Pushcart Players Coming to Newark Museum, 12/13
By: Tyler Peterson Dec. 01, 2015
"Season of Miracles" visits O. Henry's 'The Gift of the Magi;' an original scene in Nigeria entitled 'The Kwanzaa Kite;' a story based on the wise men of Chelm folklore called 'The Chanukah Miracle;' and E.T.A. Hoffmann's 'The Nutcracker.' Every tale reflects the spirit of the holidays and the people that celebrate them.
"As for miracles?" noted Ruth Fost, Pushcart co-founder and the production's playwright, "They are within us all and at the heart of each story. Miracles are the gifts of love, kindness, caring and sharing."
Fost is a playwright, designer, actor, administrator and advocate for the arts, with a particular focus on arts in education. Fost has appeared in more than fifty leading roles in major productions ranging from Simon (Neil) to Shakespeare to Shaw. She has written 30 musical plays for children, has performed throughout the country and abroad and, most recently, published a children's book to accompany Pushcart's production of "Alice in Wonderland."
Pushcart Players artistic director Paul Whelihan guides the production. Whelihan directs, stage-manages and performs off-Broadway (47th Street Theater, 59 East 59 Theatres, NY Fringe Festival) and regionally (Royal Poincianna Playhouse, Broward Center for the Arts, Bickford Theatre, Centenary Stage, The Growing Stage, Luna Stage Company, Forum Cultural Arts Center, Quillo Arts Center) in musicals, dramas, original works and locally produced television, film and web series projects.
"A Season of Miracles" features Melissa Cox, Stacie Gogo, James Holden and JD Lynch, all playing myriad characters to illuminate the stories. Cox performed as Beth in "Little Women" in Maplewood NJ and was Martha in "Spring Awakening" and Sister in "Damn Yankees." Stacie Gogo appeared Off-Broadway as a Kit Kat Girl in 'Cabaret' at the Players Theatre, as Penny Pingleton in 'Hairspray' at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, and in the ensemble of 'Grease!' at the Surflight Theatre.
James Holden performed in theaters around the country as Uncle Ernie in "The Who's Tommy," Wolf/Cinderella's Prince in "Into the Woods," Chris in "Miss Saigon," Snoopy in "...Charlie Brown," and Albert Peterson in "Bye Bye, Birdie." JD Lynch performed off Broadway and regionally, most notably in New Hope PA (Bucks County Playhouse) and in Shawnee PA, (Shawnee Playhouse). He was recently seen in the role of Samuel in an original play, "Fading Light," at the 2015 New York Fringe Festival.
Larry Hochman musically arranged "A Season of Miracles." Hochman won both the Tony and the Drama Desk awards for best orchestrations for "The Book of Mormon." He received Tony nominations for "The Scottsboro Boys," "Monty Python's Spamalot," (Hochman also received Drama Desk nominations for both), Fiddler on the Roof (2004 revival) and "A Class Act." Larry composed additional music for Disney's "Little Mermaid,' for Stephen Spielberg's "Amazing Stories" and for numerous celebrity concerts.
Pushcart Players has traveled over 2 million miles nationally and abroad since 1974 to serve more than 8 million children and their families with meaningful theatre. From the White House to the little red schoolhouse, this dynamic company has received numerous state and private awards for excellence and innovation. A cast of professional Equity actors and stage managers come with complete scenery, lighting and sound systems, making every performance adaptable to any location.
Newark Museum is located at 49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ. Call 973-596-6550 for tickets. Visit www.newarkmuseum.org
For further information on this or any of Pushcart's programs and services, contact Pushcart Players at 973.857.1115; visit the website at www.pushcartplayers.org.
PHOTO CREDIT: Gerry Goodstein
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