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 2018–2019 CITIZENS BANK CHILDREN’S THEATER SERIES
JUMPS FROM PAGE TO STAGE, TEACHING IMPORTANT LESSONS  

Pittsburgh, PA–The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is pleased to announce the 49th season of the Citizens Bank Children’s Theater Series for 2018 and 2019. This season’s five titles encourage children with engaging and relevant learning opportunities through the arts. In November, the season begins with Aga-Boom, the innovative and messy clowns. The other four titles are based on books that feature stories of adventure, friendship, and self-confidence, all adapted for the stage in special ways that integrate multiple art forms and technology.

“We want our programming to reflect what children are learning and experiencing every day, from STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) subjects in school to valuable lessons about self-respect, self-love, kindness, and friendship,” says Pam Komar, Director of Theater, Music, and Youth Programming at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “Stories adapted from books this season – Your Alien, Flight School the Musical, Rosie Revere, Engineer, and Emily Brown and the Thing – spark curiosity and excitement for these important areas.”

Interviews with creative teams/talent and media tickets for reviewers are available upon request.

2018–2019 CITIZENS BANK CHILDREN’S THEATER SERIES PROGRAMMING  

Aga-Boom– Clown Action Productions and Dimitri Bogatirev jump headfirst into a chain reaction of absolute silliness and a blizzard of laughter with three former stars of the Moscow Circus. This lovable trio extracts endless delight from everyday cleaning supplies, a towering punch-away paper wall and some brave audience members. Rooted in theatrical clowning, AGA-BOOM brings together the best traditions of circus arts, physical comedy and European avant-garde. Get ready for a live-action cartoon, exploding with sophisticated slapstick, outlandish chases and the most chaotic finale ever. Sure to inspire many a belly laugh for both young and not so young. Suitable for all ages.
Byham Theater
November 9–10, 2018

Your Alien– One day, you’ll be looking out your window when something wonderful comes your way… and you will want to keep him. Arts Power from the United States presents Your Alien, touching down with a stranded alien who strikes up a fabulous friendship with the boy who finds him. They go to school and have loads of fun together, but as evening approaches, the alien grows homesick. Will the boy be able to figure out how to help his new friend? This funny and uplifting new musical shows how the power of true friendship can last a lifetime. Based on the book by Tammy Sauer. Suitable for children and adults ages 3+.
Byham Theater, BUTLER REGION (Seneca Valley Intermediate High School), EAST REGION (Greensburg-Salem High School), NORTH REGION (Marshall Middle School), WEST REGION (Cornell High School), SOUTH REGION (Mellon Middle School)
January 6–14, 2019

Flight School the Musical–It’s the first day of Flight School, where they teach birds to fly. Penguin has the soul of an eagle and is ready to live on the wind, but he wasn’t built to soar, as the other birds constantly remind him. Penguin’s spirit won’t be grounded. With some friends of a feather, and a little help on the technical bits, Penguin follows his dream to flip, flap, and fly! Vital Theatre Company from the United States presents this show, based on the book from best-selling author Lita Judge. Suitable for children and adults ages 3+. 

Byham Theater, BUTLER REGION (Seneca Valley Senior High School), EAST REGION (Greensburg-Salem High School), NORTH REGION (Marshall Middle School), WEST REGION (Cornell High School), SOUTH REGION (Mellon Middle School)
February 17–24, 2019

Rosie Revere, Engineer–Ms. Greer's classroom includes three inquisitive out-of-the-box thinkers. Rosie Revere has big dreams, Iggy Peck has a relentless passion for architecture, and Ada Twist's curiosity can drive her teacher crazy. Theatreworks USA presents a fun, new musical based on the books Rosie Revere, Engineer, Iggy Peck, Architect, and Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, which spotlights the STEM curriculum (focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math). Recommended for children and adults ages 4+.

Byham Theater, BUTLER REGION (Seneca Valley Intermediate High School), EAST REGION (Greensburg-Salem High School), NORTH REGION (Marshall Middle School), WEST REGION (Cornell High School), SOUTH REGION (Mellon Middle School)
March 31–April 7, 2019

Emily Brown and the Thing–Something monstrous is keeping Emily Brown awake...One evening, Emily Brown and her old grey rabbit Stanley hear a Thing crying outside their window. He just can’t get to sleep. Emily Brown and Stanley set off on incredible adventures to the Dark and Scary Wood, the Whirling Wastes, and beyond to find the Thing’s cuddly, his bedtime milk, and his medicine…but nothing seems to help him settle. What’s really troubling the Thing, and will anyone ever get to sleep? Tall Stories from the UK is about to find out in this magical musical based on the much-loved book by Cressida Cowell (author of How to Train your Dragon) and Neal Layton. Recommended for children and adults ages 3+.
Part of the 2019 EQT Children’s Theater Festival.
Byham Theater
May 16–19, 2019

Tickets
Single tickets for the 2018-2019 Citizens Bank Children’s Theater Series go on sale Friday, August 17. Five-show season tickets are available for $50. Flex tickets packages of six are also available for $66. These six flex tickets can be redeemed for any performance available in the 2018-2019 Citizens Bank Children’s Theater Series, EQT Bridge Theater Series, and EQT Children’s Theater Festival. Accessible services are available.

To purchase tickets, call (412) 456-6666, visit TrustArts.org/Kids, or visit in person at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue. For subscription information, call (412) 456-1390. Groups of 10+ call (412) 471-6930.

For older children and teens (over the age of seven), the EQT Bridge Theater Series is a great way to continue and nurture a love of theater, through adventurous and avant-garde programming. Visit TrustArts.org/Bridge for more information.

Citizens Bank Children’s Theater Series
The Citizens Bank Children’s Theater Series presents award-winning, professional theater for young audiences ages 3 and up. With silly jokes, favorite story book characters, jaw-dropping acrobatics, whimsical creatures, and catchy songs, kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy this series full of fun for the entire family! It is easy for you to incorporate theater into your family’s schedule as most shows have performances Downtown and travel around the region for a performance in your town. Visit TrustArts.org/Kids for more

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has overseen one of Pittsburgh’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts-lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is the cultural and economic revitalization of a 14-block arts and entertainment/residential neighborhood called the Cultural District. The District is one of the country’s largest land masses “curated” by a single nonprofit arts organization. A major catalytic force in the city, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a unique model of how public-private partnerships can reinvent a city with authenticity, innovation, and creativity.  Using the arts as an economic catalyst, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has holistically created a world-renowned Cultural District that is revitalizing the city, improving the regional economy and enhancing Pittsburgh’s quality of life. Thanks to the support of foundations, corporations, government agencies and thousands of private citizens, the Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts.

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