TADA! YOUTH THEATER PROUDLY PRESENTS AN ORIGINAL 
FAMILY MUSICAL PERFORMED BY KIDS FOR KIDS; 
THE LITTLE MOON THEATER
Book By Michael Slade
Music & Lyrics By Joel Gelpe
Based On The Book By Irene Haas

Starring Members Of TADA!’S Resident Youth Ensemble

Direction By Janine Nina Trevens
Choreography By Joanna Greer
Musical Direction By Jim Colleran

Running Time: 1 hour (no intermission)

Website: www.tadatheater.com

Listings Information:
Who: TADA! Youth Theater
What: The Little Moon Theater
Where: TADA! Theater 15 West 28th Street, 2nd Fl.
When: January 19-February 16, 2013
How: www.tadatheater.com, or call 212-252-1619 x5
The Little Moon Theater follows a travelling troupe of actors who grant wishes through performances. They meet an odd assortment of characters including an independent creative thinking young girl; a boy and his pet snake “Asp-aragus”; a dog who is in love with the moon; and an endearing although rather clumsy fairy godmother who is desperately trying to retire. 

BIOGRAPHIES
Michael Slade (writer) Mr. Slade writes for theatre, television and film for adults as well as young audiences. He is also a published novelist. His work for family theatre includes the books to nine musicals for Theatreworks/USA, including Superfudge, Where’s Waldo? and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. For TADA! he wrote The Gift of Winter and Everything… About Camp. He contributed the book to Pokemon Live! which premiered at Radio City Music Hall before touring nationally and internationally. The Berenstain Bears: Family Matters (nominated for the 2012 Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Family Show) is in its second year Off-Broadway. His children’s novel, The Horses of Central Park (Scholastic Hardcover/Apple Paperback) was awarded the ISAR Award for Children’s Literature. MichaelSladeWriter.com
Joel Gelpe (composer/lyricist) is a conductor, pianist, vocal coach and composer/lyricist. As conductor/music director he has led over one hundred shows, including the 25th Anniversary National Tour of Evita directed by Broadway legend Harold Prince, and a National Tour of 42nd Street. In the symphonic world Joel served, for seven years, as Music Director of the Albuquerque Philharmonic Orchestra. As a composer/lyricist, Joel’s long association with TADA! has yielded eight New York productions of The Little Moon Theater and The Little House of Cookies. His children’s songs have also been performed at The White House. Currently Joel serves as Music Director and Coach/Accompanist for the Musical Theatre Program at Ithaca College, where he also teaches classes in Musical Theatre Repertoire and History of American Musical Theatre.

Janine Nina Trevens (Executive & Artistic Director) co-founded TADA! in 1984 with Linda Reiff. Since that time, she has served as the Artistic Director for all of the works produced by TADA!, many of which she commissioned specifically for the company. For TADA! she wrote The Little House of Cookies, Sweet Sixteen, The Perfect Monster, Odd Day Rain and The History Mystery. She directs many of TADA!’s musicals, numerous staged readings, and Ensemble appearances at various locations and events in and around NYC. Nina was selected as one of 10 Parenting Leaders by Parenting Magazine, and she was one of only five women nationally to receive Family Circle’s First Annual Halo Award for women who make a difference. She is proud to have served on funding panels for NYSCA, DCA, ART/NY and TCG. Nina is currently a member of the League of Professional Theatre Women.

Joanna Greer (Director/Associate Artistic Director/Resident Choreographer) holds a BA in Musical Theater Performance and Dance from Columbia College Chicago. As a Director-Choreographer, Teaching Artist and Arts Administrator she has had the pleasure of working with numerous organizations, such as The American Ballroom Theater (featured in the 2005 Documentary Mad Hot Ballroom), YANY, City Lights Youth Theatre, and the acclaimed Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Current TADA! Director and/or Choreographer credits include well over 20 mainstage musicals as well as 365 Days/365 Plays by Suzan Lori-Parks at TADA! and The Public Theater. Joanna is also the Co-founder of NYC-based Kinetic Dance Theater, an artistic collective driven toward innovating dance theater, cabaret and musical theater performance KineticDanceTheater.org.

Jim Colleran (Resident Music (Resident Music Director, Composer/Lyricist) has served as Music Director for all of TADA!’s mainstage shows since May of 2004. Jim wrote the book, music and lyrics for The Gumball Gang: Crime-Solving Kids and contributed songs to each of the Everything About revues. For TADA!’s Musical Theater Writing Residency program, Jim has written dozens of original songs performed by students in schools throughout NYC. Alumnus, BMI Musical Theatre Workshop (2006 Harrington Award winner). Composer/Lyricist credits: Still Life at the Golden Age, Go Girls Go, and Hoarder Patrol at the York Theatre, Gentleman Jim, It’s A Wonderful Life, Medea, Paper Bag Players, Kidstock Theater, Thinkeroo Video, and Gann Films. Jim is currently at work on two new musicals.

Irene Haas (Author, Illustrator) has illustrated 14 books, and written and illustrated three, The Maggie B., The Little Moon Theater and A Summertime Song. The delightful picture book based on a folk song, Was It A Good Trade, was republished with new illustrations by Irene (who also did the original illustrations). In between books, Irene made record album covers for Columbia, Caedmon theater posters (Oliver!, Hello Dolly), magazine illustrations, and credits for a film (The Greengage Summer). Her books have won prizes including a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators, "Best Design" from the American Institute of Graphic Arts, The New York Times "Best Illustrated" and The Children's Book Council Showcase. The Maggie B. won the Irma Simonton Black Award. Irene has traveled to Japan twice to accept the prestigious "Owl Prize" for The Maggie B. and for Carrie Hepple's Garden. She also wrote and illustrated for Ladybug Magazine. Irene is a member of TADA!'s Artistic Advisory Board, and her incredible illustrations have graced the front of many TADA! flyers, programs and invitations.

ABOUT TADA!:
Since 1984, TADA! Youth Theater has been providing young people of all different backgrounds the opportunity to explore and perform musical theater together in an educational, supportive and professional environment. TADA! has received many honors and awards including the American Alliance for Theater Education’s Anne Flagg Multicultural Award, Family Circle Magazine’s 1st Annual Halo Award, and more than a dozen National Youth Theatre Awards and two Innovative Theater nominations. In 2008 TADA! was honored with a Coming Up Taller Award, our nation’s highest honor for youth development from the President's Committee on the Arts & Humanities, and in 2009 with a Special Drama Desk Award for "providing an invaluable contribution to the future of the theater.” TADA! is the only youth theater to have won this prestigious award.

Every year, TADA! produces: original musical theater productions performed by kids for family audiences; a discounted ticket program; free pre-professional training and youth development opportunities through the Resident Youth Ensemble composed of over 80 NYC kids ages 8-18; renowned Arts Education in-school residencies and after-school programs; and theater classes and camps for kids of all ages taught by professional Teaching Artists and for which need-based financial aid is readily available.

TADA! programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the NEA, NYSCA, DCA, DYCD, ConEd Corporation, the Shubert Foundation among many others. Special thanks also to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust and many individual supporters for helping to fund the mission and programs of TADA! Youth Theater. For more information visit www.tadatheater.com.

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