GRAND SOFT DAY to Bring Multisensory Magic To Toddlers At New Victory Theater

This January, the New Victory Theater will continue their programming for the youngest of theatergoers with Branar Theatre and New International Encounter's Grand Soft Day, recommended for ages 2-5. This unique theater experience, running at New 42 Studios from January 12 through January 21, is one of three shows this season created especially for very young audiences. 

When the misty wind whips your hair and the drizzle tickles your nose, now that's a Grand Soft Day! From the playful minds of Ireland's Branar Theatre and England's New International Encounter, this all-seasons adventure filled with live music will ready you for whatever weather wends your way. This playful show is about always being prepared even though you do not know what the day will bring.

Grand Soft Day is performed in the intimate setting of New 42 Studios and is a multisensory experience in which young guests may even feel a touch of wind (from a fan) or rain (spritzed water) on their faces. Though largely a wordless show, the performers will share little phrases from their native languages—English, Italian and Irish Gaelic.

“Our mission as an organization is to provide access to high-quality theater experiences to kids from the earliest years onward, and we are thrilled to bring back more of our programming for toddlers this season with Grand Soft Day - an absolutely delightful work made by two New Victory alumni companies in collaboration with each other” said Mary Rose Lloyd, New 42 Artistic Director. 

Grand Soft Day is produced by Branar Theatre and NIE in association with Culture Ireland. Since 2001, Branar Theatre has been making wonder-full experiences for children so that they and their imaginations may thrive. Branar Theatre views every child as an equal citizen of the world who should be nurtured through exposure to the arts. In the 2016-17 season, Branar performed at New Victory at New 42 Studios with Teater Refleksion with The Way Back Home.

Formed in 2001, New International Encounter (NIE) rehearsed its first three shows in the Czech Republic. That trilogy of plays was seen all over the world, from New York to Mexico City to Seoul. NIE is now based in Norway and England, and creates new shows in co-production with venues and theater companies from across Europe, including site-specific work and theater for younger audiences. NIE previously performed at New Victory with Beauty and the Beast in the 2017-18 season with Cambridge Junction and Tobacco Factory Theatres.

Grand Soft Day runs 40 minutes with no intermission and is recommended for ages 2-5. 

Tickets start at $23 (including fees) and are available at the New Victory Box Office (209 W 42nd Street, online at NewVictory.org and via phone by calling 646.223.3010.

The show on stage is just one part of the visitor experience! For 45 minutes before and 20 minutes after every show, New 42 Studios features free do-together activities in which families can try new performance skills or explore the show's themes. Whether they are wild, wallflowers or somewhere in between, New Victory will guide children through fun family engagement inspired by the show.

 

Grand Soft Day features performers Greg Hall, Helen Gregg, Jonathan Gunning, and Linda Scaramella and is directed by Alex Byrne and Marc Mac Lochlainn. The show features set design by Orla Clogher, costume design by Elaine Mears, lighting design by TRUI MALTEN, and music composition by Greg Hall. Grand Soft Day is produced by Joanne Beirne and Cat Moore and commissioned by The Ark.

Powered by New 42, the New Victory Theater is supported, in part, with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; the National Endowment for the Arts; as well as the New 42 Board of Directors, and our dedicated foundation, corporate and individual donors.

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About New Victory Theater

 

The New Victory opens new worlds to young people and families through extraordinary performances, education and engagement programs. Bringing kids to the arts and the arts to kids since 1995, this nonprofit theater has become a standard-bearer of quality performing arts for young audiences in the United States. Reflecting and serving the multicultural city it calls home, The New Victory is committed to arts access for all communities of New York to experience and engage with the exemplary international shows on its stages. A global leader in arts education, youth development and audience engagement, the New Victory Theater has been honored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, by Americans for the Arts with a national Arts Education Award, and by the Drama Desk for "providing enchanting, sophisticated children's theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people."

 

About New 42

 

Under the leadership of President & CEO Russell Granet, New 42 is a cultural nonprofit whose mission is to make extraordinary performing arts a vital part of everyone's life from the earliest years onward. Driven by a deep commitment to performing arts access, New 42 connects people to world-class performances, essential education and employment programs, and creative communities that push culture forward. Through New Victory and New 42 Studios, the nonprofit serves artists, educators and New Yorkers of all ages with invaluable arts engagement and resources in and beyond the performing arts. Together with our supporters, New 42 opens new perspectives, incubates new works and creates new opportunities to move us all.

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