Vital Theatre Company to Open Family Series with 'Daisy in Disguise' Starting 10/11

VITAL THEATRE COMPANY is pleased to announce the opener of its new Family Series DAISY IN DISGUISE, an original musical for children and families performed by adults with music by Simon Gray and book and lyrics by STACIE LENTS and direction by David Hilder featuring ANGIE PEREZ, ROSS HEWIT, NORMAN PAYNE, Stephanie Torns, BETHANY JAMES, and REBECCA LIEB WALSH.  Performances run Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00am and 1:00pm, October 11, 2008 through November 16, 2008 with special holiday performances on Columbus Day, October 13th at 2pm and Veteran's Day, November 11th, at 2pm. All tickets are $20. The show is appropriate for ages 3-12.  For reservations, visit www.vitaltheatre.org or call (212) 579-0528.  VITAL THEATRE COMPANY is located at 2162 Broadway, 4th Floor, at West 76th Street, on the Upper West Side.

DAISY IN DISGUISE tells the story of Daisy, who doesn't seem to fit in at school.  Since boys aren't interested in throwing a ball to anyone named after a flower, Daisy reinvents herself as "David" and embarks on a zany, outrageous journey.  Daisy eventually learns that she can be herself and doesn't need to pretend to be somebody else.

Book writer and lyricist STACIE LENTS is the author of Tidal Waves in the Neighborhood and Laugh Out Loud (cry quietly), which Peter Filichia of TheaterMania wrote "is the best comedy I've seen all year." She will premiere another new play at Rutgers University in the spring, where she is on faculty. Stacie is also currently working on a commission for The School of Performing Arts in Edison, New Jersey. Professional acting credits include New York's Provincetown Playhouse, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Ohio Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Hangar Theatre and Luna Stage Company. She received her MFA from Rutgers, Mason Gross School of the Arts, and her B.A. in Theatre from Yale University.

Director David Hilder has directed the world premiere of Philip Gerson's Jumping Blind for GayFest NYC at TBG Arts Center, and the New York premieres of Scituate at The Barrow Group Theatre (Outcast Productions/Barry Goralnick) and Ping Pong Diplomacy at 59E59 Theatres for Reverie Productions.  He served as Assistant Director to Doug Hughes on the Broadway and Off Broadway productions of Frozen (4 Tony nominations, 4 Outer Critics Circle Nominations, 6 Lucille Lortel Award nominations).  Other New York: theAtrainplays; Vital Theatre Co. (Cinderella's Mice, Giblet: A Nightmare, Suspense, Al & Audrey, The Amaziiing Colossal Thing), Ensemble Studio Theater (Faithful, Movin' On), Expanded Arts (Hedda Gabler, for which he also wrote the adaptation, The Party), A Crew of Patches (Might As Well Live: An Evening of Dorothy Parker).  Regional: Millbrook Playhouse (The Last Five Years), Horizons (Pumping Josey), Rep Stage (The Philadelphia Story), Theater J (Social Security, Only Kidding!), Source Theatre (Ruthless!), Pioneer Playhouse (You Can't Take It With You, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940).  Assistant director in New York at MCC (Scattergood, dir. Doug Hughes; A Letter from Ethel Kennedy, dir. Joanna Gleason), Pearl Theater Co. (Life is a Dream, Rob Bundy, dir.).  Film: the independent shorts "Final Dis/Cord" and "Faithful."  Education: University of Pennsylvania and the O'Neill Center's National Theater Institute.

Choreographer VIBECKE DAHLE's training as a rhythmic gymnast inspired her to explore dance and make it her profession. She has taught, performed, choreographed and produced in Europe and New York.Her choreography spans from TV special at NRK (Norway), a variety of children musicals, the musical Violet (Gallery Players, NY), The Game Boy (Vital Theater, NYC) and Broadway Rising Stars concert at Town Hall (NYC). She has also choreographed for Norwegian national gymnastics individuals and teams..She has performed in the European Tour of the musical Evita and the US tour of White Christmas. Vibecke has her BA /teaching from The Norwegian College of Dance and University of Sports in Norway.

The design team include sets by DAVID GEINOSKY, lighting by CHRISTINA WATANABE, and costumes by ELISABETH VASTOLA.   KARA TEOLIS is the Production Stage Manager and SHANI COLLEEN MURFIN is the Stage Manager. 

VITAL THEATRE COMPANY, winner of two Awards for Excellence for its Family Programming by the Off-Off Broadway Review, has received high acclaim from audiences and critics alike for being a "wonderful place for parents to introduce their kids to the glories of live theatre, done well and at modest prices." Now in its tenth year, the company is dedicated to producing entertaining and educational theatre for young audiences

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