BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN JR. & More Set for Children's Theatre of Cincinnati's 90th Season

The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati celebrates its 90th birthday with a world premiere, an educational rock-and-roll spectacular - featuring one of Cincinnati's favorite bands on stage - plus two Disney favorites. The 2014-2015 season includes:

• Disney's Beauty and the Beast JR. (October 17 - October 19 and October 25, 2014).
• The Snow Queen (December 5 - December 7 and December 13, 2014).
• Schoolhouse Rock Live! JR. (February 13 - February 15 and February 21, 2015).
• Disney's Aladdin JR. (April 10 - April 12 and April 18, 2015)

"Our 90th birthday celebration is going to be very exciting, fun and entertaining for greater Cincinnati students and families," said Artistic Director, Angela Powell Walker. "We will bring you one of our most requested shows, a world-premiere holiday production, the hippest band in town, and high-flying, live circus performers."

Beginning the season is "...a tale as old as time," Disney's Beauty and the Beast JR., music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Book by Linda Woolverton. Originally directed by Robert Jess Roth. Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions. Directed by Angela Powell Walker. (October 17 - October 19 and October 25, 2014). The brainy and beautiful Belle yearns to escape her provincial life...and her brute of a suitor, Gaston. However, Belle gets more adventurous than she wanted when she becomes a captive in the Beast's enchanted castle! Dancing flatware, menacing wolves, and singing furniture fill the stage with thrills in this beloved fairy tale about very different people finding strength in one another and learning how to love. The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati last produced the show in 2009. The Family Gala will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2014.

The world-premiere musical, The Snow Queen, will be brought to life for the holidays by local wunderkind, Stephen Goers and his writing partner, Alyn Cardarelli. Directed by Jay Goodlett. (December 5 - December 7 and December 13, 2014). Based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," a prince and princess find themselves torn apart by a powerful witch with the power to freeze hearts. When the Snow Queen steals Prince Kai, Princess Gerda and her comrades must enter the unknown and battle winter forces to find him. Stephen's collaborations with Chicago playwright/lyricist Alyn Cardarelli on musicals for children include world premiere adaptations of Where the Wild Things Are, Stellaluna, and How I Became a Pirate. Productions of The Snow Queen were featured twice in the history of The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati -- once in 1965 performed at the Emery Theatre and once in 1975 performed at the Taft Theatre.

Based on the Emmy Award-winning Saturday morning animated educational cartoon series and pop culture phenomenon which aired on ABC-TV from the 1970's -1980's, Schoolhouse Rock Live! JR. hits the Taft Theatre stage with a rock-and-roll revue, headed up by local rock sensations, The Rusty Griswolds! Originally conceived and directed by Scott Ferguson. Book by Scott Ferguson, Kyle Hall, George Keating. Music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg, Kathy Mandry, George Newall and Tom Yohe. Directed by Angela Powell Walker. (February 13 - February 15 and February 21, 2015). Schoolhouse Rock Live! JR. follows Tom, a nerve-wracked school teacher who is nervous about his first day of teaching. He tries to relax by watching TV when various characters representing facets of his personality emerge from the set and show him how to win his students over with imagination and music, through such songs as "Just A Bill," "Three is a Magic Number," and "Conjunction Junction." Since 1999, The Rusty Griswolds have been performing; bringing energy as only they can to the best music of the 80's and Schoolhouse Rock Live! JR. will be no exception!

Carpets will fly in April 2015 when Disney's Aladdin JR. takes off. Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Book adapted and additional lyrics by Jim Luigs. Music adapted and arranged by Bryan Louiselle. Based on the screenplay by Ron Clements and John Musker; Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. Directed by Roderick Justice. (April 10 - April 12 and April 18, 2015). Everyone's favorite characters are here in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit, including Aladdin, Jasmine, and of course, the Genie. Filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, spirits will soar with excitement! This show will feature an onstage collaboration with The Cincinnati Circus Company- bringing jugglers, aerial acrobats, stilt walkers and more to the Taft Theatre stage! The Disney version of Aladdin was last produced by The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati in 2006, but the Aladdin story has a long history performed five other times: in 1949, 1958, 1968, 1975 and 1986.

Season Tickets to the 2014-2015 Children's Theatre of Cincinnati season will be available in May after renewals are completed. Prices range from $78 for the popular 4-Show Orchestra or Box Seats Season Ticket Package to just $21 for a 3-Show Season Ticket package in the Second Balcony. Single tickets go on sale August 18. For information call 513-569-8080 ext. 10 or visit www.thechildrenstheatre.com.

Photo by Phil Groshong