Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts to Present THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD EARNS HER WHISTLE, 11/17

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College (BCBC) opens its 2013-2014 Target Storybook Series with ArtsPower National Touring Theatre's The Little Engine That Could Earns Her Whistle on Sunday, November 17, 2013 at 2pm. All tickets are $7 and can be purchased by phone at 718-951-4500 (Tues-Sat, 1pm-6pm), or online at www.BrooklynCenterOnline.org. The performance is recommended for ages four and up.

Believing that anything is possible, believing that magic can be found anywhere, and above all believing in oneself are all lessons to be found in this new musical version of Watty Piper's timeless tale of Little Blue, a pint-sized engine who dreams of someday leaving the train yard to pull the Piney Vale Express. Featuring a dynamic score by Richard DeRosa, entertaining lyrics and book by ArtsPower's artistic director Greg Gunning, and colorful, inventive sets and costumes, the show celebrates the extraordinary strength of "I think I can!"

"For many children, The Little Engine That Could Earns Her Whistle may be the first stage production they ever see," says ArtsPower's executive producer Gary Blackman. "Our goal is not only to teach them valuable lessons about self-reliance, but also to instill in them a genuine love of theatre."

ArtsPower's twofold mission is to provide young people, many for the very first time, with the unforgettable opportunity to experience the transporting power of outstanding theater that entertains, stimulates, and educates; and to enhance "character education" among young people by creating theater that fosters sound moral development, encourages self-expression, ignites the desire to read, and advances their development as productive members of society. Celebrating their 28thanniversary in 2013, ArtsPower is one of America's preeminent nonprofit producers and presenters of professional theater for young and family audiences. With over 750 performances annually, the company has amassed an audience of more then 12 million people in 47 states.

The centerpiece of BCBC's 2013-2014 family programming, the Target Storybook Series features performances based on classic and contemporary children's literature and aims to encourage the development of strong reading skills at home in children ages four to eight. Each performance is accompanied by a Parents' Guide, with literacy-based activity sheets, reading tips, and discussion topics, giving parents the opportunity to engage their children both pre- and post-performance.

Other titles in the 2013-2014 Target Storybook Series include Theaterworks USA'sAlexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia's A Brown Bear, a Moon, and a Caterpillar: Treasured Stories by EricCarle; and American Family Theater's The Wizard of Oz. All seats for BCBC's 2013-2014 Target Storybook Series are $7-$10. Parents' Guides can be downloaded at www.BrooklynCenterOnline.org/Target_Storybook.asp.