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Press Releases

02
Nov

Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton Serve as National Ambassadors for 11th Annual Kids’ Night on Broadway Celebration,Raising Awareness for Autism Speaks

www.kidsnightonbroadway.com

(New York, November 2, 2006) Tickets for this year’s Kids’ Night on Broadway, the annual event during which young people ages 6 to 18 can attend a Broadway show for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult, go on sale November 3, 2006. The event, including a Pre-Theater Fan Festival at Madame Tussauds, will take place in New York City on Tuesday, January 30 and Wednesday, January 31, 2007. Kids’ Night events will also occur nationwide throughout the year. This year’s Kids’ Night will also help shine a spotlight on the growing prevalence of autism and the work of Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of this disorder and raising money to fund autism research.

National Ambassadors Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton

Internationally recognized film and stage star Julie Andrews, and daughter Emma Walton Hamilton will serve as National Ambassadors for this year’s Kids’ Night.

Ms. Andrews knows a great deal about kids and theatre, having come from a theatrical family, and starting her theatrical career before she was 10 years old. Ms. Hamilton is a founder of the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, NY, where she is the theatre’s director of education and programming for young audiences. Together they have collaborated on a number of books, including The Great American Mousical, which underscores the important connection between young people and Broadway.

“Emma and I are thrilled to be associated with this wonderful program, which helps to expose young people to the wonderful world of Broadway theatre,” commented Ms. Andrews. “Since its inception, over 200,000 people have participated in Kids’ Night in New York alone, and we look forward to reaching even more families with the message that there is no greater entertainment than Broadway.”

According to a recent League study, sixty-five percent of Broadway theatergoers said that their parents or other adult family members took them to the theatre as a child or teenager. Similarly, having parents or adult family members who attended theatre themselves was also influential on future theatergoers.

“As an educator myself, it is a privilege to help bring this important initiative to even more parents, caregivers and young people, encouraging a lifelong passion for theatre,” added Ms. Hamilton.

Participating Shows

There are 24 shows participating in Kids’ Night, including Altar Boyz, Avenue Q, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago, The Color Purple, Company, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Fantasticks, Grey Gardens, Hairspray, Jay Johnson: The Two and Only!, Les Misérables, The Lion King, The Little Dog Laughed, Mamma Mia!, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Phantom of the Opera, The Producers, Rent, Stomp, Tarzan, Translations, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Kids’ Night on Broadway is the most popular audience development program initiated by The League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc.,” commented Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director, The League of American Theatres & Producers, Inc. “”Since its inception, Kids’ Night has carried the message that Broadway is an open and accessible experience for both kids and adults. In the 2005-2006 season, children and teens accounted for nearly 1.2 million tickets sold in New York alone.”

Ms. St. Martin continued: “This year promises to be one of the most exciting year’s ever for Kids’ Night. With participation from so many remarkable Broadway shows, and involvement from Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton, we know that Kids’ Night will be a grand, exciting celebration of the best of Broadway.”

Kids’ Night Partners With Autism Speaks

This year, Kids’ Night on Broadway, in partnership with Autism Speaks, will strive to increase awareness about autism, the nation's fastest growing developmental disorder. Autism now affects one in every 166 children, including 1 in every 104 boys. The League of American Theatres & Producers will include information about Autism Speaks and its work on printed materials, on its websites, and at the fanfest events at Madame Tussauds. The Broadway community will be donating their talent to special artwork to be auctioned off in the spring, with the proceeds going to Autism Speaks.
“We are honored and excited to be partnering with this year's Kids' Night on Broadway," said Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks. "This is a wonderful chance for young people to see theatre at its best, and an important opportunity for Autism Speaks to bring its message of autism awareness and the need for research to a new audience."

Madame Tussauds Fan Festival

With the purchase of Kids’ Night theatre tickets, families will be offered tons of free or discounted family fun including a Pre-Theater Fan Festival with Broadway performances at Madame Tussauds, held on both January 30 and 31.

The Fan Festival will commence at 3:00 p.m. on January 30, and 4:00 p.m. on January 31, and will afford young people the opportunity to experience how live theatre is created through special activities hosted by the cast and crew of participating shows. Some activities include special theatrical makeup stations, Broadway dance lessons, karaoke, and many other unique theatre activities. Many Broadway stars will also be on hand to sign autographs in Autograph Alley. Fans also get to tour Madame Tussauds for free!

