Windham Theatre Guild Set to Present CHILDREN'S LETTERS TO GOD

The Windham Theatre Guild is excited to present a wonderfully refreshing musical featuring a cast of talented young actors...Children's Letters To God, opening September 16th at the Burton Leavitt Theatre.

This is the first Main Stage show in Windham Theatre Guild history that features only children ranging in ages 9-14 years old. Based on the international best-selling book by Stuart Hample and Eric Marshall, Children's Letters To God is a musical written by Douglas Cohen, Stuart Hample and David Evans.

Douglas Cohen hails from Mansfield, CT and graduated from EO Smith High School and Amherst College. He received the 2010 Frank Ebb Award for Musical Theatre Songwriting and won two Richard Rogers Awards for No Way To Treat A Lady and The Gig. He was nominated for a 2005 Drama Desk Award for his contributions to Children's Letters To God.

This entertaining show follows the lives of seven young friends as they voice beliefs, desires, questions and doubts common to all people but most disarmingly expressed by children. Sixteen tuneful songs and assorted scenes (some based on actual letters) explore timeless issues such as sibling rivalry, divorce, holidays, loss of a beloved pet, the trials of not being athletic and first love. It carries a universal message which crosses the boundaries of age, geography, and religion. As in the best-selling book, the musical is not specifically religious in nature. It's about kids and various events in their lives that lead them to ask a lot of questions -- some funny, some serious, some surprising. Director Pam Pellegrine has directed two previous children's productions for the Windham Theatre Guild including The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: a Holiday Musical Review.

The cast includes Aurua Buswell and Kiernan Buswell from Andover, Josh Grover from North Windham, Olivia Hackett from Willimantic and Galen Hoover, Teagen Hoover and Lucy Provost from Columbia. Five of the cast members have previously participated in the WTG Youth Chorus. Two attend EASTCONN's ACT Magnet School. One attends Windham Middle School. One attends Andover Elementary School. Two of the cast members are new to the area, originally hailing from East Hartford, CT. To quote Ms. Pellegrine, "This show is for adults and children alike, because whatever your age, faith, belief, or background you've probably asked some higher power questions when life doesn't make sense. And in the beginning----before GOOGLE and AskJeeves, for many of us that higher power is God."

Children's Letters To God runs September 16th, 17th , 23rd & 24th at 8:00pm, Thursday September 22nd at 7:30pm, and Sunday Matinees on September 18th and 25th at 2:00pm at the Burton Leavitt Theatre, 779 Main Street, Willimantic. Ticket prices are $22 for Adults, $19 for Students/Seniors, and $14 for children under 12. All UCONN, ECSU & QVCC students (with ID) pay the discounted price of $14. Group discounts are also available. Anyone who buys a ticket at the door on Thursday, September 22nd will pay the kid's price of just $14.

This special offer does NOT apply to tickets reserved in advance. For reservations and information, call the Windham Theatre Guild at 860-423-2245 or buy your tickets on-line at windhamtheatreguild.org. Robin RiceWTG Publicity Director456-1111 x 106