JUMANJI, THREE LITTLE BIRDS & More Set for Adventure Theatre MTC's 2015-16 Season

Adventure Theatre MTC, ATMTC, recent recipient of the TYA/USA Harold Oaks Award for significant contributions to the Theatre for Young Audiences field, is proud to announce its 64th Season featuring five main stage productions with four world premieres. The 64th Season offers a series of fresh and diverse stories exclusive to the ATMTC stage brought to life for young audiences by award-winning directors.

Fans of Esphyr Slobodkina's CAPS FOR SALE will be delighted its 75th anniversary is honored with the world premiere musical on ATMTC's stage followed by a national tour. Co-adapted by Ann Marie Mulhean Sayer and Michael J. Bobbitt with music and lyrics by William Yanesh, directed by Ovation Award-nominated Patrick Pearson and a part of the Women's Voices Theater Festival, this folktale cleverly illustrates the saying, "Monkey see, monkey do." After her huge success as Felicia the Pig in If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Helen Hayes Award Recipient Holly Twyford returns to Adventure Theatre MTC in a world premiere co-commission with the Bay Area Children's Theatre. Twyford is set to direct Lemony Snicket's THE LUMP OF COAL adapted by Norman Allen proving miracles can happen to even the smallest, flammable, holiday fossil fuel. As a co-production with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Michael Baron, Helen Hayes Award Winning Director of ATMTC's A Year With Frog and Toad, returns to direct the musical JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. Roald Dahl's 1960's tale is brought to life by Tony Nominated songwriting pair Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and a book by Tim McDonald. EMPEROR'S NIGHTINGALE, a world premiere play based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen, is brought to the stage by Northwestern University's Natsu Onoda Power and written by Ovation Award winner Damon Chua. Finally, ATMTC rolls the dice in the world premiere summer production of JUMANJI, directed by ATMTC favorite Serge Seiden (Charlotte's Web, A Little House Christmas) and adapted for the stage by Sandra Eskin and Michael J. Bobbitt.

"Singing sweet songs of melodies pure and true" across the country, ATMTC's Bob Marley hit musical, THREE LITTLE BIRDS, takes flight on a national tour in early 2016.

Adventure Theatre MTC's Producing Artistic Director Michael J. Bobbitt says of the season, "Our ambitious and exclusive season features the best that ATMTC has to offer for its audiences while maintaining our commitment to age-appropriate casting and diversity. ."

Flexpass books of 10 tickets are currently on sale. Tickets go on sale to the general public August 15, 2015. For more information about Adventure Theatre MTC, call 301-634-2270 or visit www.adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS

75th Anniversary World Premiere
CAPS FOR SALE, THE MUSICAL
Based on the children's book by Esphyr Slobodkina
Adapted for the stage by Ann Marie Mulhearn Sayer and Michael J. Bobbitt
Music and Lyrics by William Yanesh
Directed by Patrick Pearson

All Ages

Glen Echo, MD September 11-September 27, 2015
National Tour October 5 - November 28, 2015

"Caps! Caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap!" The cap peddler, wears a huge stack of caps, balanced carefully on top of his head. Brown caps, blue caps, gray caps, and red caps. When no one buys a cap, he takes a nap under a shady tree. But, when he wakes up, the caps are gone! Was it bears, pirates, one thousand thieves or a band of merry mischievous monkeys?

A World Premiere Co-Commission with Bay Area Children's Theatre
Lemony Snicket's
THE LUMP OF COAL
by Norman Allen
Adapted from the book by Lemony Snicket
Directed by Holly Twyford
November 20 - December 31

All Ages

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A Co-Production with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
Book by Timothy Allen McDonald
Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Based on the book by Roald Dahl
Directed by Michael Baron
February 14-April 4

All Ages

When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion which results in a tremendous peach - and launches a journey of enormous proportions. Dahl's classic features a wickedly tuneful score by the Tony Award-nominated team of Pasek and Paul and a curiously quirky book by Timothy Allen McDonald.

THREE LITTLE BIRDS
Based on the story by Cedella Marley
Music & Lyrics by Bob Marley
Adapted for the stage by Michael J. Bobbitt
Additional Music & Lyrics by John L. Cornelius, II
Directed by Nick Olcott
National Tour: Winter 2016

All Ages

Ah...yasso nice! Three little birds sing their sweet songs to Ziggy, a very shy child who is happy to see the world from the T.V. in his room. But his tricky friend, Nansi wants him to get out and enjoy the Island of Jamaica. But, Ziggy is afraid of hurricane, mongoose and evil spirits. Their worldly adventure is enlivened by the fantastic songs of renowned Reggae artist, Bob Marley. Roots, Rock, Reggae!

A World Premiere
EMPEROR'S NIGHTINGALE
Based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Anderson
Adapted by Damon Chua
April 22 - May 30
Directed by Natsu Onoda Power

All ages

The sweet song of a Nightingale saves an Empire. This brand new adaptation set in eighteenth century China, brings to light the younger days of Emperor Qianlong, who would become one of the greatest rulers of the Middle Kingdom. It takes a magical bird to help the headstrong and aimless Prince to become a King.

A World Premiere
JUMANJI
Based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg
Adapted by Sandra Eskin & Michael J. Bobbitt
June 17 - August 28
Directed by Serge Seiden

Ages 4 and up

When Judy and Peter find a mysterious old board game, they play it, hoping to alleviate their boredom. One live lion, an erupting volcano, and a dozen destructive monkeys later, the children are no longer bored. Will they ever finish this mysterious magic game and claim Jumanji?!

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