Photos: First Look At THE LITTLE DANCER- A Holiday Family Musical At Theatre 71

The Little Dancer... a holiday family musical is currently playing a limited run at Theatre 71 (152 W. 71st Street, 10023, right off Broadway) throughout the month of December. For tickets and more information, visit thelittledancermusical.com.  Scroll down for production photos.

Written by Steven Fisher, helmed by Richard Vida and choreographed by Lainie Sakakura, the one-hour show tells the heart-warming story of how 14-year-old Marie Van Goethem, Edgar Degas' model for his one and only sculpture, became the most famous ballerina in the world.

The cast of The Little Dancer features New York actors Evan Wormald (Degas/Ed), Georgia Monroe (Marie), Heather Cadarette (Mama/Mistress de la Ballet), Beatrice Howell (Charlotte), Avelina Sanchez (Louise), Jordan Stanfield (Georges) and Liz Friedman (Swing/Dance Captain), as well as 29 young people who make up the show's "Musical Theatre Geek Chorus" (MTGC)- Charley Bazzle, Audim Brokenbough, Cole Bryne, Maya Collins, Silas Costa, Lexi Eichel, Margalit Eisenstein, Logan Ford, Chelsea Gadsden, Tate Hamburg, Rose Jeffres, Jeremy Peyton Jones, Ella Keim, Channa Lewenson, Stephanie Moorhatch, Elizabeth Mun, Sade Mutua, Mekhi Patterson-White, Arabella Pirrone, Sophia Repkoe, Nicolena Rivera, Sophie Santago-Sterling, Emma Shay, Christopher Simcox, Cobrin Stanish, Giuliana Stout, Amalia Matetic Undurraga, Sarah Weil-Jones and Tabitha Wismer.

The production features Music Director Evan Alparone and Josh Suslak on Piano, Set Design and Costume Design by Jeremy Bailey-Smith, Costume Supervisor Rashidah Nelson, Lighting Design by Lighting Designer Ridley Walker, Associate Art Designer Chris Williams, Production Stage Manager Tama-Rose Bazzle and Assistant Stage Manager Moriah Tobin. Casting is by Mungioli Theatricals, Inc.

Fisher prides himself on writing elevated theatre for young people. "Children's Theatre doesn't have to be dumbed down for kids or boring for adults. Kids today are savvy, and their parents always appreciate not being put to sleep," says Fisher. "This particular show has it all for young people, offering them the world of theatre, art, dance, and musical theatre all in one."

The kids who make up the MTGC are members of Commonwealth Youthchoirs (CY), for which Fisher serves as Founder and Artistic Director. CY transforms the lives of over 800 young people through the power of making music together. Like last year, proceeds from the production will benefit Find Your Instrument!, CY's award-winning outreach program, which offers hundreds of students in under-resourced schools the opportunity to experience the profound joy of singing with others.

Recommended for children ages 6 to 106, The Little Dancer... a holiday family musical will run at Theatre 71 (152 W. 71st Street, 10023, right off Broadway) through December 29. For tickets and more information, visit thelittledancermusical.com. 

Performance Schedule:
Saturday, December 7 at 11am and 1pm
Sunday, December 14 at 11am and 1pm
Saturday, December 21 at 11am and 1pm
Sunday, December 22 at 11am and 1pm
Thursday, December 23 at 11am
Thursday, December 26 at 11am
Friday, December 27 at 11am
Saturday, December 28 at 11am
Sunday, December 29 at 11am and 1pm

Photo Credit: Lia Chang