The Alternative Press

UNION, NJ – Premiere Stages at Kean University will partner with two renowned touring theatres for young audiences for its 2013 Play Factory Series, an annual performance series designed specifically for children. This year, Premiere Stages will present Yates Musical Theatre’s "The Wizard of Oz" on Wednesday, July 17 at 10 a.m. and Pushcart Players’ captivating take on "Cinderella, Happily Ever After," on Wednesday, July 24 at 10 a.m. in Kean University’s spacious Wilkins Theatre.

Every summer, Premiere Stages collaborates with other professional theatres to offer dynamic theatre programming exclusively for children. The Play Factory Series provides an enjoyable and accessible summer arts experience for children and their families, with performances open to the public as well as school and camp groups. Pre-performance study guides are available upon request, and post-show discussions with the artists further deepen the experience. Through sponsorships, Premiere is proud to offer free and deeply-discounted tickets to underserved youth and students with special needs.

Yates Musical Theatre’s "The Wizard of Oz" (Wednesday, July 17 at 10 a.m.) is a vibrant adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s treasured classic, in which Dorothy travels over the rainbow and follows the fabled yellow-brick road. Children will join the fun and experience the perils beside Dorothy and her friends in this jubilant, song-filled journey, and learn the meaning of friendship and the value of teamwork along the way.

Based on the beloved fairy tale Cinderella, Pushcart Players’ "Happily Ever After" (Wednesday, July 24 at 10 a.m.) takes kids on a “once-upon-a-time” journey. Young audiences will be transformed by this familiar story that helps children to think about who they are, what they value, how they behave, and how they treat themselves and other people.  Featuring hip original music, zany contemporary humor, and sparkling visual surprises, this legendary tale speaks to everyone in search of their own “happily ever after.”

Founded by Producing Artistic Director Bill Yates, a graduate of the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music and the Julliard School, and his wife Peggy, the company’s managing director, Yates Musical Theatre has over 50 years of experience touring to theatres and schools throughout the Northeast. Yates Musical Theatre’s goal is to engage audiences with the magic of live theatre, with each production featuring music, dance, comedy, action, and adventure, and encouraging audience participation.

An award-winning professional theatre and arts-in-education company geared specifically for young audiences, Pushcart Players has toured throughout the United States, former Soviet Union, and Czech Republic, as well as appeared twice at the White House. Pushcart’s educational programming amplifies the theatre experience for young people, and advocates the arts as a means to gain literacy, offering students the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills, problem solving, and self-discipline.

Standard tickets for both performances are $15, with special group rates available. In addition to our standard group discount, groups of 20 or more that reserve by April 1 will receive an additional $50 off the total price of their purchase; groups of 10-20 reserving by April 1 will receive $25 off.  Wilkins Theatre is located on the Kean University campus at 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, N.J. 07083.

For further information, visit www.kean.edu/premierestagesor call (908) 737-4092.  For those interested in arranging a group, please contact Heather Kelley, Premiere Stages’ Audience Services Coordinator, at (908) 737-4077 or hkelley@kean.edu.

The Play Factory Series is just one of several programs that constitute Premiere’s larger educational initiative, the Premiere Play Factory. Premiere Play Factory programming also includes: Premiere School Time Residencies, playwriting residencies for public school districts and urban after-school programs; the New Jersey Young Playwrights Festival, a statewide contest that showcases the work of New Jersey students ages 8 and up; and Camp Premiere, two uniquely-tailored summer theatre camps for middle and high school students that feature scholarships for low income students.

Premiere Stages is made possible in part through funding from The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Provident Bank Foundation, The Northfield Bank Foundation, The New Jersey Theatre Alliance, The New Jersey Historical Commission, The Westfield Foundation, The National Science Foundation, and through the generous support of individual patrons.

Premiere Stages offers affordable prices, air-conditioned facilities and free parking close to the theatre. Premiere Stages also provides free or discounted tickets to patrons with disabilities. All Premiere Stages facilities are fully accessible spaces, and companion seating is available for patrons with disabilities. Assistive listening devices and large print programs are available at all times; publications in alternate formats are available with advanced notice. Please call for a list of sign-interpreted, audio-described or open-captioned performances. For more information, visit Premiere Stages online at www.kean.edu/premierestages.