Arden Children's Theatre Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary Season With The World-Premiere Of SNOW WHITE

Arden Theatre Company celebrates the 20th Anniversary Season of Arden Children's Theatre with the World-Premiere of SNOW WHITE, written and directed by Greg Banks on the Arden's Arcadia Stage at 40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia. The Production Sponsor is Comcast and the Honorary Producer is the Hamilton Family Charitable Trust.

This is a production of SNOW WHITE like you've never seen. The classic tale features a beautiful princess, her evil queen, a huntsman, one magic mirror, and the legendary seven dwarfs - all brought to life by TWO ACTORS! Greg Banks, author of the Arden's acclaimed productions of Robin Hood, Pinocchio and The Jungle Book, now brings this new play with the vibrant creativity and thrilling theatricality you've come to expect form Arden Children's Theatre.

SNOW WHITE was commissioned by The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, who along with Arden Children's Theatre and Seattle Children's Theatre, have formed a children's theatre consortium to share ideas and strategies, production ideas and collaborations with artists. The Arden will be the first to premiere the SNOW WHITE.

Playwright and Director Greg Banks has a long-standing relationship with Children's Theater of Minneapolis and has been a guest director and writer for them since 2003. As a playwright, his work has been seen from Seattle to Singapore via Moscow and the Arctic Circle, on Broadway at the New Victory and in the West End at the Comedy Theatre. Since 1991 he has directed over 100 productions. In addition to SNOW WHITE, Robin Hood, Pinocchio and The Jungle Book, others of his adaptations include Antigone, Huck Finn and Romeo & Juliet. This is Banks's first time directing at the Arden.

Arden Producing Artistic Director Terrence J. Nolen says, "Greg's highly theatrical and clever plays have been a perfect fit for Arden Children's Theatre. We haven't had the pleasure of having him here to direct, so we are thrilled to have him as both playwright and director for this World-Premiere production of SNOW WHITE."

Playwright and Director Greg Banks says, "I think the thrill of a two-person SNOW WHITE is that it demands a certain level of stagecraft and tour-de-force acting. There is a huge amount of energy onstage that is thrilling to watch. It also requires imagination from the audience, something Arden audiences have come to expect and appreciate."

Two actors and one live musician make up the cast of SNOW WHITE. Arden favorite Doug Hara, and newcomer to the Arden Nastassja Whitman play 19 characters between them.

Banks says, "Both actors are onstage almost the entire performance. It requires such stamina, but both Doug and Nastassja are up to the task."

Hara appeared at the Arden in The Cat in the Hat, A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Stinky Cheese Man, among other shows. He won the 2017 Barrymore Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his work in Theatre Horizon's A New Brain, and also appeared on Broadway in Metamorphoses. Whitman is a graduate of the University of the Arts and has been seen locally at Lantern Theatre, Freedom Theatre and in Theatre Horizon's production of Black Nativity. She was the lead chorus member in One More River to Cross for Pully & Buttonhole Theatre Company.

SNOW WHITE also features original and live music by two-time Barrymore Award-winner Daniel Perelstein. Perelstein will compose original music with harp, double bass and trombone, and also provide sound design and music direction. Perelstein has worked at Cleveland Playhouse, Roundabout Theatre Company, Primary Stages, McCarter Theatre, the Wilma Theatre, People's Light and others. His Arden works include The Jungle Book, Pinocchio, Robin Hood, Parade and A Year with Frog and Toad.

SHOW INFORMATION, SPECIAL EVENTS and PERFORMANCES

Previews of SNOW WHITE begin on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, and continue through Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 12 noon. The show opens on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 7pm and runs through Sunday, June 3, 2018. A full calendar of events can be found at www.ardentheatre.org. Opening Night Sponsors are Harmelin Media, Franklin Fountain and Whole Foods Market.

SNOW WHITE includes weekday matinee performances for students and weekend performances for families. Single ticket prices start at $36 for adults and $20 for children, with discounts available for groups of 20 or more, seniors, students, military, and educators. Call the Arden Box Office at 215.922.1122, visit www.ardentheatre.org or walk-up at the box office at 40 N. 2nd Street in Old City, Philadelphia.

Post-show question and answer sessions follow each performance. Audience members can also meet and greet cast members in the lobby following each performance.

The Arden is wheelchair accessible and provides assisted listening devices and large-print programs at every performance. Open Captioned and Audio Described performances will take place on Friday, May 18 at 10am and Saturday, May 19 at 4pm. Reservations are required for accessible seating and may be made by calling the Arden's Box Office at 215.922.1122.

ABOUT THE ARDEN

Founded in 1988, Arden Theatre Company is dedicated to bringing to life great stories by great storytellers-on the stage, in the classroom, and in the community. Five productions are staged each season as part of the Mainstage series and two productions through Arden Children's Theatre, the city's first resident professional children's theatre program. New work is produced through the Independence Foundation New Play Showcase. The Arden's Education Department includes: Arden for All (AFA), a theatre access and education program for underserved young people; Arden Drama School, the after-school, Saturday, and summer camp classes for students in grades pre K-12; Teen Arden, an immersive after-school access program for Philadelphia-area based teenagers; and the Arden Professional Apprentice Program, a nationally renowned comprehensive theatre management training program. The Hamilton Family Arts Center is the new facility dedicated to education programs and new play development.

The Arden has received numerous honors including 63 awards and 331 nominations from the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre. The Arden is a winner of four "Theatre Company of the Year" designations (Philadelphia Inquirer), six Philadelphia Magazine "Best of Philly" awards and three "Best of Philly Kids" awards, the City Paper's Reader's Choice Award and the prestigious "Great Friend to Kids Award" from the Please Touch Museum for Arden Children's Theatre work. For accessibility efforts, the Arden was named a "Keystone of Accessibility" by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Arden Theatre Company is a professional, nonprofit 501(c)(3) theatre company and a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the League of Resident Theatres, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Old City Arts Association. The Arden also participates in The Barrymore Awards, a program of Theatre Philadelphia.

QUICK INFO:

SNOW WHITE - World Premiere!

Written and Directed by Greg Banks

SUMMARY:

This is a production of SNOW WHITE like you've never seen. The classic tale features a beautiful princess, her evil queen, a huntsman, one magic mirror, and the legendary seven dwarfs - all brought to life by TWO ACTORS! From Greg Banks, author of the Arden's acclaimed productions of Robin Hood, Pinocchio and The Jungle Book, who now brings this new play with the vibrant creativity and thrilling theatricality you've come to expect form Arden Children's Theatre.

Call the Box Office at 215.922.1122 or visit www.ardentheatre.org or walk-up at the box office, 40 N. 2nd Street

Tickets start at $36 for adults and $20 for children depending on the performance chosen

Group discounts available for 15+

Student Rush tickets - 30 minutes before curtain for $10 cash, pending availability (must present valid student ID)

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