Paper Mill Playhouse Announces Free Holiday Village And Lightshow

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee- Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) has announced the Millburn theater's 2011 Holiday Village and Animated Light Spectacular. More than 75,000 animated lights, timed to music will bring holiday cheer to the masses as Paper Mill Playhouse opens its FREE, 2011 Holiday Village on Friday, November 11th. The 2011 Holiday Village and Animated Light Spectacular celebrate the opening of Irving Berlin's White Christmas, starting performances on Wednesday, November 16. The 2011 Holiday Village and Animated Light Spectacular will run seven days-a-week through December 24th. Check the Paper Mill Playhouse website (www.papermill.org) for a complete schedule of events and show times.

On Monday and Tuesday evenings, guests can enjoy some of the best choirs in the state performing holiday selections in the theater's courtyard. Beginning November 28th, Monday and Tuesday night visitors will have an opportunity to shop in the Paper Mill Playhouse Holiday Gift Bazaar in the theater's lobby and art gallery from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. In addition, guests can receive free photos with Santa Claus, free hot cocoa and warm apple cider in The Carriage House. The Carriage House Restaurant will be serving dinner each night. Call 973-609-2429 for restaurant hours and reservations.

The Animated Light Spectacular is provided by Brooklyn based, Themeatricals Inc. Lead by Ryan Powers and Chris Schneider, Themeatrical's mission is to provide audiences with themed and theatrical experiences using innovative and interactive technologies, www.themeatricals.com. Other considerations provided by The Spoon Group of Rahway, NJ and Props For Today of New York, NY - the newly merged Prop N Spoon. Prop N Spoon offers the finest quality custom fabrication, rental and production services available to the theater, entertainment, corporate, marketing and special event industries, www.thespoongroup.com. The Paper Mill Playhouse Holiday Gift Bazaar is managed by the Office of Street Fairs, presenters of high-quality street fairs with juried craft shows throughout New Jersey for more than 25 years, www.streetfairs.org.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas runs at Paper Mill Playhouse from November 16 through December 24 and will be performed eight times a week, Wednesday through Sunday. (Check the Paper Mill Playhouse website papermill.org for special holiday schedules.) Three and four show subscription packages are available, starting at $84. Single tickets are on sale from $25. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973-376-4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.papermill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted. Groups of ten or more can receive up to a 25% discount on tickets and should call 973-315-1680. Investors Bank is the proud sponsor of Paper Mill Playhouse's 2011-2012 season.

Based on the beloved Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye film, this merry musical tells the tale of two famous song-and-dance men who stage a show in a scenic, snow-topped Vermont inn - and end up finding love with two singing sisters under the mistletoe. With laughter, crazy plot turns, Broadway-size production numbers and the unforgettable music and lyrics of the legendary Irving Berlin, a book by David Ives and Paul Blake, Irving Berlin's White Christmas is a brightly wrapped holiday gift.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas will be directed by Marc Bruni, with choreography by Randy Skinner. The cast features: James Clow (Bob Wallace), Tony Yazbeck (Phil Davis), Jill Paice (Betty Haynes), Meredith Patterson (Judy Haynes), Edward James Hyland (General Waverly) and Lorna Luft (Martha Watson).

Paper Mill Playhouse, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country's leading regional theaters. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional major support is provided by generous contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.