“We are proud to be involved with Kids’ Night and fully support the mission of the program,” said Janine DiGioacchino, General Manager of Madame Tussauds. “The program allows a younger audience to experience the incredible and unique talent showcased on Broadway, and we are looking forward to kicking off the event in true Broadway style – in the heart of Times Square with live performances and fun for all.”

Dinner and Parking Discounts and More

Area restaurants will offer family-friendly dinner discounts and a free entrée for each child accompanied by an adult who purchase a regularly priced entrée. While cast members of participating shows add special fun to the evening with individual post-performance curtain speeches thanking kids for being part of the audience.

At the theatre, all those in attendance will receive a special souvenir Playbill, entirely written by local adolescents who love theatre, provided by The Theatre Development Fund (TDF). Special parking discounts will also be available.

Sponsors

Madame Tussauds with the New York Times will, again sponsor the eleventh annual Kids’ Night on Broadway. Additional support is provided by WNBC-TV, and the Theatre Development Fund (TDF).

For More Information on Kids’ Night Events Nationwide

To purchase tickets, more information or to view the list of discounted restaurants and parking garages, log on to www.kidsnightonbroadway.com or call the Broadway Line (1-888-Broadway). Tickets can also be purchased via Telecharge.com or Ticketmaster (depending on ticket agent), or at the individual theatre boxes.

Kids’ Night on Broadway is also a national program that takes place throughout the winter and spring months when touring Broadway shows come to town. For more information on touring Broadway shows participating in Kids’ Night, visit ww.kidsnightonbroadway.com or call the Broadway Line (1-888-Broadway).

Background on Participants

Julie Andrews is one of the most recognized and beloved figures in the entertainment industry. Her legendary career encompasses the Broadway and London stages, blockbuster Hollywood films, award-winning television shows, multiple album releases and concert tours and the world of children's publishing.

Emma Walton Hamilton is a Co-Founder of the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, NY, now in its fifteenth season. Her role there encompasses bringing theater to young adults on Long Island and in New York City as Director of Bay Street Theatre's Educational Outreach and Young Playwrights Programs, as well as heading up Kidstreet, Bay Street's programming for young audiences.

The two have co-authored fifteen children's books, including the Dumpy The Dump Truck series of picture books, board books and Early Readers, the original fable Simeon's Gift, the medieval novel Dragon: Hound Of Honor and the recently released The Great American Mousical.

About The League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc.

The League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc., created in 1930 is the official trade association for the commercial theatre industry. The League’s 600-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general throughout North America, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry. Each year, League members bring Broadway to almost 30 million people in New York and across the US and Canada.

In addition to the annual Kids’ Night on Broadway celebration, The League has also launched GenerationBroadway.com, an interactive website designed to help parents and educators learn more about the excitement and grandeur of live theatre. Other League audience development programs targeted at young people include the Educator “Apple” awards, recognizing the efforts of schools across the country that promote theatre education, and “Family First Nights,” an initiative that encourages family theatergoing. The League also supports education through grants aimed at developing innovative educational programs relating to the presentation of Broadway shows in New York and on tour.

About Madame Tussauds New York:

Madame Tussauds New York is an interactive "must do" attraction that provides guests with unique opportunities to create memories with some of the world's biggest icons. Recent additions include the interactive Superman experience, where visitors can “fly” and “lift” heavy objects like Superman, and the Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow experience, where guests can get in touch with their inner pirate and search through treasure chests. Other recent wax additions include Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Senator Hillary Clinton. Prominently located in the heart of Times Square, Madame Tussauds New York is open 365 days a year at 10 a.m. For more information, visit www.nycwax.com or call (800) 246-8872.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of the growing autism epidemic and to raising money to fund scientists who are searching for a cure. It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright. Bob Wright is Vice Chairman and Executive Officer, General Electric, and Chairman and CEO, NBC Universal. Autism Speaks and the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) recently combined operations, bringing together two of the leading organizations dedicated to accelerating and funding biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism spectrum disorders; to increasing awareness of the nation’s fastest growing developmental disorder; and to advocating for the needs of affected families. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.

About The New York Times

The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company with 2005 revenues of $3.4 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers, nine network-affiliated television stations, two New York City radio stations and 35 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company’s core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.