The New Victory Theater Presents The Award-Winning Musical KIKKER

The always innovative and endlessly endearing Theater Terra makes their long awaited return to The New Victory Theater with the 2003 Dutch "Tony" Award-winning musical, KIKKER.  From Friday, October 22 through Sunday, November 7, the renowned puppet theater company brings life to Max Velthuijs' beloved collection of amiable, animal tales.  Leaping from the page to the stage, Frog ("kikker" in Dutch) and his pals engage in a variety of enthralling escapades, with hopes of easing the anxieties of a young boy whose family is about to move.  Featuring an original score, catchy songs and lovable, plush puppet characters, KIKKER is "an exceptional production that keeps you agape at the brilliant inventions and dreamlike effects" (De Gelderlander).

In 1989, Max Velthuijs' created a series of beautifully illustrated children's books that caught the eyes of both literary critics and parents alike. Over 15 years and 13 books later, Velthuijs' Kikker series has been translated into 27 different languages and was recently awarded the 2004 Hans Christian Anderson Award. Theater Terra (last seen at The New Victory with Circus, 2001 and Towering, 1997) has chosen these family favorites as the inspiration for its lavish production KIKKER.  The Netherlands-based company has combined several of the author's most adored tales into an irresistible musical filled with stunning visual imagery and their unique brand of Bunraku puppetry.

In a quaint attic bedroom, nestled under the blankets of a four-post bed, little Max lies awake anxious over his family's inevitable move in the morning.  To help him fall asleep, his mom reads three of Max's most cherished books starring his favorite storybook friend, Frog.  Suddenly, each story magically appears before his eyes allowing Max to follow along on some quirky and comical adventures with his trusty gang of friends - Pig, Hare, Duck, Rat and, of course, Frog!  Inventive scenic creations turn moving boxes into building block houses.  Through one shift of a bedspread, and fall of a curtain, a textile fantasy transforms this whimsical room into a lush forest floor, slippery ice rink and eerie ocean.  With every turn of the page, young Max learns that he can journey far and wide unafraid, as long as he carries a collection of friends by his side.  

Founded in 1977 by Artistic Director Theo Terra, Theater Terra has become an internationally recognized leader in theater by creating expressive and poetic productions based on its innovative, signature style of actor/puppet interplay.  With a smart mix of puppets, objects and actors, Theater Terra provides luminous visual theater, full of humor and a wealth of sheer lyrical artistry.  Among the numerous accolades received by Theater Terra is the Hans Snoek Award (The Netherlands's highest award given to theater for
youth) for Swan's Down, an honorary mention from the Puck Prize Children's Jury for Itoek and the Polar Bear and the Dutch "Tony" for Kikker.  

The performance schedule for KIKKER at The New Victory Theater is:    
    Friday, October 22    7:00 pm
    Saturday, October 23    12:00 pm & 5:00 pm
    Sunday, October 24    12:00 pm & 5:00 pm
    Friday, October 29    2:00 pm & 7:00 pm
    Saturday, October 30     12:00 pm & 5:00 pm*
    Sunday, October 31    12:00 pm* ** & 5:00 pm    
    Friday, November 5    2:00 pm & 7:00 pm*    
    Saturday, November 6    12:00 pm & 5:00 pm
    Sunday, November 7    12:00 pm & 5:00 pm
     * Talk Back with performers     ** Sign-Interpreted Performance

Tickets for KIKKER are $10, $20 and $30 and can be ordered by visiting Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200.  Tickets are also on sale at the New Victory box office (209 West 42nd Street, just west of Broadway), Sunday and Monday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm, Tuesday - Saturday, 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm.

ABOUT NEW YORK'S PREMIER THEATER FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES The New Victory Theater, a New 42nd Street® project, is New York City's premier theater for kids and families.  Built by Oscar Hammerstein in 1900 and opened as the Theatre Republic, it established 42nd Street as the heart of New York's theater district.  Ninety-five years later, The New Victory was the FIRST historic theater to be renovated on the block, and its opening, on December 11, 1995, sparked the renaissance of 42nd Street.

Today it is one of the City's most respected cultural institutions and has "pioneered a new, sophisticated vision of family entertainment" (Time Out New York) with cutting-edge productions like Shockheaded Peter, Grimm Tales and The Junebug Symphony; dynamic dance companies like the Seán Curran Company and Rennie Harris Puremovement; puppetry masterpieces like Kwaidan and Peter and Wendy; new vaudeville/circus spectacles like AntiGravity's Crash Test Dummies and the New Shanghai Circus; and Tony-nominated, Broadway-transfers like A Year With Frog and Toad and It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues.  

Founded in 1990, The New 42nd Street Inc. is an independent, nonprofit organization charged with long-term responsibility for seven historic theaters on 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues.  In addition to running The New Victory Theater, The New 42nd Street Inc. built and operates the New 42nd Street ® Studios - a ten-story building of rehearsal studios, offices and a 199-seat, workshop/experimental theater named The Duke on 42nd Streetsm - for national and international performing arts companies.  With these institutions and the other properties under its guardianship, The New 42nd Street Inc. plays a pivotal role in fostering the continued revival of the Crossroads of the World.

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