Visually-Impared Teens to Lead NYC Workshop Of Fairytale Musical ALLERLEIRAUH

Sofia Ales (14, of Teaneck NJ) has been completely blind since birth. Veronica Depaulis (12, of West Orange NJ), blind in one eye and severely impaired in the other, suffers from a rare degenerative bone disorder.

But that's not stopping these fierce young performers from chasing their dreams.

The girls will be leading the workshop of Allerleirauh (pronounced all-er-LIE-row) at the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in March 2023. Ales will be playing the role of a blind kitchen girl, whose friendship and courage pulls the missing young princess, played by Depaulis, out of the clutches of grief and despair. Ales says, "The reason I wanted to do this was because from the first day I heard about it, I knew I would actually feel included. I've loved performing since I was little... but I still feel a little left out sometimes. Now I have the opportunity to perform without my blindness stopping me."

A compassionate and witty take on a classic fairytale, Allerleirauh is the story of a genius architect who is forced to flee her homeland to protect her blind daughter. Disguised as beggars, they find work in the kitchens of a neighboring castle. With the help of a grumpy cook, a vegetarian king and an outrageous cast of characters, The Builder finds within herself the strength to face the cost of her mistakes and become the mother and queen she was always meant to be.

With a book by Angela Masi and score by Dillon Feldman (Sirens), Allerleirauh is a musical celebration of motherhood, chosen family and the pursuit of an impossible dream. The cast of diverse ethnicities, gender identities and abilities, led by director Catriona Stevens, weaves together an inspiring picture of what we can be for one another. Find out more: @allerleirauh_the_musical.

Tickets for this 2-night event can be purchased at www.bookwormtheatrics.com. Performances are March 10-11, 2023 at 7:30 PM at the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in Manhattan. In keeping with the mission of non-profit production company Bookworm Theatrics Inc, proceeds will be used as a scholarship for a single mother pursuing higher education.