The Gettysburg Festival to host array of children's events

Children's Arts Fair opens Festival; nine Children's Theater performances offered

(Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) - 5/27/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE …

CONTACT:

Karen Hendricks PR/Marketing Director

(717) 334-0853

The event-packed, second annual Gettysburg Festival, June 18-28, offers a host of family-friendly shows and activities that are sure to please audiences of all ages, including a Children’s Arts Fair and a lineup of children’s theater performances.

"The Festival’s fantastic lineup for children’s events ties in directly to our mission as an arts organization striving to cultivate young art aficionados,” explains Festival Executive Director Alice Estrada. “We hope to spark an appreciation of the arts in area children that will last a lifetime.”

Kicking off the Festival on Thursday, June 18, is a Children’s Arts Fair presented by the Adams County Arts Council from 4 to 7 p.m. The fair has 12 hands-on stations where children can do anything from participating in an interactive theater, learning magic tricks, creating hands-on arts projects, or posing for photos with Elmo.

Located at the Festival Main Stage at Gettysburg College, the fair’s activities are all free of admission. Families are welcome to stay for the River City Brass Band’s free concert at 7 p.m., also located at the Main Stage.

The Festival’s Children’s events continue with nine children’s theater performances scheduled between June 19-27, all located at the Festival Main Stage. Shows included are Disney’s High School Musical 2, Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, and Lights, Camera, AOK! Scheduled with sensitivity to the busy schedules of parents, each show offers repeat performances at a later date at either the same time or a later one.

Disney’s High School Musical 2, a new live musical theatre production based on the hit Disney channel movie, will be performed by the Adams County School of Musical Theatre under the direction of Chad-Alan Carr. Performances take place on Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 27 at 11 a.m. Admission: $5 at the Main Stage.

Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, also performed by the Adams County School of Musical Theatre, features songs from the beloved Disney film, including Once Upon a Dream, as well as fun new songs like Maleficent! and A Little Magic Now to bring a fresh telling of the story to a new generation of children and families. Performances take place on Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 27 at 2 p.m. Admission: Free.

Peter Pan, a musical based on J.M. Barrie’s beloved story, will transport the entire family into the tale of the magical, mischievous boy who refuses to grow up, taking the audience to a timeless land of adventure. Performed by the Acts of Kindness (AOK) Players under the direction of Gettysburg College graduate Jessica Staub, this production promises to be one-of-a-kind, with elaborate sets, unmatched special effects, choreography and costuming. Performances take place on Monday, June 22 and Wednesday, June 24 at 11 a.m. and on Tuesday, June 23 at 2 p.m.

Lights, Camera, AOK! presents a series of fun outdoor children’s theatre presentations based upon the area’s popular summer reading theme found at local libraries. Performed by the AOK Players, these shows are sure to captivate young audiences. Performances take place on Monday, June 22 at 2 p.m. and Tuesday, June 23 at 11 a.m. Admission: Free.

Located conveniently on Gettysburg College’s campus, all children’s theater performances are just a short distance away from downtown Gettysburg. Families are encouraged to bring picnic blankets or packed lunches to enjoy on the shaded lawn area adjacent to the Main Stage. Children are invited to come to the performances dressed as their favorite characters, whether they are Troy from Disney’s High School Musical 2 or Princess Aurora from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty! Free parking for these performances is available at Gettysburg College in Constitution Lot.

For more information, visit www.gettysburgfestival.org or call (717) 334-0853.