Pushcart Players Joins Union County Performing Arts Center

Pushcart Players announces a newly-formed alliance with Union County Performing Arts Center, presenting performances throughout the season for family audiences and school groups. In their 43rd Season of touring theater for young audiences -- bringing performances to schools, theaters, production venues, and community centers throughout the United States -- Pushcart is establishing a residency in the beautifully appointed historic theater in Rahway.

"We're thrilled to be setting up a home base in the Garden State," said Paul Whelihan, Pushcart's producing artistic director. "As a touring company, we've travelled all over the nation (and beyond) to serve young people; now we'll be able to perform in a venue here in New Jersey where entire families will enjoy a Pushcart production. Parents don't, as a matter of course, get to see the musicals their children experience in their schools. Now they can!"

Twice nominated for an Emmy©, Pushcart Players is the recipient of numerous state and private awards for excellence and innovation. Travelling more than 2 million miles nationally and abroad -- from the White House to the little red schoolhouse -- the upcoming season at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) includes five exceptional musical productions.

On Saturday December 3 at 11:00 am Pushcart presents the perennial favorite, "Season of Miracles: A Collection of Holiday Tales." This charming musical offers four heart-warming stories that celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa: O. Henry's 'The Gift of the Magi;' an original scene set in Nigeria entitled 'The Kwanzaa Kite;' a tale based on the wise men of Chelm folklore called 'The Chanukah Miracle;' and E.T.A. Hoffmann's 'The Nutcracker.' Every vignette reflects the spirit of the holidays and the people that celebrate them.

"Stone Soup and Other Stories" (Wednesday February 8, 2017 at 10:30 am) features short literary favorites from Africa, India, Eastern Europe, and the United States of America. Filled with exuberant music, fantasy, and comic plot lines, each tale introduces the character and customs of these unique cultures; the production provides a springboard for reading and subsequent literacy-related activities.

On Saturday, April 8 at 11:00 am Pushcart puts its' trademark spin on the beloved Russian folk tale, "Peter and the Wolf." Classical music, story-telling, puppetry, and the ageless adventure of growing up comprise this masterpiece. Set to the resplendent music by composer Sergei Prokofiev, each character is represented by a different musical motif in this story of a spirited young boy who confronts the dangers of the forest with courage, creativity, and leadership.

"Ellis Island: Gateway to America" (Tuesday, June 6 at 10:30 am) takes a loving look at a small group of immigrants. They came to America in the early 1900's, seeking freedom, opportunity and a better life for themselves, their children, and their children's children. A combination of original and traditional American music, the play explores the ordinary people and extraordinary events in the nation's history through the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960's.

On Saturday July 8 at 11:00 am is "A Cinderella Tale...happily ever after," which is Pushcart's whimsical comic version of the well-known fairy tale. The story's origins are informed by the universal longing to overcome adversity. Certainly it speaks to everyone who has a vision or a dream yet to be fulfilled, with central themes of goodness, generosity, and compassion.

"Pushcart's longevity as a company is a testimony to both the subject matter of our productions, and to our inclusive approach with audiences," said Whelihan. "In substance and style, Pushcart embraces history, literature, the Autism spectrum, special educational needs, and values clarification for young people, their families, and their educators. That being said, the repertoire quite simply offers entertainment that is funny, thought-provoking, intelligent and enormously engaging."

The productions are directed by Whelihan, who directs, stage-manages and performs off-Broadway (47th Street Theater, 59 East 59 Theatres, NY Fringe Festival, 54 Below) and regionally (Royal Poincianna Playhouse, Broward Center for the Arts, Centenary Stage, The Bickford Theatre, The Growing Stage, Luna Stage Company, Forum Cultural Arts Center, Quillo Arts Center, Premiere Stages at Kean University, Dreamcatcher Rep) in musicals, dramas, original works and in locally produced television, film and web series projects.

Orchestrations for each production are created by award-winning composer, Larry Hochman, who also provides original music for many of the titles as well. Hochman is the Drama Desk Award-winner for orchestrations for "She Loves Me" (2016 revival) and Tony and Drama Desk award-winner 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. Hochman's other awards include the ASCAP Award for Musical Theater ("One Man Band"), 4 Emmy Awards for "The Wonder Pets" television series and a Bistro Award for composing "One Man Band."

All Pushcart Players performances by professional artists (Actors' Equity Association) are supported by study guides, post-performance assessments and other supplemental materials, and adapt to any location with innovative scenery, lighting and sound systems. Family audiences on Saturdays at UCPAC will be able to "meet and greet" the cast members of each show after the performance. Pushcart has a substantive theater education program, providing in-school workshops, direction of student productions, and curriculum development for elementary and middle schools. Among Pushcart cast members are experienced teaching artists, who provide workshops, acting classes and residency programs to schools, community centers and summer session programs.

Union County Performing Arts Center provides quality programming and performances that are educational, affordable and enrich the arts within the diverse community. The Center offers musicals and plays presented by NJ theater troupes, classic and independent film presentations, multicultural programs and events, and live music concerts (www.ucpac.org). All Pushcart Players performances take place in UCPAC's mainstage theater, a grand venue listed in both state and national registers of historic sites. Built in 1928, it is the centerpiece of the recently established arts district of Rahway.

UCPAC is located at 1601 Irving Street | Rahway, NJ. Single tickets are $15, with discounts for groups of ten or more. For single tickets, visit the UCPAC website or call the box office at 732-499-8226. For group sales, contact Pushcart Players at 973-857-1115. For further information on this or any Pushcart Players program, visit the website www.pushcartplayers.org or email information@pushcartplayers.org.

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