Vital Theatre Opens ANGELINA BALLERINA, 7/8

Vital Theatre Company, the award-winning theatre company and producer of the long running family show PINKALICIOUS, THE MUSICAL, and HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children's entertainment, have announced ANGELINA BALLERINA™ THE MUSICAL with book and lyrics by Susan DiLallo, music by Ben Morss and directed and choreographed by Sam Viverito, is based on the famous dancing mouseling and her friends created by Katharine Holabird and illustrated by Helen Craig, will have performances at The Riverside Theatre.

Performances are Sundays at 1pm, starting July 8th through September 16th. Tickets are $29.50 for regular seats and $49.50 for premium seats. The show is appropriate for families with children, ages 3-12. For reservations call 212-579-0528 or visit www.vitaltheatre.org.

The Riverside Theatre at 91 Claremont Avenue at 120th Street is located inside the 75 year old Neo-Gothic Riverside Church, commissioned by John D. Rockefeller in 1927 and completed in 1930. The theatre is conveniently located near Columbia University, just 10 minutes from both the George Washington Bridge and the Lincoln Tunnel just off Riverside Drive.

On street parking is available on the weekend. The Claremont Avenue Garage is located inside the building with elevator access to the theatre.

In ANGELINA BALLERINA THE MUSICAL, Angelina And her friends, Alice, Gracie, AZ, Viki and even their teacher, Ms. Mimi, are all aflutter because a special guest is coming to visit Camembert Academy! Angelina And her friends will perform all types of dance, including hip-hop, modern dance, the Irish jig and of course, ballet and they are excited to show off their skills to their famous visitor. Angelina is the most excited of all, but will she get the starring moment she hopes for? Based on the CG-animated series, Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps on PBS KIDS®, ANGELINA BALLERINA THE MUSICAL is a family-friendly show that will have the entire audience dancing in the aisles.

ANGELINA BALLERINA THE MUSICAL had sold out its initial run October 2, 2010 through January 2, 2011 at Vital Theatre Company on the Upper West Side. On January 9, the show moved Off-Broadway to the Union Square Theatre where it ran through March 13, 2011. After a brief sabbatical, the show re-opened at the Dicapo Opera Theatre, where it performed from June 18 to September 11, 2011. From September 18th through October 17, 2011 the show performed at The Theatre at St. Peter's before returning to Vital Theatre Company, where it ran from October 21, 2011 to April 22, 2012. The show then had three performances in May 2012 at Florence Gould Hall.

ANGELINA BALLERINA™, a beloved publishing property for close to three decades, is a little star with big dreams of becoming a prima ballerina. This feisty little mouse works hard to reach her goals and along the way, always learns from her mistakes. When little girls share in Angelina's experiences, they're inspired to go after their big dreams too. In addition to the critically acclaimed story books created by Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig, Angelina Ballerina dances her way into the hearts of young girls weekly on PBS KIDS® in the CG-animated series, Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps. For more information about Angelina Ballerina, please visit www.angelinaballerina.com.

Susan DiLallo (Book and Lyrics) is the recipient of the covetEd Kleban Award. Her libretto for an original musical comedy, IRON CURTAIN, earned her a Jonathan Larson Award, and was further developed during a residency at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Her book and lyrics to another musical, ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW JERSEY, won both a Richard Rodgers Award and The Global Search for New Musicals Competition, Cardiff. Other credits include: the Mattel/Clear Channel production of BARBIE LIVE! IN FAIRYTOPIA (book, lyrics); THAT'S LIFE (Outer Critics Circle nominee); PINOCCHIO, A MUSICAL ABOUT ADOPTION (winner, KIDDstuff new play competition); and the revised libretto for the classic A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN.

Ben Morss (Music) wrote the music and lyrics for CINDERELLA'S MICE, which was produced by Vital in 2006. CINDERELLA'S MICE and his other children's musical, POP STAR, are published by Samuel French. He is an alumnus of the BMI Workshop, arranged the music for the stage version of Trey Parker's CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL and created music for ANANSI THE STORY KING at Georgetown University. He has played piano and arranged for platinum-selling bands such as Cake and Wheatus, and his playing was used in the films Sidewalks of New York and L.I.E. His new band, Onward Chariots, has been played on radio stations and praised on blogs from Greece to Brazil, has twice toured Europe, and has a record on Spanish indie-pop label Elefant Records. He leads the nine-piece crossover group, THE INFINATE ORCHESTRA. He earned his doctorate in music from the University of California at Davis.

The ANGELINA BALLERINA crew includes Director and Choreographer Sam Viverito, Assistant Director Lynn Sterling, Set Designer Kyle Dixon, Costume Designer Elisabeth Vastola, Lighting Designer Josh Bradford and Production Stage Manager Shani Colleen Murfin.

HIT ENTERTAINMENT is one of the world's leading children's entertainment producers and rights owners. HIT Entertainment is a division of Fisher-Price. HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Thomas & Friends®, Barney®, Bob the Builder®, Fireman Sam®, Angelina Ballerina®, Mike the Knight™, Pingu® and Rainbow Magic®. Launched in 1989, HIT's lines of business span television and video production, content distribution, publishing, consumer products licensing, digital media, and live events and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com

Vital Theatre Company commissions new musicals for children each season. Since its founding in 1999, Vital Theatre Company has been honored with two AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE by the Off Off Broadway Review, an Off Broadway Alliance Award and has received high acclaim from audiences and critics alike for being "a wonderful place for parents to introduce their kids to the glories of live theatre, done well and at modest prices." Now entering its 14th season, the company is dedicated to producing entertaining and educational theatre for young audiences. To date, the company has presented 60 original productions for over 284,000 children and their families.