Vital Theatre Company Presents UNCLE PIRATE, 9/24-11/13

The award-winning Vital Theatre Company has announced the return of UNCLE PIRATE, with book by Ben H. Winters, music and lyrics by Drew Fornarola and directed by Marshall Pailet, based on the book by Douglas Rees. Performances run Saturdays and Sundays at 11am and 1pm, September 24th through November 13th with weekday school holiday performances October 10th and November 8th and 11th at 11am and 1pm. Tickets start at $25. The show is appropriate for ages 3-12. School/Group performances are available at Vital Theatre or your location. For reservations visit www.vitaltheatre.org or call (212) 579-0528. Vital Theatre Company is located at 2162 Broadway, 4th Floor, at 76th Street, on the Upper West Side.

In UNCLE PIRATE, Wilson is just your average kid until one day he finds out his uncle is a pirate... like, a REAL pirate! With help from Uncle Pirate and his faithful talking penguin Captian Jack, maybe, just maybe, Wilson can survive the fourth grade. Grab yer eye patches and pirate hats,mateys! The adventure begins now!

The cast of UNCLE PIRATE includes Kevin Hoffman, Josh Houghton, Hannah Owens, Alison Schmidt, Quinn Shadko and Pep Speed.

Ben H. Winters (Book) is a playwright and librettist whose work has been produced Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway, regionally and internationally. He wrote the book for Vital's A (TOOTH) FAIRY TALE as well as book and lyrics for THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL REVERE (Theatreworks USA); both shows have been licensed by Samuel French. Ben is also an author, most recently of the middle-grade novel The Mystery of the Missing Everything. Visit him at www.benhwinters.com.

Drew Fornarola (Music and Lyrics) is a composer, lyricist, and playwright living in New York City. His work includes: CLAUDIO BROS: A VIDEOGAME MUSICAL (commissioned by The New Musical Dev'p Foundation; Winner Capital Fringe Best Musical); COLLEGE THE MUSICAL (pub. Dramatic Publishing Co.); UNCLE PIRATE (commissioned by Vital Theater Co, pub. Samuel French); THUCYDIDES (Winner Samuel French Festival; pub. Samuel French); and VOTE FOR ME - A MUSICAL DEBATE (commissioned by Robyn Goodman, NYMF 2010). His original underscore for Buddy Thomas' DEVIL BOYS FROM BEYOND (New World Stages, 2010) is also published by Samuel French. Drew is active in concert music and cabaret as well. He has performed in cabaret venues throughout New York City, and his work h! as been featured three times in the New American Songbook concerts at Lincoln Center. He is the recipient of a 2008 NYMF Award for Excellence in lyrics, and received a 2010 MAC Award Nomination for Song of the Year. He is currently developing a musical with DreamWorks Theatricals and a new play with longtime collaborator Scott Elmegreen. Drew is a proud graduate of Princeton University and the BMI Workshop. www.drewfornarola.com .

Marshall Pailet (Director) WHO'S YOUR BAGHDADDY OR HOW I STARTED THE IRAQ WAR (Best Musical, DC Fringe '11), JURASSIC PARQ: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL (Best Musical, FringeNYC '10), SUPER CLAUDIO BROS. (Best Musical, DC Fringe '11), STUCK (Clurman Theater), THE 49 PROJECT (FringeNYC '09), THURSDAY (World Premiere), WITH KINGS IN THE BACK (World Premiere), THE 70 SCENES OF HALLOWEEN, THE DARQ KNIGHT (World Premiere), BAT BOY, ESCAPE ARTISTS (World Premiere) and ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. Recipient of the V. Browne Irish Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts, and John Thoroun Fellowship for Special Study at Cambridge University. Yale University graduate.

Douglas Rees (Author) is a librarian, not a pirate, who has written Lightning Time, Smoking Mirror, The Janus Gate, and Vampire High for young adults, and Grandy Thaxter's Helper and Uncle Pirate for younger readers. His new novel for teens, The Juliet Spell, will be published the 27th of this month by Harlequin Teen He lives in San Jose with his wife, Jo, who is also a librarian, and too many cats. http://douglasrees.com

The creative team for UNCLE PIRATE includes Assistant Director Nora Ives, Choreographer Kyle Mullins, Musical Director Jesse Kissel, Set Designer Kyle Dixon, Lighting Designer Josh Bradford, Costume Designer Amanda Jenks and Stage Manager Ashley Scoles.

Vital Theatre Company commissions four to five new musicals for children each season. Since its founding in 1999, Vital Theatre Company has been honored with two AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE by the Off Off Broadway Review and has received high acclaim from audiences and critics alike for being "a wonderful place for parents to introduce their kids to the glories of live theatre, done well and at modest prices." Now in its 13th season, the company is dedicated to producing entertaining and educational theatre for young audiences. To date, the company has presented 60 original productions for over 200,000 children and their families.

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