Pushcart Players presents PETER AND THE WOLF at Premiere Stages

Pushcart Players, New Jersey's renowned touring theatre for young audiences will perform their beloved musical production, "Peter and the Wolf" at various locations this month throughout New Jersey as part of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance's 20th Annual Stages Festival. Every March, The Stages Festival offers free and discounted performances, workshops, play readings, and behind-the-scenes events for all ages. Events are presented by professional Equity theatres; some take place at their theatres, and some take place in libraries, community centers, performing arts houses, senior centers and more.

"Peter and the Wolf" is an enchanting production of a classic tale, set to the resplendent music by composer Sergei Prokofiev. Each character is represented by a different musical motif in this story of a spirited young boy who confronts the dangers of the forest with courage, creativity and leadership. With a professional cast (Actors' Equity Association) who employs various forms of puppetry, singing and choreography, "Peter and the Wolf" is a universal theatrical celebration that has toured nationally and abroad.

"Pushcart puts its' trademark spin on 'Peter and the Wolf,'" said Ruth Fost, playwright and lyricist. "The themes of this Eastern European folk tale are what make it a timeless classic. Friendship and caring. Arrogance and prejudice. Youth and maturity. Conflict resolution and beauty in the natural order of life. All worthy of celebration!"

Original additional music and orchestrations to Prokofiev's score are by Drama Desk and Tony Award-winner, Larry Hochman. The cast includes Phebe Taylor (Peter), Oscar Castillo (Storyteller / Grandfather), JD Lynch (Storyteller, Puppeteer), Christina Gordon (Wolf) and Paul Whelihan (Grandfather), who also directed the production.

Phebe Taylor was recently seen flying around as Peter in "Peter Pan" at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre. She is a company member of the Heartland Actors' Repertory Theatre in Indianapolis, where she appears in summer Shakespeare productions. Phebe is also a frequent performer at Indianapolis' Phoenix Theatre, in such shows as "Urinetown," "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson," "The Zippers of Zoomerville," "Boston Marriage," "Peter and the Starcatcher," and the National New Play Network's "Rolling World Premiere" of "End Days".

Oscar Castillo has been a member of Pushcart Players for twelve years. A graduate of Kean University with a BFA in theatre, he co-founded The Theatre Project and performs frequently throughout NYC with Peculiar Works Productions. JD Lynch has performed extensively throughout the country and Off Broadway, and has been a regularly featured actor in New Hope, PA (Bucks County Playhouse) and Shawnee Playhouse, PA. He was most recently seen in the role of Samuel in an original play, "Fading Light," at the New York Fringe Festival.

Christina Gordon holds an M.F.A. in Acting from Rutgers University/ Mason Gross School of the Arts and has performed regionally at The Public Theatre & Shadowland Theatre. Television credits include: "HAPPYish," "Person of Interest" and "Guiding Light". Film credits include: "I Hate Being Black" and "Damsel". Christina co-wrote and produced the award wining short-film, "I Hate Being Black."

Paul Whelihan is the producing artistic director at Pushcart Players. He directs, stage-manages and performs off-Broadway (47th Street Theater, 59 East 59 Theatres, NY Fringe Festival, 54 Below) and regionally (Royal Poincianna Playhouse, Broward Center for the Arts, Centenary Stage, The Bickford Theatre, The Growing Stage, Luna Stage Company, Forum Theatre Arts Center, Quillo Arts Center, Premier Stages, Dreamcatcher Rep) in musicals, dramas, original works and locally produced television, film and web series projects.

Larry Hochman is the Tony and Drama Desk award-winner for best orchestrations for "The Book of Mormon." He received Tony nominations for "She Loves Me" (2016 revival, for which he won the Drama Desk Award), "The Scottsboro Boys," "Monty Python's Spamalot," (Hochman also received Drama Desk nominations for both), "Fiddler on the Roof" (2004 revival), "A Class Act" and a Tony nomination the Drama Desk Award for 2016's "She Loves Me." Larry composed additional music for Disney's "Little Mermaid," for Stephen Spielberg's "Amazing Stories" and for numerous celebrity concerts. Other awards include the ASCAP Award for Musical Theater ("One Man Band"), 4 Emmy Awards for "The Wonder Pets" television series, and a Bistro Award for composing "One Man Band." He has orchestrated and/or written the scores for the majority of Pushcart's productions.

Pushcart Players is the award-winning professional touring theater company specializing in arts education for children. Twice nominated for an Emmy©, Pushcart is the recipient of numerous state and private awards for excellence and innovation. A social-profit organization founded in 1974, Pushcart brings substantive musical theater, workshops, and residencies to young people and their families in schools and theaters nationwide. The company has traveled more than 2 million miles nationally and abroad, from the nation's White House to the rural red schoolhouse. All performances come with innovative scenery, complete lighting and state of the art sound systems, making them adaptable to any location.

The NJ Theatre Alliance (NJTA) is the coalition of the State's professional theater companies and presenting organizations. NJTA offers public programs designed to make theatre more accessible and to enhance the theatre experience. This service organization also offers a wide range of resources, services, and programs for member theatres and artists to help them achieve professional excellence and patronage (www.njtheatrealliance.org).

"Peter and the Wolf" will perform on Friday March 17 at 2:00 pm (Lakewood Branch Ocean County Library | Lakewood | 732-363-1435), Saturday, March 18 at 2:00 pm (Barnegat Township Branch of the Ocean County Library | Barnegat | 609-698-3331), Sunday, March 19 at 1:00 pm (Investors Bank Theater at Horseshoe Lake | Succasunna | 862-219-1379) and Wednesday, March 22 at 3:30 pm). Admission is free to all children at each venue; adult admission on March 19, Succasunna, is $12. For reservations, call the number(s) above; visit the Stages Festival website: www.stagesfestival.org.

For further information on "Peter and the Wolf" or any of Pushcart's programs and services, contact Pushcart Players at 973.857.1115 or visit the website at www.pushcartplayers.org.

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