Plays & Players Family Series Opens with Alex & the Kaleidoscope Band 6/8

Plays & Players (P&P) is proud to present award-winning family entertainers Alex & the Kaleidoscope Band on Wednesday, June 8 at 7pm. For 100 years, P&P has supported local emerging and established artists in practicing and performing their crafts, and is thrilled for the opportunity to support Philadelphia-based composer Alex Mitnick in his mission to inspire children through music.

Formed over a decade ago by Alex Mitnick, Alex & the Kaleidoscope Band got its start when Alex and Philadelphia-based poet and artist Alan Bell began writing musicals for children at the Princeton Montessori School in Princeton, NJ. Since then, the band has released three albums and performed extensively in theaters, festivals, libraries and schools throughout the country. The group has had numerous media appearances, including New York's CW11 Morning News and FOX 29 morning news in Philadelphia. In addition, Alex & the Kaleidoscope Band has performed in such reputed venues as the Brooklyn Children's Museum, Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, Princeton Public Library, The World Bank and the Arts Council of Princeton's annual Halloween Parade.

Focused on self-awareness and appreciation of the world around us, Kaleidoscope Songs has received over 14 national awards for incorporating fun and learning through the power of music. Awards include a Parents' Choice Foundation Recommendation, multiple Parent-to-Parent Adding Wisdom Awards, Best New Artist and Best Album for Pre-schoolers from the Children's Music Web, Best Album For Older Children (Ages 8-12) from the Children's Music Web, Independent Music Awards BEST SONG for Children for "Kangaroo!," Coalition For Quality Children's Media KIDS FIRST Award, iParenting Media HOT PRODUCTS award and an entry of the week recognition from the NAPPA foundation.

"Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band is a local group of talented performers with a wonderful goal to inspire kids. They represent the intersection of art and community that we strongly believe in here at Plays & Players, and we are happy to be able to support them," said Daniel Student, Plays & Players Artistic Director.

Having added Children's Theatre to its repertoire during the mid-1970s, Plays & Players has been producing quality family programming for the greater Philadelphia area for forty years. Alex & the Kaleidoscope Band is the first performance in Plays & Players 2011 summertime Family Programming Series, which will also feature Best of Philly 2010 winner Superheroes Who Are Super! in July and Hear Again Radio Project in September (more details to be announced soon).

Plays & Players (P&P) is at once 100 years old and 3 years old, having recently changed from a community theatre to a professional theatre. P&P engages and involves the local community by producing new and classic theatrical productions with local artists; crafting collaborative opportunities with other performing arts companies; offering adult and family focused educational programs; and preserving, restoring and enhancing our historic Plays and Players Theatre. Plays & Players: community taking center stage for 100 years and counting. Please visit us at www.playsandplayers.org.

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