New Victory Sets 20th Anniversary Season

Devoted to kids and families since 1995, The New Victory Theater embarks on its 20th Anniversary season as New York's premier destination for inventive, inspiring and international performing arts at affordable prices. Among its roster of 16 shows in the 2015-16 season, which begins October 2, 2015 and runs through May 22, 2016, The New Victory is thrilled to bring five American works of theater to New York's family audiences.

From October 2-11, 2015, Robin Hood and his Merry Men take the New Vic stage by storm. From Seattle Children's Theatre, a leading producer of professional theater, educational programs and new works for young people, this fast-paced play written by Greg Banks (Tir Na N'og, New Vic 2000) and directed by Allison Narver features a hero with a tongue as sharp as his sword. Under the fly of arrows, and with some very clever quick changes, a versatile cast of four takes on every role.

This holiday season, Cirque Mechanics rides onto the New Victory stage with their bevy of bikes, unique storytelling and Rube Goldberg-inspired mechanics in Pedal Punk (December 4, 2015 - January 3, 2016). From Las Vegas, Nevada, the ingenious troupe behind Boom Town (New Vic 2011) and Birdhouse Factory (New Vic 2008) brings a steampunk-styled, cycling-inspired circus, in which a quirky cast of characters amaze with heart-pounding pole drops, awesome aerial acts and high-flying tricks in this adrenaline-fueled show for the whole family.

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the beloved book by Esphyr Slobodkina, Caps for Sale the Musical jumps off the page and onto the stage from February 27 - March 6, 2016 in this new adaptation by Michael J. Bobbitt and Ann Marie Sayer with music and lyrics by William Yanesh. With song, dance and live accompaniment, this new musical from Adventure Theatre MTC (Bob Marley's Three Little Birds, New Vic 2014) makes its world premiere at the company's home theater in Glen Echo, Maryland, this fall.

Fly (March 11-27, 2016), a theatrical action adventure from the NAACP and Ovation Award-winning Pasadena Playhouse and the TONY Award-winning Crossroads Theatre Company, tells the story of four brave young men who join the first black aviators in United States history. From training to combat, experience the anguish, fears and triumphs of the Tuskegee Airmen, who fought for freedom abroad-and at home-in this inspiring play by Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan, co-founder and former artistic director of Crossroads Theatre Company.

After two sold-out engagements at The New Victory, Drama Desk-nominated Bello Mania (New Vic 2013, 2014), starring Bello Nock, is back! Atop his signature sway pole, the dude with the foot-high hair performs fan favorites as well as some all-new hijinks as he welcomes new friends to the stage. Hightail it to the New Vic for hilarity and high-flying stunts from April 15 - May 1, 2016.

From around the world, more New Victory fan favorites appear throughout the special anniversary season:

• Cape Town's Isango Ensemble (The Magic Flute, New Vic 2014) uses traditional African instruments and folklore to reimagine Benjamin Britten's ethereal opera A Midsummer Night's Dream (October 30 - November 8, 2015).
• London's Olivier-nominated Tall Stories (The Snail and the Whale, New Vic 2014) returns with The Gruffalo (October 17-25, 2015), a scary-fun musical makeover for little ones of the award-winning picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
• Scotland's Catherine Wheels Theatre Company brings back its 2011 Drama Desk-nominated production of White (November 4-22, 2015), a work of modern theater for the very young, created by Andy Manley and designed by Shona Reppe, about a monochromatic world turned upside down when pops of color suddenly appear.
• Havana's Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba fills the New Vic stage with Cuba Vibra! (November 13-29, 2015), a blend of ballet, flamenco, cha-cha, rumba, conga, bolero and salsa set to the vocal virtuosity and boisterous Latin rhythms of a live, big band.
• Brisbane's Untapped! (February 5-21, 2016) mixes street dance styles, percussion and Aussie humor with high-octane tap talent in a raucous reinvention of rhythm.
• Montréal's Théâtre de l'Œil returns with The Star Keeper (April 1-3, 2016), an enchanting puppetry piece about a chivalrous worm who must explore new worlds to restore a fallen star to its rightful place.

The New Victory 2015-16 Season also includes five U.S. premieres:

• NIE Theatre's Museum of Memories (January 8-17, 2016)
  Through physical theater, multilingual storytelling and live music, the five ensemble members of NIE Theatre tenderly reconstruct the life of a boy who took his own life and now lives on in the remembrances of others; after the show, audiences explore the set to reflect on the performance's most gripping moments.
• Unicorn Theatre's The Velveteen Rabbit (January 22-31, 2016)
  A stage adaptation of Margery Williams's poignant story about love, loss and growing up features sophisticated staging by UK's leading professional theater for young audiences.
• Little Angel Theatre's Handa's Surprise (February 12-21, 2016)
  A mix of puppetry and gentle African song transports young audiences to a bright, warm day in Kenya in this playful production adapted from the picture book by Eileen Browne.
• Carlo Colla & Sons Marionette Company's The Pied Piper (May 6-15, 2016)
  From the twitch of a rat's tail to the grandiose proclamations of a greedy mayor, this retelling of the classic Brothers Grimm tale features the intricate craftsmanship of over 120 marionettes (and 300 puppet rats!).
• Le Clan des Songes's Cité (May 14-22, 2016)
  Set to whimsical original music, a man chases the sun as a city comes alive in fun and surprising ways in this enthralling exploration of shape, color and shadow puppetry.