PRESS RELEASE
Alaska Junior Theater (AJT) has officially unveiled their 2016-2017 Show line-up, otherwise known as their “Season Out of This World!” AJT has assembled some of the best shows they have brought to Alaska over the years to create a season full of guaranteed family fun. This season gives our “Something for Everyone” slogan even deeper meaning, this time we bring you tales of mischievous modern gods, thought-provoking space adventures, high quality multi-cultural performing arts and a magnificent ensemble of world class athletes, dancers and musicians! AJT is extremely excited about the diversity in this season, not only with different cultures being explored but also the vast amount of talent that will be brought to the stage, and cannot wait to share these shows with the people of Anchorage!
These five world-class performances will immerse audiences in a world of music, mythology, bilingual storytelling, and an adrenaline filled urban circus (animals not included and will not be missed). The season kicks off with a special day before Halloween performance of The Lightning Thief by Theatreworks USA, with trick-or-treating for the kids on all floors of the Atwood Concert Hall lobby after the show. The season also includes an exhilarating performance by 360 ALLSTARS filled with break-dancing, BMX, Cyr Wheel and so much more. Green Thumb Theatre’s funny and heart-warming performance in Celeste; the soulful music and cultural influences of Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience Band and the bilingual storytelling of Mexico in The Tree and The Donkey Who Loved to Sing by Cascada de Flores.
Become A Season Subscriber - Get Benefits!
Start planning how to best share these experiences with family and friends. This season, audiences will venture on journeys that traverse adrenaline filled performances, musical genius, self-acceptance, bilingual storytelling and so much more! Series subscription holders save 20% on single tickets, receive exclusive invitations to special artist events, get priority seating for each show, plus–tickets delivered to your door or your computer. And subscribers can purchase additional single tickets at the season subscriber discounted rate all year long!
Visit Alaska Junior Theater’s website at www.akjt.org and follow Alaska Junior Theater on Facebook for latest show information and other season performance highlights.
The Lightning Thief
The Lightning Thief
TheatreworksUSA returns for a Pre-Halloween performance with this fast-paced, wonderfully imaginative musical adapted from the book by Rick Riordan. Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, Zeus blames Percy for stealing his master lightning bolt and gives him ten days to return it. To succeed, Percy will have to catch the true thief, come to terms with the father who abandoned him, solve the riddle of the Oracle and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves. The Off-Broadway production of The Lightning Thief was nominated for Outstanding Musical from the Lortel Awards and for Best Family Show from the Off Broadway Alliance. You have seen the movies, read the books, now join us for the musical where you will be sure to sing the whole car ride home!
A Special Pre-Halloween Performance and Party!
Join The Lightning Thief for a mythological pre-Halloween afternoon performance and party your children will remember for a lifetime. Kids and adults come to the performance in costume and join us afterwards for indoor trick-or-treating on all levels of the Atwood Concert Hall lobby!
360 ALLSTARS
360 ALLSTARS
360 ALLSTARS is an electrifying and totally engaging theatrical performance exploring all forms of rotation. A stellar cast of world class break-dancers, basketball freestylers, BMX flatlanders and Cyr Wheel artists connect the street with the elite and reinvent the traditional circus in a show like nothing you have seen before. 360 ALLSTARS showcases some of Australia’s best performers, alongside celebrated international artists from UK, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and the U.S.A. And with live music from master musician, Gene Peterson, and live looping, 360 ALLSTARS is as aurally exciting as it is visually astounding. Get ready for an adrenaline filled performance! These performers are not only some of the best of the best but they all have many awards to prove it. Do not miss this show that people will be raving about for weeks after the performance!
