Pt Park Announces Playhouse Jr Season

For Immediate Release
June 19, 2013

Family favorite ‘Wind in the Willows,’ award-winning ‘Hush,’ hit musical ‘Spelling Bee’ highlight Playhouse Jr.’s 65th season

PITTSBURGH – Playhouse Jr., Point Park University’s family and children’s theatre company and the nation’s second oldest continuously running children’s theatre company, will celebrate its 65th season with three engaging productions that can be enjoyed by all ages.

The 2013-2014 season features two musicals – The Wind in the Willows and the ever-popular Tony Award-winning 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – and an allegorical drama, Hush: An Interview with America.

Playhouse Jr. will offer performances for school and community groups on weekday mornings, May 7 – June 6, 2014, and public performances on weekends May 10 – June 8, 2014.

Playhouse Jr. field trip tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Monday, Aug. 19, and cost $6. Subscriptions and single tickets will go on sale Monday, Jan. 13, 2014. Subscription packages are $15, single tickets $7 each. Those who purchase three subscriptions get the fourth free. To order a season subscription, contact the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office by phone 412.392.8000, or online atwww.pittsburghplayhouse.com.

The season:

The Wind in the Willows
Adaptation, Music and Lyrics by Douglas Post
Based on the book by Kenneth Grahame
Appropriate for K-4th grade

Field Trip Performances: May 7-30, 2014
Public Performances: Weekends, May 10-25, 2014
Rockwell Theatre

A beloved children’s tale, The Wind and the Willows tells the story of four animal friends exploring the English countryside. The friends, with Mr. Toad at the helm, set off on an adventure that teaches them great lessons about morality and friendship. This classic tale has been adapted for the stage in a delightful musical format by Douglas Post.

Hush: An Interview with America
By James Still
Appropriate for 5th-7th grade

Field Trip Performances: May 8-30, 2014
Public Performances: Weekends, May 10-25, 2014
Studio Theatre

What can Maggie Parks see that the rest of the world cannot? When a national news reporter thinks she’s found a great feel-good story about the young girl with mystical visions from Hush, Kansas, the attention has uncomfortable consequences. Using rich symbolism and surreal imagery, Hush is an allegory about growing up, individuality and the perils of celebrity.

James Still is a nationally recognized writer of theatre for family audiences. He has received the Charlotte B. Chorpenning Playwright Award for Distinguished Body of Work and Hush was selected as an ASSITEJ Outstanding International Play for Young Audiences. He also was a finalist for a Humanitas Prize for his work as a writer for the Nickelodeon television series, Little Bear.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Music and Lyrics by William Finn
Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Appropriate for 8th grade and older

Field trip performances: May 22-June 6, 2014
Public performances: Weekends, May 24-June 8, 2014
Rauh Theatre

Spelling Bee creates a world of pedantic teens and sophomoric humor that The New York Times called “irresistible and entirely lovable.” The squeaky clean tradition of the county spelling bee gets a fresh treatment when the gawky contestants - including four selected audience members - compete for local glory, their parents’ affection and, of course, cash. Along the way, they learn the value of doing the best they can and enjoying what they do. Oh, and how to spell C-A-P-Y-B-A-R-A.

In 2005, Spelling Bee racked up two Tony Awards (Original Broadway Production: Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical), three Drama Desk Awards (Original Off-Broadway Production: Outstanding Book of a Musical, Outstanding Ensemble Performance, and Outstanding Director of a Musical), and two Lucille Lortel Awards (Original Off-Broadway Production: Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Featured Actor). Spelling Bee contains some adult content and is recommended for audiences ages 13 and older.

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Contact:
Ramesh Santanam | Director of Marketing & Public Relations
rsantanam@pointpark.edu | 412.392.8106

Laura Greenawalt | Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator
lgreenawalt@pointpark.edu | 412.392.3175

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