Stage Rights Adds PRINCESS K.I.M. to Catalogue

Following successful runs on both the East and West coasts, the award-winning Princess K.I.M. The Musical is now available for licensing through Stage Rights. Created by veteran children's author & illustrator Maryann Cocca-Leffler, Princess K.I.M. The Musical is based on her critically acclaimed children's books Princess K.I.M. and the Lie That Grew and Princess Kim and Too Much Truth (both published by Albert Whitman & Co.). The show was adapted for the stage by Maryann Cocca-Leffler & Toby Tarnow with lyrics by Andrew Cass and music by Andrew Cass and Premik Russell Tubbs. Stage Rights is offering performance rights for three versions of Princess K.I.M. The Musical: Full-Length (Two Acts; 110 minutes), Junior (One Act; 75 minutes), and Theatre for Young Audiences (One Act; 50 minutes).

The musical follows the heartwarming story of Kim Worthington, who moves with her father to a new town following the loss of her mother. Kim desperately wants her new classmates to like her, so she tells a teeny tiny lie...she says that her name is really "K.I.M."-"Katherine Isabella Marguerite"-and that she is a princess. At first Kim relishes in the royal attention, but when her lie grows and grows, her life gets very complicated, especially when her theatrical grandmother comes to visit and is mistaken for the Queen. When the truth is revealed, the kids reject Kim for her deceit. Kim then thinks that telling only the truth will reverse her mistake, but her comically brutal truths only alienate everyone further. With the help of her exuberant grandmother, her wise father, and some wisdom found in her mother's journal, Kim finds the courage to drop her royal ruse and simply be her charming self.

Out of 180 submitted children's plays, Princess K.I.M. The Musical was awarded first place at the 2012 Ronald Ruble National New Play Festival. Brian Marshall, Artistic Director of the Caryl Crane Youth Theatre where the festival was held said Princess K.I.M. The Musical is "so much fun you don't even know you are being taught some great life lessons." Likewise, David Shacklock who produced the musical at TCT Community Players remarked, "Princess K.I.M. is destined to be a favorite for audiences of all ages."

Maryann Cocca-Leffler is no stranger to children's literature, having written and illustrated over 50 books including Bravery Soup and Janine. She was inspired to turn Princess K.I.M. into a musical while illustrating the books, she explained, "As I sat at my drawing board, painting these characters and the world in which they lived, I started to imagine that each illustration was a stage-set and each character, an actor. I tacked up one sentence on my vision board: Make Princess K.I.M. into a play. Years later, I did." Cocca-Leffler decided to take the leap in 2011. She gathered a team of theatre professionals and musicians who all set to work on bringing Princess K.I.M. The Musical to life. "We met on a regular basis, sitting around my piano, with script in hand. Knowing that the songs were an essential part of moving the play along, we talked at length about what each song would express. My composer/lyricist took the true essence of the story and created amazing lyrics, with many themes taken directly from the books."

Complete performance and licensing information for all three versions of Princess K.I.M. The Musical can be found on the Stage Rights website (www.stagerights.com) or by calling 323-739-0413.

About Stage Rights: Based in Los Angeles and founded in 2000, Steele Spring Stage Rights is one of the foremost independent theatrical publishers in the United States, providing stage performance rights for a wide range of plays and musicals to theater companies across the country and internationally. Their guiding principle as a licensing agent is to combine high-quality rehearsal materials with top-notch customer service in an ongoing effort to provide each producer the tools they need for financial and artistic success. Stage Rights maintains a dedication to the future of live theatre through their special programs that champion new theatrical works.