SKINK to Play Byham Theater,Locations Throughout Region

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces, Pittsburgh International Children's Theater will present SKINK, created and performed by Brian Sanders' JUNK, from November 16-22, 2014, at six performance locations throughout the region. Citizens Bank is the season sponsor of the 2014-2015 Pittsburgh International Children's Theater Family Series.

SKINK is a captivating live stage performance, specifically created to reach a younger audience, ages 3 and up, and is suitable for the entire family. Clever costumes and props, fantastical acrobatics, dance and a hearty dose of comedy tell a magical story. The show inspires and encourages creative thinking through the use of imagery that brings dance to life and fun ideas that children can relate to and love to explore.

Set to a wide range of music, from pop to classical, SKINK portrays a dream-like story told through a series of fast-paced vignettes. A troupe of six performers use dance and physical theater to portray the journey of a grumpy old man who, with the help of some friends, eventually comes to believe in his own use of imagination. The performers use strange and unusual props, costumes, and lighting effects to create a magical world of wonder. Some of the thrilling attractions include a madcap maestro, an old man who dances on his head and a virtuosic pogo-stick ballet. Complete with a polka-dotted lizard for which the show is named, SKINK is a captivating journey for the entire family to enjoy. This 50-minutes performance is recommended for ages 3 and up.

To preview Brian Sanders' JUNK performance of SKINK, visit: http://vimeo.com/19710335.

Brian Sanders' JUNK is known for their ingenious use of found objects and clever inventions that bridge the gap between dance and physical theater. Brian Sanders built his signature style by creating inventive, off-the-wall choreography with found objects and other discarded debris giving way to the troupe's name, JUNK. "I like to find the dance inside these pieces of junk; something unique and unexpected that gives us [the audience] a new and inspiring look on life," says Sanders. The troupe's shows are an exhilarating feast of exciting physicality and creativity, elegantly served up with beauty and wit. Dance Magazine cites Sanders' work as "accessible, technically flawless, and thrilling comic dance turns."

JUNK's mission as a dance-theater company is to inspire with creativity. The company strives to produce work that is both artistic and accessible while maintaining a ceaseless desire to try new things. Through original productions and community outreach JUNK seeks to serve as a catalyst for generating fresh ideas and to encourage us to see the world in a new and vital way. One of the company's main objectives is to make dance more accessible to a younger audience. JUNK does this through outreach and the performance of its children's theater show; inspiring young audiences with its unique creativity and artistry.

Sanders has won awards and critical acclaim for his choreography for MOMIX, the Prince Music Theater and Koresh Dance Company, and is thrilled to be reaching a new, younger audience. "They're the best critics around," he says.

Brian Sanders grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, as a brother of three. Sanders' reckless fun was easily channeled once he found his love for gymnastics and classical dance. He was inspired by the inventiveness of shows like Bob Fossee's DANCIN' and PILOBOLUS ON BROADWAY. Sanders graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and was invited to join Momix, where for ten years he choreographed and performed with the company worldwide. Sanders has performed and choreographed nationally and internationally for a variety of dance programs, on television and in video. In Italy, he choreographed two nationally televised mini-series for Rai Uno and choreographed the national touring show, NOGRAVITY, which performed as part of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino.

Individual tickets ($11 at the door; $9.50 in advance) can be ordered online at www.TrustArts.org/KIDS, by calling 412-456-6666, or in person at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue. Group tickets can be ordered by calling 412-471-6930. Subscriptions and Flex Ticket Packages to the Pittsburgh International Children's Theater series are available by calling 412-456-1390.

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