ANGELINA BALLERINA THE VERY MERRY HOLIDAY MUSICAL Plays Vital Theater

Vital Theatre Company, the award-winning theatre company and producer of the long running family show PINKALICIOUS, THE MUSICAL, and HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children's entertainment, are pleased to present ANGELINA BALLERINA^TM THE VERY MERRY HOLIDAY MUSICAL with book and lyrics by Susan DiLallo, music by Ben Morss and directed and choreographed by Sam Viverito, based on the famous dancing mouseling and her friends created by Katharine Holabird and illustrated by Helen Craig. Performances are Saturdays and Sundays at 11am and 1pm with special holiday performances on December 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th and January 2nd. Tickets start at $29.50. The show is appropriate for ! ages 3-12. School/Group performances are available at Vital Theatre or your location. For reservations visit www.vitaltheatre.org or call (212) 579-0528. Vital Theatre Company is located at 2162 Broadway 4th Floor, at 76th Street, on the Upper West Side.

In ANGELINA BALLERINA^TM THE VERY MERRY HOLIDAY MUSICAL, Angelina And her friends are planning an absolutely positively spectacular holiday dance pageant; the best in all of Mouseland! When a mix-up prevents the pageant from going on, Angelina And her friends must use their creativity to save the show. By working together, Angelina, Alice, Gracie, AZ, Marco and Angelina's little sister, Polly discover the true spirit of the holidays. It's not about things you receive, but the holiday cheer you share. With dancing, singing and festivities, this heart-warming musical is perfect for everyone's holiday season!

ANGELINA BALLERINA^TM, a beloved publishing property for close to three decades, is a little star with big dreams of becoming a prima ballerina. This feisty little mouse works hard to reach her goals and along the way, always learns from her mistakes. When little girls share in Angelina's experiences, they're inspired to go after their big dreams too. In addition to the critically acclaimed story books created by Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig, Angelina Ballerina dances her way into the hearts of young girls weekly on PBS KIDS® in the CG-animated series, Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps. For more information about Angelina Ballerina, please visit www.angelinaballerina.com.

The cast features Roberto Araujo, Carole Ashley, John-Michael Lyles, Jennifer Margulis, Lauren Nestor, Stefanie O'Connell, Matthew Paessler, Joyce Paulino, Mallory Schlossberg and Amanda Varcelotti.

Susan DiLallo (Book and Lyrics) is the recipient of the covetEd Kleban Award. Her libretto for an original musical comedy, IRON CURTAIN, earned her a Jonathan Larson Award. The show opens in November at the Baruch performing Arts Center, Manhattan. Her book and lyrics to another musical, ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW JERSEY, won both a Richard Rodgers Award and The Global Search for New Musicals Competition, Cardiff. Other credits include: ANGELINA BALLERINA, THE MUSICAL (Vital Theatre Company); the Mattel/Clear Channel production of BARBIE LIVE! IN FAIRYTOPIA (book, lyrics); THAT'S LIFE (Outer Critics Circle nominee); PINOCCHIO, A FAMILY MUSICAL ABOUT ADOPTION (winner, KIDDstuff new play competition); and the revised libretto for the classic A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN. She is currently writing book and l! yrics for a musicalization of novelist James Patterson's SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S.

Ben Morss (Music) wrote the music and lyrics for CINDERELLA'S MICE, which was produced by Vital in 2006. CINDERELLA'S MICE and his other children's musical, POP STAR, are published by Samuel French. He is an alumnus of the BMI Workshop, arranged the music for the stage version of Trey Parker's CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL and created music for ANANSI THE STORY KING at Georgetown University. He has played piano and arranged for platinum-selling bands such as Cake and Wheatus, and his playing was used in the films Sidewalks of New York and L.I.E. His new band, Onward Chariots, has been played on radio stations and praised on blogs from Greece to Brazil, has twice toured Europe, and has a record on Spanish indie-pop label Elefant Records. He leads the nine-piece crossover group, THE INFINITE ORCHESTR! A. He earned his doctorate in music from the University of California at Davis.

The ANGELINA BALLERINA crew includes Director and Choreographer Sam Viverito, Set Designer Kyle Dixon, Costume Designer Amanda Jenks, Lighting Designer Josh Bradford, and Production Stage Manager Shani Colleen Murfin.

HIT ENTERTAINMENT is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Thomas & Friends^TM, Angelina Ballerina^TM, Barney^TM, Bob the Builder^TM, Fireman Sam^TM, Mike the Knight^TM, Pingu^TM and Rainbow Magic^TM. HIT represents Chapman Entertainment's Fifi and the Flowertots^TM and Roary the Racing Car^TM in North America, as well as Wallace & Gromit^TM, Shaun the Sheep^TM, Timmy Time^TM and Aardman Classics from Aardman Animations. HIT also acts as representative for The Wiggles® in the UK. Launched in 1989, HIT's lines of business span television and video production, content distribution, publishing, consumer products licens! ing and live events and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. HIT is a part-owner of US-based preschool channel, Sprout®. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.

Vital Theatre Company commissions new musicals for children each season. Since its founding in 1999, Vital Theatre Company has been honored with two AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE by the Off Off Broadway Review and has received high acclaim from audiences and critics alike for being "a wonderful place for parents to introduce their kids to the glories of live theatre, done well and at modest prices." Now in its 13th season, the company is dedicated to producing entertaining and educational theatre for young audiences. To date, the company has presented 67 original productions for over 200,000 children and their families.

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