WST For Kids Series Continues With PINKALICIOUS: The Musical!

The Walnut Street Theatre for Kids Series (WST for Kids) dishes a delectable delight from March 29 - April 13. In PINKALICIOUS: The Musical, audiences will indulge their sweet tooth alongside cupcake-loving girl, Pinkalicious Pinkerton.

PINKALICIOUS: The Musical is based on the beloved children's book by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann. Despite warnings from her parents, Pinkalicious Pinkerton eats too many pink cupcakes-and ends up turning pink from head to toe! But when things really begin to go too far, it's up to Pinkalicious (with help from her brother Peter), to find her true colors once again. This cupcake-tastic musical is a fun and charming story for boys and girls of all ages.

Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann are the sisters and co-authors who created the popular Pinkalicious book series. Taking inspiration from Victoria's cupcake-loving daughters, Pinkalicious was published on May 23, 2006, and created a wave of food-inspired books, including Purplicious, Goldilicious, Silverlicious, and 35 additional pink-errific tales. The success of the Pinkalicious series has been recognized nationally and developed into a television series on PBS Kids, titled Pinkalicious & Peterrific. In 2007, just one year after Pinkalicious' publishing, the book was adapted into a 50-minute musical which has played several Off-Broadway runs and national tours, telling children across the country its sweet cautionary tale.

Ellie Mooney is thrilled to return to the Walnut Street Theatre for Kids' series as director of PINKALICIOUS: The Musical. Mooney has directed past Walnut productions, including Jerry's Girls, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Junie B. Jones, Fancy Nancy, Mean Girls, and My Way, A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra. Aside from directing, she has made appearances in several Walnut Mainstage shows, including The Wizard of Oz, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Importance of Being Earnest, A Christmas Story, Harvey, and Amadeus. In addition to directing and performing, Mooney is a teaching artist in the greater Philadelphia area

Nate Golden continues working with the WST for Kids' series as choreographer for PINKALICIOUS: The Musical. Previously, Golden was a 2011-12 Walnut acting apprentice, and choreographed several prior WST for Kids' series shows including R.L. Stine's: GOOSEBUMPS: Phantom of the Auditorium, Disney's Aladdin Jr., Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Ivy + Bean, Flat Stanley, and more. Outside of the Walnut, Golden is the artistic director of the Philadelphia based company, Nightcap Cabaret. He will be joined by Music and Vocal Director Grant Uhle who will make his Walnut debut. Originally from Cincinnati, OH, Uhle earned his Master of Music from Temple University where he has been an adjunct faculty member since 2012. Uhle has performed with area theatre and opera companies in addition to working as a teaching artist and music director.

Returning as costume designer is Mandy Boandl, one of this season's WST costumes apprentices. Boandl graduated in 2017 from Albright College and previously designed for the Walnut's 2018 production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Set design is by Brian Froonjian, the technical director at the Walnut. Froonjian has previously worked with The New Candlelight Theatre, Surflight Theatre, and The American Theater of Actors. Rounding out the team is Sasha Anistratova as lighting designer and Adam B. Orseck as sound designer. Anistratova was lighting designer for the Walnut's productions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and assisted with Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, and Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn. Orseck returns as sound designer after previous sound work on Disney's Aladdin Jr.

The cupcake-loving "Pinkalicious" is played by Katie Raulerson. Raulerson is from St. Augustine, FL and graduated in 2015 from the University of Montevallo. Pinkalicious' brother "Peter" is played by Blake Lowry, a 2017 graduate of Columbus State University from Columbus, GA. The two are accompanied by Taylor J. Mitchell and Kahlil A. Wyatt. Mitchell will play Pinkalicious' best friend "Alison," and the intelligent "Dr. Wink." Mitchell comes from Columbus, OH and graduated in 2018 from Alabama State University. Wyatt will perform as "Dad." From Sicklerville, NJ, he attended Rutgers University. These four performers are members of this season's WST acting apprenticeship. Completing the cast is Rachel DeMasi of Sewell, NJ who returns to the WST For Kids Series as "Mom." These five actors and actresses were all previously seen in the WST For Kids 2018 production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

As part of its educational mission, the WST for Kids series encourages families to read together and see the books come to life onstage. Thousands of local students attend WST for Kids performances and experience live theatre for the first time as part of their school trip to the Walnut.

PINKALICIOUS: THE MUSICAL is live on stage at the Walnut March 29 - April 13 and is part of the WST For Kids season, sponsored by Sharon and Scott Rankin. Media partner for this production is Courier-Post. For tickets and information, call 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787. Tickets are also available online 24/7 by visiting www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.

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