(MANAHAWKIN, NJ) -- Pushcart Players, New Jersey’s renowned touring theatre for young audiences will perform their beloved musical production, “Peter and the Wolf” at Stafford Branch of the Ocean County Libraries in Manahawkin NJ on Monday, May 7 at 6:00pm. In their 44th Season of touring theater for young audiences -- bringing performances to schools, theaters, production venues, and community centers throughout the United States – Pushcart’s performance is hosted by the New Jersey Theatre Alliance’s Stages Festival, the State’s largest celebration of live professional theater.
“Peter and the Wolf” is an enchanting production of a classic tale, set to the resplendent music by composer Sergei Prokofiev. Each character is represented by a different musical motif in this story of a spirited young boy who confronts the dangers of the forest with courage, creativity, and leadership. With a professional cast (Actors’ Equity Association) who employs various forms of puppetry, singing, and choreography, “Peter and the Wolf” is a universal theatrical celebration that has toured nationally and abroad.
“Pushcart puts its’ trademark spin on ‘Peter and the Wolf,’” said Ruth Fost, playwright and lyricist. “The themes of this Eastern European folk tale are what make it a timeless classic: Friendship and caring. Arrogance and prejudice. Youth and maturity. Conflict resolution and beauty in the natural order of life. All worthy of celebration!”
Original additional music and orchestrations to Prokofiev’s score are by Drama Desk and Tony Award-winner, Larry Hochman. The cast includes Phebe Taylor (Peter), Oscar Castillo (Storyteller / Puppeteer), Aja Downing (Wolf), and Paul Whelihan (Grandfather), who also directed the production.
Phebe Taylor was has been seen flying around as Peter in “Peter Pan” at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre. She is a company member of the Heartland Actors’ Repertory Theatre in Indianapolis, where she appears in summer Shakespeare productions. Phebe is also a frequent performer at Indianapolis' Phoenix Theatre, in such shows as “Urinetown,” “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” “The Zippers of Zoomerville,” “Boston Marriage,” “Peter and the Starcatcher,” and the National New Play Network's "Rolling World Premiere" of “End Days”.
Oscar Castillo has been a member of Pushcart Players for thirteen years. A graduate of Kean University with a BFA in theatre, he co-founded The Theatre Project and performs frequently throughout New York City with Peculiar Works Productions.
Aja Downing recently graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Arts Academy in 2015. Recent roles include Fantasy in “Name on My Lips,” and Yahtzee in “420 the Musical.” Aja also performs in Pushcart productions of “Cinderella,” “Velveteen Rabbit,” and “A Season of Miracles.”
Paul Whelihan is the producing artistic director at Pushcart Players. He directs, stage-manages and performs off-Broadway (47th Street Theater, 59 East 59 Theatres, NY Fringe Festival, 54 Below) and regionally (Royal Poincianna Playhouse, Broward Center for the Arts, Centenary Stage, The Bickford Theatre, The Growing Stage, Luna Stage Company, Forum Theatre Arts Center, Quillo Arts Center, Premier Stages, Dreamcatcher Rep) in musicals, dramas, original works and locally produced television, film and web series projects.
Larry Hochman is the Tony and Drama Desk award-winner for best orchestrations for “The Book of Mormon.” He received Tony nominations for the revival of “Hello Dolly” with Bette Midler, “She Loves Me” (2016 revival, for which he won the Drama Desk Award), “The Scottsboro Boys,” ”Monty Python's Spamalot,” (Hochman also received Drama Desk nominations for both), “Fiddler on the Roof” (2004 revival), “A Class Act” and a Tony nomination the Drama Desk Award for 2016’s “She Loves Me.” Larry composed additional music for Disney’s “Little Mermaid,” for Stephen Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” and for numerous celebrity concerts. Other awards include the ASCAP Award for Musical Theater (“One Man Band”), 4 Emmy Awards for “The Wonder Pets” television series, and a Bistro Award for composing “One Man Band.” He has orchestrated and/or written the scores for the majority of Pushcart’s productions.
Pushcart Players is the award-winning professional touring theater company specializing in arts education for children. Twice nominated for an Emmy©, Pushcart is the recipient of numerous state and private awards for excellence and innovation. A social-profit organization founded in 1974, Pushcart brings substantive musical theater, workshops, and residencies to young people and their families in schools and theaters nationwide. The company has traveled more than 2 million miles nationally and abroad, from the nation’s White House to the rural red schoolhouse. All performances come with innovative scenery, complete lighting, and state of the art sound systems, making them adaptable to any location.
The New Jersey Theatre Alliance is the coalition of the Garden State’s professional theaters. The Stages Festival is an annual, month-long festival of theatre which attracts an average of 10,000 children and adults each year. “Peter and the Wolf” on May 7 was rescheduled from an earlier performance in March which was postponed due to inclement weather. Over 100 performances and workshops are presented free or at a steep discount in most of the 21 counties of New Jersey. Programming includes touring productions by our member theatres, a stage combat workshop, a playwriting residency, a conversation series with artists, cabaret performances in senior centers, bi-lingual performances, and much, much more.
Stafford Branch Library is located at 129 North Main Street, Manahawkin NJ 08050. Tickets are free, but reservations are requested by calling 609-597-3381. Contact Pushcart Players at 973-857-1115 for further information on this or any Pushcart Players program, and visit the website www.pushcartplayers.org.
PHOTO: Pushcart Players in "Peter and the Wolf”. Photo by Gerry Goodstein
