up and excited to know that a UFO landed in their city. It hits the media the next day, and for the next week the location becomes a tourist attraction with Bobby telling his story. What he doesn’t suspect is the arrival of a “mystery man” who shows up with photo books full of pictures of Martians, and moon men, and the inside flying saucers, who just wants to get home. Presented March 9 – 25, 2018
DreamWorks’ MADAGASCAR – A Musical Adventure - Based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture Book by Kevin Del Aguila Music & Lyrics by George Noriega & Joel Someillan Join Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hop Hippo and, of course, those hilarious, plotting penguins as they bound onto your stage in the musical adventure of a lifetime. Based on the smash DreamWorks animated motion picture, Madagascar – A Musical Adventure follows all of your favorite crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.
Alex the lion is the king of the urban jungle, the main attraction at New York's Central Park Zoo. He and his best friends – Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo – have spent their whole lives in blissful captivity before an admiring public and with regular meals provided for them. Not
content to leave well enough alone, Marty lets his curiosity get the better of him and makes his escape – with the help of some prodigious penguins – to explore the world. Presented April 27 – May 20
Season Ticket Packages are currently on sale. Purchase a package today that allows you to have the lowest per ticket price, the only reserved seating at the theatre plus flexible booking and so much more. To purchase a package, visit www.growingstage.com or contact the Box Office at boxoffice@growingstage.com or call (973) 347-4946. Group Rates are available for each production.
The Growing Stage-The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey is a non-profit professional performing arts center dedicated to theatre for young audiences. A member theatre of the Association of Actor’s Equity, we provide opportunity for all to learn and grow through participation in the arts.
