Riverdale Rising Stars Junior and See The Wish/Onstage
present
THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
IT’S EASY!
AN ANTI-BULLYING MUSICAL
Four performances only:
January 31 – February 8, 2015
Riverdale Rising Stars Junior and See The Wish join forces to present the world premiere of IT’S EASY!, an inspirational new musical by January Akselrad and Jennifer Jo Young. This new musical about doing the right thing and standing up against bullies will be performed for four performances only:
PERFORMANCE DATES:
Saturday, January 31 at 7pm
Sunday, February 1 at 4pm
Saturday, February 7 at 7pm
Sunday, February 8 at 4pm
Performances will be held at the Riverdale YM-YWHA, located at 5625 Arlington Avenue (just off of Riverdale Avenue and West 256th Street), in Riverdale, Bronx, NY.
Advance tickets are $12 (students/seniors) and $20 (adults) and may be purchased by calling Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838.3006 or online at www.riverdaley.org/itseasy. Day-of-show tickets may be purchased at the door prior to showtime for $14 (students and seniors) and $22 (adults).
ABOUT THE SHOW
The future is always changing. Fifth grader Jed Travis only wants to know if it will get better. Bullies make his life miserable at his school where bystanders stay quiet and victims are many.
With help from a futuristic cell phone app, a wise custodian shows Jed and one unwitting bully how, in every moment, what they say and do can change the course of their futures and the lives of others. Is it too late to change the heartbreaking fate of another bullied classmate?
Through 18 catchy musical numbers and a plot that travels into the future and back, this brand new anti-bullying musical inspires kids to make the choice to be a friend and speak up, reach out or go find help – IT’S EASY!
“January Akselrad and I wrote and are producing IT’S EASY! to raise anti-bullying awareness,” says See The Wish co-founder Jennifer Jo Young. “We want victims of bullying to know that life will get better and that just because a bully says a bad thing about them, it doesn’t mean it’s true. We (and our cast of 30 impassioned actors) hope to remind everyone in the audience that what they do or say every minute can have consequences, good and bad, in their future and the lives of others.”
IT’S EASY! features a cast of 30 children ages 9 to 13 from the Riverdale Rising Stars Junior program and is a collaboration between the Riverdale Rising Stars Junior and the production company of See The Wish/Onstage. The cast performed on the original cast album of the show, which will be for sale in the lobby during performances, and is also available at www.seethewish.com.
The show’s music and lyrics are by the award-winning composer January M. Akselrad, with a book by Akselrad and award-winning children’s book author Jennifer Jo Young. IT’S EASY! is also directed by Akselrad, with choreography by Jake Deibert. The design team includes Tony Wan (Scenery), David Pentz (lighting) and Denise Eberly (sound).
Though IT’S EASY! marks the first collaboration between See The Wish/Onstage and Riverdale Rising Stars Junior, See The Wish/Onstage has previously performed on the Rising Stars home stage at the Riverdale YM-YWHA with the premieres of Jenny’s Penny in 2009 and Matzah & Miracles in 2012.
ABOUT RIVERDALE RISING STARS
Riverdale Rising Stars was created to provide the teens of the Riverdale community and beyond a professional repertory company experience. Since its inception 14 years ago, the organization has expanded its programming to include Rising Stars Jr., Riverdale Repertory Company, and the Riverdale Performing Arts Conservatory (RPAC), an educational program for adults and children. Of greatest importance is the way that all build self-esteem, learn enormous respect for others, develop camaraderie and create lifelong friendships. Together, these award-winning companies provide a world of expression, passion and creativity for all ages.
In addition to IT’S EASY!, additional upcoming shows include THE SOUND OF MUSIC (with performers of all ages); and BROADWAY GALA in March 2015. Auditions for THE LARAMIE PROJECT (adult performers), URINETOWN (teen performers), and ANNIE (child performers) will be held later this winter/spring. Visit www.riverdalerisingstars.com for more information to be announced soon.
ABOUT SEE THE WISH
January Akselrad and Jennifer Young co-founded See The Wish in 2009 to educate and inspire in entertaining ways using theater, music, and literature. See The Wish creates educational books and music, produce full-length musicals through their theatrical entity, See The WIsh /Onstage, give motivational school presentations on anti-bullying and “how to make wishes come true” and build their line of Dramaterials™ classroom plays & musicals that teach curriculum and character. They are the proud winners of Parents’ Choice, Mom’s Choice and Benjamin Franklin Gold Awards.
See The Wish believes that all children have the power to realize their potential and achieve their dreams.
