Two Chances to Catch BUGS! The New Musical from Jonesalee, presented by Asheville Creative Arts

Asheville Creative Arts (ACA), Asheville's professional children's theatre who recently produced the acclaimed production, THE LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD SHOW, continues its 5th Milestone Season with two exciting May events:

On Saturday, May 6 at 2:30, ACA will present the INCUBATOR SERIES featuring a staged reading with music from BUGS! at their new theatre home, Magnetic 375 (375 Depot Street). Admission is "pay-what-you-can" and reservations are accepted at info@ashevillecreativearts.org;

On Sunday, May 14 at 1:30 ACA will take part in the 44th LEAF Festival with a concert version of the songs of BUGS! presented on the Family Stage featuring large scale puppets. Held on the grounds of the former Black Mountain College, LEAF Festival allows audiences and artists alike to experience the power music, art and culture have to transform lives, strengthen community, and foster unity. Tickets and more information for LEAF are available at http://www.theleaf.org/the-festival/.

BUGS! is an original play with music created by ACA Resident Artists, Gina Stewart and Brenda Gambill of Jonesalee. It is comprised of a series of vignettes and charming, folk-infused music that observe and explore the tiny, teeming with life and "life lessons," insect world. Rich with scientific fun facts, folklore and legend, the story of BUGS! examines the interconnectedness and interdependence of all life forms, reminding audiences the importance of building bridges and not walls. In addition to Stewart and Gambill, events will feature performances from Emilyann McKelvey, Tommy Moore, Anthony Napoletano, and Jenni Robinson, plus puppet design by ACA Co-Founder, Abby Felder, with direction by Katie Jones and dramaturgy by Alex Smith.

"As ACA establishes itself in the region, we are delighted to support Gina and Brenda, contemporary voices exploring New Mediums. The Incubator series provides a space for evolution of thoughtful and complex processes that result in work for young audiences that are engaging with the same aesthetics we typically think of as reserved for adult audiences. And we've seen success: past participants, David and Jack Novak's play with music, JOURNEYING JACK, went on to win The Aurand Harris Memorial Playwriting Award," says Felder. She continues, "following development of the script as part of Incubator, audiences will delight in a second song cycle iteration with large scale puppets presented at the LEAF Festival, hosted by LEAF Community Arts, a kindred organization building community, connecting cultures and enriching lives through the arts - locally and globally."

ACA is thrilled to present two iterations of this exciting piece, a script-in-hand staged reading during its INCUBATOR SERIES and for the first time, a live musical concert with pageant style puppetry at the LEAF Festival, part of the company's 5th Milestone season commitment to building partnerships and reaching new audiences.

ABOUT THE COMPANY: Asheville's critically acclaimed, award winning theatre devoted to creating works for children of all ages, Asheville Creative Arts was founded in 2013. Led by Abby Felder with Gina Stewart and Brenda Gambill of Jonesalee, and with a new Resident Company of local talent helmed by Katie Jones, Alex Smith and Anthony Napoletano.

ACA's mission is to produce, present and create professional and innovative theatre for the very young to the young at heart, and embrace diverse cultures with a mainstage season of productions of musical, literary adaptations, and puppet based work that push the boundaries of children's theatre; to train the next generation of artists; and to ensure that all families in Western NC and beyond have access to theatre arts through outreach such as touring, and "in-reach" such as specially discounted performances for school and community groups. In honor of contributions to the cultural landscape, Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer declared July 18, 2014 "Asheville Creative Arts Day;" and ACA's production of HOW I BECAME A PIRATE was the 2016 recipient of a Grassroots Partnership Award- a grant from the NC Arts Council, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, distributed by the Asheville Area Arts Council, and their summer mainstage, CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE, was awarded a grant from Puffin Foundation West.

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