PLAY NICE to Launch 2017 Season with WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?

With its troupe of actors from age 6 to 83, whose original musicals and concerts raise money for local charities, PLAY NICE launches its season with the comical misadventure, Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

This chicken-and-egg tale is a lighthearted musical, and touches gently on serious issues such as the true meaning of "home" and created families.

Aimed at families and kids age 6 and up, performances are Saturday and Sunday, November 11 and 12 at 2 PM, followed by two shows on Saturday, November 18 at 1 PM and 4:30 PM. PLAY NICE plays play at The Actors Theatre Workshop, 145 West 28 Street in Manhattan. General admission tickets are available through www.purplepass.com and prices range from $11-$18, with reserved seating for sponsors. Free tickets are provided for children in NYC shelters.

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? is a high-energy tale that tracks a family on a wild goose chase (literally, with an actual wild goose) and other wild encounters - a thieving senior citizen, a princess who is royally spoiled, and a very nervous chicken named Ethel who will (maybe) cross the road. Peppered with quirky and perky songs about parenthood, perseverance, a pet parrot, poverty, and paranoid poultry, original lyrics are set to familiar folk music and classic kids' songs - plus a snippet of Beethoven.

The PLAY NICE people's projects put the spotlight (onstage and off) on the nice things in life - inclusion, integrity, and inter-generational interaction - while rejecting racism, ageism, cynicism, defeatism and mega-materialism. Values embraced are reflected in the themes and plots of their plays where characters find that being kind is kind of wonderful. All actors and staff donate their time and talent so that the projects always raise money to benefit local charities. Past productions produced donations to Juvenile Diabetes, Amas Theatre's programs for urban youth, and HelpUsAdopt.org. Now ensconced in a new "home" at The Actors Theatre Workshop in Chelsea, PLAY NICE's musicals about home and kids share ATW's mission and ongoing work with NYC's homeless youth, contributing to the expansion of their much-needed programs for this population, such as their Builders of the New World program, working with at-risk teens, hot meals, and - of course - theatre education.

Future plans for PLAY NICE include variety and cabaret shows, family activities, and shows through next summer and beyond (on tap next: December's Alice in ChristmasLand; acting classes for kids and teens, with a major scholarship component; one-day family activities; concerts and cabarets; and musicals in 2018 with plots about Snow White's high school reunion; life in outer space ;"fake news" in a school newspaper; learning to "play nice" instead of bullying; and a summer theatre program culminating in a play about a summer theatre program.

November's nice and nutty Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? - with music direction by Albert Cardone at the keyboard, includes human and feathered characters played by performers Alex Bello, Kea Chan, Victor Griffith, Mary Israel, Tori Israel,K ate Ruby Klenfner, Sofia Lopez, Maryann Lopinto, Barbara Malley, Claire Melchert, Denzel Ostane, Ruby Quarles, Mira Singer, Stefania Verbitsky, Alexi Zadanosky. A rotating cast of guest actors will play the talking egg, and there are some very nice puppets.

PLAY NICE's plays are created and coordinated by founder Rob Lester, who is director, writer of scripts, lyrics -- and, sometimes, music.

For further information, visit www.PlayNicePeople.com.