The Growing Stage presents THE NEVERENDING STORY

The Growing Stage, The Children's Theatre of New Jersey, located in the Historic Palace Theatre on Route 183 in Netcong continues its 35th Anniversary Main Stage season with THE NEVERENDING STORY (Atreyu And The Great Quest). The show runs March 10th through the 26thwith performances Friday evenings at 7:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 4:00 PM.

Told with all the thrills of a classic adventure, THE NEVERENDING STORY begins with Bastian, a lonely boy, who stumbles into a curious bookshop where he discovers a curious book-The Neverending Story. As Bastian hides in the attic of his school and begins to read, a huge adventure surges into life. Fantastica, a land of stories, is being destroyed by the Nothing. The Childlike Empress has chosen Atreyu, a young hunter, to be the Hero of the Great Quest. First, Atreyu experiences the Nothing and discovers its thoughtless destruction. Then he is guided by a dream to the Swamps of Sadness where he meets Morla, the Ancient One, who reveals another solution of finding the Childlike Empress a new name. With this new direction, Atreyu faces Ygramul the Many, befriends Falkor the Luck Dragon, and solves the riddles of the three magic gates to meet Uyulala. From her he learns that only a human child can give the Empress a new name. In despair he faces his final test-the werewolf Gmork-and returns to the Childlike Empress without a new name. However, his quest has attracted a human child. It is Bastian himself who calls out a new name for the Empress, and the story rushes to its triumphant and moving conclusion. THE NEVERENDING STORY was first commissioned by Imagination Stage (Janet Stanford, Artistic Director) and the Seattle Children's Theatre (Linda Hartzell, Artistic Director). This stage adaptation of THE NEVERENDING STORY has been authorized by Verlag fur Kindertheater Uwe Weitendorf, Hamburg. The production is under the direction of Growing Stage veteran actor Robert Mintz.

THE NEVERENDING STORY features the talents of five professional equity performers in the cast.

TGS Veterans Nikole Rizzo (A Christmas Carol) of Netcong and Becky Nitka (Shrek) of Long Valley, appear as Morla and Urgl; Michael McEntee (A Christmas Carol) of Budd Lake, as Father; and making their Growing Stage debuts are Mark J. Quiles of Hawthorne and Sarah Hanlon of Jersey City as Gmork and Ygramul. Rounding out the cast are 12 community and young performers.

The Growing Stage continues FUN-tastic Fridays with all tickets $15! Saturday and Sunday tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for children. To purchase tickets, please visit www.growingstage.com or call (973) 347-4946. Group rates and Birthday Party packages are available. The Growing Stage's programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals.

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