New Victory Opens 2016-17 Season with TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA Today

Astonishing sea creatures! Colossal battleships! Uncharted undersea worlds! Get swept away by this wildly inventive reimagining of a classic tale. Using an astounding array of media, including puppetry, projection and online engagement, Montréal-based Kidoons/WYRD Productions brings this fast-paced, action-packed adaptation of Jules Verne's TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA to The New Victory Theater, today, September 30, through October 10, 2016.

This modern reinvention of the science fiction classic, the source of countless film, comic book and graphic novel adaptations, now comes to brilliant life in this stunning, all-new theatrical production. The story follows Jules, a 36-year-old doctoral student, whose favorite novel happens to be Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, writing a thesis on the dark future that awaits the earth's oceans and mankind. When Jules begins to sink into the depths of despair, he finds himself transported into the heart of his favorite story in search of a dangerous sea creature, alongside Professor Aronnax and Ned Land. See what mysteries await when Jules-now at the helm of the story's narrative-and his shipmates are taken captive aboard the Nautilus, and drawn deeper and deeper into the nefarious Captain Nemo's world.

Kidoons/WYRD Productions has created accompanying digital content that audience members can enjoy at intermission and after the show. Audiences are invited to climb aboard the Nautilus online by visiting app.20kshow.com, where they can be a part of the continued adventures of Captain Nemo on the Kidoons Network, as well as the Nautilus Leaks series. TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA is written by Craig Francis and Rick Miller, and directed by Dora and Gemini award-winner Rick Miller. The show features Rick Miller as Jules; Suzy Jane Hunt as Professor Claire Aronnax; Marcel Jeannin as Ned Land; and Richard Clarkin as Captain Nemo.

Kidoons/WYRD Productions is a unique concept in family entertainment and storytelling, integrating online education and live entertainment. WYRD is one of Canada's leading international exporters of multimedia theater, whose past productions include MacHomer, Bigger Than Jesus and HARDSELL. The Kidoons Network has created award-winning online educational storytelling for families all over the world. Together, they have not only developed the stage shows Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, BOOM (the most-produced new play in Canada in 2015-16) and GAME of CLONES, but also web series such as Jerry Muskrat, Science Toons and Nautilus Leaks that expand on the themes of the play. The video episodes are developed in collaboration with organizations across North America, on topics including history, culture, science and water conservation. Kidoons/WYRD Productions meet with museums, municipalities and companies, and each episode created is connected to a growing storyline on the Kidoons network.

Learn more about TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA on the New Victory website.

TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA has a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes, including one intermission, and is recommended for everyone ages 8 and up.

Tickets for TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA at The New Victory Theater (209 West 42nd Street) are $10, $13, $18 or $25 for Members based on seat locations, with full price tickets starting at $16. Tickets are available online (NewVictory.org) and by telephone (646.223.3010). The New Victory Theater box office (209 West 42nd Street) is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm-7pm. Beginning September 6, the Box Office will also be open Sunday and Monday from 11am-5pm.

Theatergoers who buy tickets for three or more New Victory shows qualify for free Membership benefits, including locked-in discount ticket prices, free unlimited exchanges (up to 48 hours in advance) and access to a first-look purchase period for newly added performances.

The New Victory Theater brings kids to the arts and the arts to kids as New York City's premier theater devoted to the highest quality performing arts for kids and families. Serving the city in all its diversity, The New Victory Theater on 42nd Street presents theater, dance, circus, opera and music from around the world at affordable ticket prices. In addition to its public performances, the New Vic is also the largest provider of live performance to NYC school kids, serving 40,000 students in grades PreK-12 from more than 200 schools, after school programs and day camps each year. The New Victory Theater's contributions to the cultural landscape of the city have been honored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, a national Arts Education Award from Americans for the Arts and a Drama Desk Award for "providing enchanting, sophisticated children's theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people."

Founded in 1990, The New 42nd Street is an independent nonprofit organization charged with the continuous cultural revival of 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Committed to the transformational power of the arts, The New 42nd Street builds on the foundation of seven historic theaters to make extraordinary performing arts and cultural engagement part of everyone's life. The New 42nd Street fulfills this purpose by ensuring the ongoing vibrancy of 42nd Street's historic theaters; maintaining and fully using the New 42nd Street Studios and The Duke on 42nd Street to support performing artists in the creation of their work; and through The New Victory Theater, New York's premier theater for kids and families.

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