The Growing Stage Kicks Off 38th Season This Fall!

The Growing Stage - The Children's Theatre of New Jersey, located in the Historic Palace Theatre on Route 183 in Netcong, New Jersey is proud to present its 2019 - 2020 Main Stage Season:

Roald Dahl'S MATILDA THE MUSICAL
October 4 - 20, 2019

Book by Dennis Kelly
Music and Lyrics by Tim Minchin

Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, the Tony Award-winning Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical is the captivating masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. Matilda has won 47 international awards.

Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She's unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey. Over the course of her first term at school, Matilda and Miss Honey have a profound effect on each other's lives, as Miss Honey begins not only to recognize but also appreciate Matilda's extraordinary personality. Matilda's school life isn't completely smooth sailing, however - the school's mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don't abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could be the school pupils' saving grace!

ELF THE MUSICAL
November 29 - December 22, 2019

Book by Thomas Meehan & Bob Martin
Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin

Based on the cherished 2003 New Line Cinema hit, Elf features songs by Tony Award nominees, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (Disney's Aladdin on Broadway, The Wedding Singer), with a book by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone).

Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa's permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn't even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

BUNNYBOY (World Premiere)*
February 6 - 9, 2020

Book by Philip Kaplan

Through a series of accidents, Peter, a sixth grader, develops superpowers and becomes Bunnyboy. Now what? Peter and his friends, Skip and Karen, discover it's complicated being a superhero - there's no manual. And when Bunnyboy has to face an actual super villain, the Animal Master, is he up for the task? And will he get his homework in on time?

PINKALICIOUS THE MUSICAL*
March 13 - 29, 2020

Book and Lyrics: Victoria Kann
Book and Lyrics: Elizabeth Kann
Music and Lyrics: John Gregor

This is the tale, based on the popular book by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann, of Pinkalicious, who can't stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor's office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe - a dream come true for this pink loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this pink predicament. Pinkalicious the Musical is about learning the power of self-control and the importance of moderation.

GO, DOG. GO!*
May 1 - 17, 2020

P.D. Eastman, author
Steven Dietz, playwright
Allison Gregory, playwright
Michael Koerner, composer

P.D. Eastman's classic children's book comes to life on stage in an exploration of movement, color and space. The dogs delve into life with gusto, creating a visual spectacle for the audience to feast upon. They snorkel. They howl at the moon. They ride a Ferris wheel. They sing and dance and climb trees. This is a rollicking free-for-all of chicanine-ery. A big and little musical world of doggy fun. Like a pop-up book that comes to life - and never stops.

"This play is adapted from a book renowned for its ability to generate fun, learning, adventure and surprise with a minimum of text. It honors the joyous simplicity of the world around us. Therefore, in the making of this play, it is not our intention to "fill out" or "open up" the story in the style of many traditional adaptations. "Expanding the book" in this way would, we believe, rob it of its essential wondrous and loopy anarchy. Instead, we hope to celebrate and explore the existing words and pictures; to look not "outside the book," but more closely "within it" - in the way that a child can page through Mr. Eastman's book night after night and find something remarkable and new with each subsequent reading. We have chosen, therefore, to play inside the story - to explore the buckets of bliss, wonder, longing and discovery that are waiting for us, for all of us, there." - Allison Gregory and Steven Dietz

*Main Stage Matinees:

The same shows that appear on our Main Stage on the weekends have been tailored to meet the tight constraints of a school-day in our Main Stage Matinee Series. In addition to your class trip to our theatre for the performance, we continue our practice of providing excellent lesson plans and the unique opportunity for your students to have a question and answer session with our professional artistic team - director, designer and actors! This season BUNNYBOY, Pinkalicious the Musical, and Go, Dog. Go! from our season are available for a Main Stage Matinee. Matinees will be available during the show's Main Stage run. For more information, contact Lori B. Lawrence, Director of Educational Programming at eddir@growingstage.com

Season Membership Plans ON SALE:

Season Memberships are currently on sale. Purchase a membership today that allows you to have the LOWEST per ticket price, the ONLY reserved seating at the theatre plus flexible booking and so much more. To purchase a membership visit www.growingstage.com or contact the Box Office at boxoffice@growingstage.com or call (973) 347-4946. Group Rates are available for each production.

The Growing Stage-The Children's Theatre of New Jersey is a non-profit professional performing arts center dedicated to theatre for young audiences. A member theatre of the Association of Actor's Equity, we provide opportunity for all to learn and grow through participation in the arts. www.growingstage.com

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