Celeste
Celeste
Celeste is having a hard time after her diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome; she cannot make any friends. Celeste is bullied by her former friend and called a “space case”. She decides she must be from outer space and starts building a spaceship to bring her back to her home planet called Celestia. That’s when Celeste meets Martin, a new boy at school, who wants to help build the rocket, and the adventure takes a new turn. Martin is thoroughly excited about building the rocket and their friendship flourishes. Green Thumb Theatre’s touching play explores the celestial imagination of a young girl and her struggle to make social connections. As we see the world through our Rocket Girl’s eyes, we realize that seeing things differently can be a wonderful gift. Green Thumb Theatre believes that as a society, it is more important than ever that people respect each other and each other’s differences. This is a beautiful show filled with information on autism awareness, bullying and self-acceptance.
Terrance Simien & The
Zydeco Experience Band
Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience Band
The exotic blend of sounds and cultural influences in Terrance Simien’s Creole for Kidz and the History of Zydeco is a musical tribute of epic proportions, expanding the boundaries of zydeco music. Since 2000, this high quality multicultural performing arts program has reached over 500,000 K-12 and college students, parents and educators at schools, art centers and festivals around the globe! Creole for Kidz is centered on the history and evolution of this unique American roots music genre. Zydeco is the traditional music of the black and mixed race, French-speaking Creoles of south Louisiana. After a conversation with a friend and the frustration by the lack of representation and resourced dedicated to the Creole culture Creole for Kidz was born. Terrance is also performing a public performance, which is different that his kids show with hits such as, “Mardi Gras in the Country”, “Zydeco Extravaganza” and “Oh my Lucille”. The musical styles of Grammy Award winning international sensation Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience Band are a soulful feast of soothing sounds, reggae groove and folksy Americana. They have been together for 35 years, given 7,500 performances, and performed in 45 countries. Terrance Simien was featured in the Disney film “The Princess & the Frog”. This film was huge for Disney, not only because it had the first princess of color, but it also introduced zydeco to a whole new audience!
The Tree & The Donkey
Who Loved to Sing
The Tree & The Donkey Who Loved to Sing
The Tree & The Donkey Who Loved to Sing, also known as ‘El Arbol’ and ‘El Abuelo’, is a bilingual and participatory story exploding with the song, ancient musical instruments, poly-rhythms and sweet characters of Mexican music and dance brought to us by Cascada de Flores. Through improvisation, the story explores Mexico’s diverse cultures and examines life and death in nature. In this lively performance, children and their families are invited to sing and play with the beautiful traditional songs and dances of Mexico. Arwen Lawrence and Jorge Liceaga founded Cascada de Flores in San Francisco, CA in 1999. Arwen Lawrence toured with grammy-winning L.A. mariachi heavyweights, Los Camperos de Nati Cano, and honed her skills and deepened her love for Mexico’s musical language. Jorge Liceage grew up in Mexico City and bought his first guitar with the money that he earned shining shoes. He taught himself how to play the guitar and later was mentored by local legend Leonardo ‘El León’ Salas, who taught Jorge to “guasanguearla’ (play with that special Yucatecan swing). They have performed in over 1,000 Western U.S. schools and libraries reaching over 500,000 children with their educational programs and musical performances.
For more information on tickets for this or any of Alaska Junior Theater’s performances and events, go to www.akjt.org or call (907) 272-7546.
About Alaska Junior Theater
Alaska Junior Theater is a private, non-profit organization that has been bringing the best in professional theatre from around the world to Alaska’s young audiences for 35 years. Each year, more than 47,000 students attend a variety of live performances, which share the common educational goal of “bringing learning to life.” For many students, AJT’s school-time presentations are their only exposure to professional performing arts. For our school shows, Alaska Junior Theater remains committed to providing subsidized tickets and finding direct ties to Alaska Content Standards, creating study guides and providing bussing transportation in Anchorage to ensure all children receive the opportunity to experience the performing arts. It is a true symbol of our commitment to artistic quality, educational content and community outreach.
Media: To schedule interviews or a viewing, please contact Alexis Sheeder at 272-7546 or email at marketing@akjt.org or Lainie Dreas at 382-7512. Additional high-resolution images are available. For more information, e-mail marketing@akjt.org.