Children's Musical A Shelter in Our Car to Tour NYC

The world premiere of A Shelter in Our Car - a new family musical with book and lyrics by Sophie Jaff and music by Robert L. Wilson III based on the award-winning book by Monica Gunning - will be presented by Making Books Sing, the New York-based company dedicated to turning books for young readers into musical works for the stage.

The show will play performances in the Bronx at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College Jan. 22 - 26; in Queens at the Queensborough Performing Arts Center Jan. 31 - Feb. 3; in Brooklyn at the Goldstein Theatre at Kingsborough Community College Feb. 5 - 9; and in Manhattan at Symphony Space Feb. 10 - 13.

The musical - set to an original score filled with reggae, jazz and hip-hop - "tells the story of Zettie and her parents, recent immigrants from Jamaica who move to New York City for a better life, but when Zettie's Papa dies unexpectedly she and her Mama find themselves homeless and living in their car. As Zettie struggles through the taunts of her classmates to find safety and a sense of belonging in the big city she discovers that the most reliable shelter is the love she shares with her Mama," as press notes state.

A Shelter in Our Car -- directed and choreographed by Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj with music direction by Victoria Bond -- features a cast which includes: Emily Agy (Zettie); Ronny Mercedes (Ricardo); Matthew Morgan (Alex); Robyn Payne (Mama); Tony Perry (Papa); Annette Michelle Sanders (Officer Donnelly); and Ryan Strand (Gareth).

The show's design team includes: John Pollard (Set Designer); Douglas Cox (Lighting Designer); and Leslie Bernstein (Costume Designer).

The new musical perfectly exemplifies the mission of Making Books Sing, the only theatre company of its kind dedicated to combining literacy with the performing arts by creating professional theatre works based on contemporary children's books from diverse cultures.  In previous years Making Books Sing -which was founded in 1996 - has developed a devoted audience of school-age children and their families (54,000 and counting!) with its musical productions that are based on books.

This year as many as 12,000 school children from across the five Boroughs on New York City will attend Making Books Sing daytime performances of A Shelter in Our Car.

The musical will give performances open to the public throughout the city, as follows:

The Bronx - January 22 - January 26, 2007
Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College - 250 Bedford Park Blvd. West - Bronx, NY
Monday, January 22 - Friday, January 26 at 10:30am
Directions - By Car: From the Deegan Expressway, exit at Van Cortlandt Park South. Follow signs. From the Henry Hudson Parkway, exit at Moshulu Parkway. Follow signs.
By Subway: Take the 4 or the D to Bedford Park Station. Lehman College campus is a 3 to 5 minute, well-lit walk to the west.

Queens - January 31 - February 2, 2007
Queensborough Performing Arts Center - 222-05 56th Avenue - Bayside Queens, NY
Wednesday, January 31 - Friday, February 2 at 10:30am
Saturday, February 3 at 11:00am
Directions - #7 to Main St., Flushing, then take the Q27 bus to Springfield Blvd. and 56th Ave., or the Q12 bus to Cloverdale Blvd. &Northern Blvd. F or R train to 169th St. and Hillside Ave., then take the Q30 bus via Horace Harding Blvd. to Springfield Blvd. Walk three blocks north to 56th Ave. The E or J train to Parsons Blvd. and Archer Ave. then take the Q30 bus.

Brooklyn - February 5 - 9, 2007
Goldstein Theatre at Kingsborough Community College - 2001 Oriental Blvd. - Brooklyn, NY
Monday, February 5 - Friday, February 9 at 10:30am
Directions - By Car: Belt Pkwy east to Exit 8A. Cross Coney Island Ave. along Guider Ave. Turn right onto E. 12th St. Turn left onto Neptune Ave. Turn right onto Cass Pl. Turn right to West End Ave. Turn left to Oriental Blvd.
By Subway - F to Ave. X, transfer to the eastbound B1 to KCC.

Manhattan - February 10 - 13, 2006
Symphony Space - 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street) - New York, NY
Saturday, February 10 at 2pm (followed by a special Benefit party; for Benefit information contact: kwilson@makingbookssing.org)
Sunday, February 11 at 4pm
Monday, February 12 &Tuesday, February 13 at 10am &12:00pm

Tickets range from $8 - $25 (group rates are available). For reservations, please call 212-573-8791 ext. 245.

For more information about Making Books Sing programs, call 212-573-8791, or go to www.makingbookssing.org.