This enchanting musical is based on C.S. Lewis' adventure story about four children of war torn England, who accidentally enter the land of Narnia by climbing through a magic wardrobe. This strange and wondrous place is ruled by the cold-hearted White Witch, who makes the winter last year-round. Although they seem unlikely saviors, the children fulfill an ancient prophecy by defeating the witch, thus restoring sunshine and peace to the spell-bound Narnia and returning the great Lion King Aslan to his throne.
This wondrous tale is faithfully translated to the stage in Theatreworks USA's The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, which the authors adapted from their own full-length musical, Narnia. The longer work, performed in New York and London, was lavishly praised by critics and audiences alike. The New York Times said, "One is irresistibly drawn into the world of Narnia" and The Daily News called it "a deft musical adaptation... the score captures the spirit of the book with great cleverness and charm."
The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe is a condensed version of the full-length musical Narnia, with book by Jules Tasca, music by Thomas Tierney, and lyrics by Ted Drachman. It is based on the book of the same name by C.S. Lewis, which is part of the 7-volume Chronicles of Narnia series. The production is directed by John Henry Davis (TV's "Oz," the film Ordinary Sinner) with choreography by Janet Bogardus and fight direction by John Morgan. The scenery is designed by Beowulf Boritt and the costumes are by Anne-
Marie Wright. Orchestrations are by Dave Hab. This 60-minute musical is recommended for audiences age 6 and up.
For performance tickets and information, call the Luhrs Center Box Office at 717.477.SHOW (7469) or visit the Luhrs Center website at www.luhrscenter.com. A group discount is available for groups of 20 or more.
About Theatreworks USA
Theatreworks USA has a distinguished history of not only providing young audiences with their first taste of the performing arts, but also giving young actors, writers, directors, and designers an early opportunity to work in this field. Under the direction of Barbara Pasternack (Artistic Director) and Ken Arthur (Managing Director), Theatreworks USA is also one of the most honored theatres of its kind. It is the only children's theatre to receive both a Drama Desk and a Lucille Lortel Award. In addition, Theatreworks USA was the recipient of a 2001 Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award, and in May 2000, The Actors Fund of American bestowed its Medal of Honor upon its founders, Jay Harnick and Charles Hull.
About the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center at Shippensburg University
The mission of the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center at Shippensburg University is to support and enhance the University's role in academic and cultural enrichment for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Luhrs Center's 1,500-seat state-of-the-art Grove Theatre is where programs to educate, enlighten and entertain are presented. Benefits of the Center to the region include expanding opportunities to participate in a wide range of cultural programming including full-scale Broadway companies, musical groups, symphonies, dance troupes and internationally known speakers. In addition, it adds options for professional training programs, youth programs and senior citizen programs; attracts regional and national business conferences, professional meetings and planning sessions; and additional visitors to the area which will result in a positive impact on the local and regional economy.
