Theatre Calgary to Stage Lamplighter Drama's World Premiere of THE LITTLE PRINCE in Jan 2016

Theatre Calgary, in association with Lamplighter Drama (London, UK) is thrilled to announce an international collaboration to present the World Premiere of the family musical THE LITTLE PRINCE, based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, adapted by NICHOLAS LLOYD WEBBER and JAMES D. REID as part of our 2015-16 season.

A musical for children and adults alike, The Little Prince is a tender tale of love, loneliness, friendship, and imagi- nation. When a disenchanted pilot crashes his airplane in the middle of the Sahara desert, he meets a mysterious young prince from a distant asteroid who tells the story of his long journey to Earth -- and helps the pilot open his heart again.

Written by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1943, The Little Prince is one of the most beloved books in history. Generations of readers around the globe have treasured the novella for its heartfelt observations about the power of love and the imagination, as well as its hand-drawn illustrations by Saint-Exupéry himself. The Little Prince has been translated into more than 250 languages and sold more than 140 million copies worldwide.

After an inaugural staging at the Lyric Theatre (Belfast) in 2011, The Little Prince adapters Lloyd Webber and Reid have significantly developed and expanded the musical, with this new version to receive its world premiere at Theatre Calgary.

"Rarely do projects come along with such unique potential to reach and entertain audiences on a global level. The Little Prince is one of the best selling and best loved stories in the world and now has a magnificent stage score we believe to be as magical as the story it describes," says Emma Randle, Executive Producer at Lamplighter Drama. "We have worked closely with authors Nicholas Lloyd Webber and James D. Reid since they first approached the Saint-Exupe?ry Estate in 2010. Starting with the inaugural production in Belfast in 2011, and now with further development, we are thrilled to see the show moving forward for a new production in Calgary under the direction of Dennis Garnhum and his team in early 2016."

"We are proud that Lamplighter has chosen us as the place to launch their beloved version of The Little Prince," says Theatre Calgary Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum, who will direct the show. "When I first met with Nicholas and James, I was charmed by their love of musical form. And when I first listened to the music I was knocked out by its gorgeous and original songs. It's an honour to get to direct the world premiere."

Both Lloyd Webber and Reid visited Calgary last year. "We look forward to returning to Calgary, having been so warmly and generously received back in 2013. It's very humbling to think that our new show will see its debut in your stunning the- atre," says Reid.

Lloyd Webber shares his excitement; "In total, it has been seven years in the development and making, but this accounts for the care and detail required when tackling such an enigmatic and well loved story. The Little Prince is spellbinding and captivating, moving through space and time and with an array of weird and wonderful characters."

The Little Prince will be presented at Theatre Calgary in January, 2016 as part of our 2015-16 season. The show will feature an all-Canadian cast, and a national casting tour will commence in the spring of 2015. Our full 2015-16 season will be announced in early 2015. Subscribers will get the first opporunity to secure tickets to The Little Prince, and subscriptions can be purchased by calling our office at 403-294-7447.

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