Norwalk's Stepping Stones Museum for Children Presents THE SILLY DILLY MUSICAL

Norwalk's Stepping Stones Museum for Children is about to enter its "Silly Season" and we're really okay with that. In fact, silly dillyness will rule the day on Saturday, September 28 when Weston resident and Emmy-nominated songwriter Alan Katz presents the world premiere of The Silly Dilly Musical: Back To School Edition at our award-winning children's museum. The Silly Dilly Musical: Back To School Edition is the first of a series of exclusive Silly Dilly performances at Stepping Stones.

From the pages of Take Me Out of the Bathtub... and other Silly Dilly Songbooks by Alan Katz comes The Silly Dilly Musical series, in which professional singers and dancers perform Katz's hilarious lyrics to familiar songs that touch on so many themes and concepts to which all kids relate. Whether you are young or young at heart, you'll get a kick out of these super silly musical performances, which will be running at Stepping Stones through the end of the year. If you've seen one show, you haven't seen them all. Come back to see the others because each show is different. Seasonal themes for The Silly Dilly Musical series will include back-to-school, the fall harvest and the year-end holidays.

Stepping Stones is proud and excited that Alan Katz is bringing his collection of highly-acclaimed children's books to musical life here at the museum," said Rhonda Kiest, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stepping Stones Museum for Children. "We look forward to this wonderful partnership."

"According to research and community wisdom, a good laugh can make you feel better," Kiest continued. "Laughter exercises muscles in the body, helps relieve stress, boosts the immune system and can give you an overall sense of well-being."

These special events are the latest installment of the museum's new WOW!, a specially-curated group of engaging, exciting and entertaining museum performances and experiences designed to help enhance children's understanding of our world.

Emmy-nominated Songwriter and Comedy Writer Extraordinaire Alan Katz, Producer Eli Newsom and Director Christy McIntosh Newsom are the brains behind the wonderful zaniness that is The Silly Dilly Musical. They've essentially taken many old favorites that we all know and love and turned them on their ears with new hilariously nonsensical lyrics that children will love. Featuring more than 20 "Silly Dilly Songs," this is a great show for the entire family that's sure to incite a lot of singing along and more than a few belly laughs. While the songs may be funny, there's also an overarching theme of fairness and inclusion for audience members to embrace. After the shows, kids will have the opportunity to meet and take pictures with the cast of professional singers and dancers.

Katz has written more than 40 highly-acclaimed children's books, including nine Silly Dilly Songbooks (among them, Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs, Are You Quite Polite?, Where Did They Hide My Presents? and Smelly Locker). He is also the author of If I Didn't Have You, Don't Say That Word!, and the award-winning poetry book OOPS! His most recent titles are non-fiction books combining fascinating facts and laughs: Awesome Achievers in Science and Awesome Achievers in Technology. Alan is a six-time Emmy-nominated TV writer for series including The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Disney's Raw Toonage, Taz-Mania, Pinkalicious and Peterrific, the Grammy Awards and Tony Awards, various Nickelodeon shows, network specials and game shows. You can visit him online at AlanKatzBooks.com.

"When I decided to turn my nine Silly Dilly songbooks into a stage musical, I naturally thought of Stepping Stones because it is a place that drives imagination and fosters creativity; a home where kids can come to sing along, laugh along, and learn along," said Katz.

"My wife and I raised four curious, creative, intelligent kids, and Stepping Stones was a significant part of their young lives," he continued. "Today, I am honored to be partnering with this great place as both the museum and the Silly Dilly book series reach a significant milestone next year. Stepping Stones and my book series turn 20 in 2020, so this is a big celebration! I can't wait to sing, laugh and learn together!"

Producer Eli Newsom and Director Christy McIntosh-Newsom have twenty years of producing theatre between them, and together they run Fairfield Center Stage, an environmental and immersive traveling theatre in Fairfield. Christy has an extensive background in children's and educational theatre, having directed and taught at Fairfield Summer Stage, Downtown Cabaret Theatre, Curtain Call Summer Youth Theatre, Trumbull Youth Association, West Conn, and others, and is also a professional actress and member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity. Eli has served as director and music director at Curtain Call, Bedford Middle School, Coleytown, Fairfield Teen Theatre, Tomlinson Middle School, Downtown Cabaret Theatre, and is a founding member of both Bridgeport Theatre Company and Fairfield Center Stage.

The unmissable The Silly Dilly Musical: Back To School Edition comes to Stepping Stones on September 28 from 11:00 am - noon and 2:00 - 3:00 pm. Tickets for these world-premiere shows on September 28 are free with museum admission and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. After each of The Silly Dilly Musical: Back To School Edition shows, audience members will have time for a meet-and-greet and photo-op with the show cast and creators.

More performances from The Silly Dilly Musical are coming soon. The Silly Dilly Musical: Harvest Edition will debut on Tuesday, November 5 at 11:00 am. The Silly Dilly Musical: Holiday Edition hits the stage on Saturday, November. 30 at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm and Saturday, December 23 at 9:30 am, 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Visit http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/silly for performance times for these future shows.

While there is no added admission charge for The Silly Dilly Musical: Back To School Edition, ticket prices for these future shows will be $3 per person for members and $5 per person in addition to the regular museum admission for non-members. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 203 899 0606, ext. 0 or visit http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/silly.

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