FUN, FAMILY-FOCUSED PERFORMANCES AT THE ARSHT CENTER

101 DalmatiansHot Peas N ButterMarionetas EsquinaSTEP AFRIKA!

ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INVITES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO JOIN IN ON FUN, FAMILY-FOCUSED PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE 2009-2010 SEASON
 
Families will enjoy a diverse variety of child-friendly performances, including the world-renowned 101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL and
Mexico’s beloved MARIONETAS DE LA ESQUINA!
  
MIAMI, FL October 8, 2009 – This fall, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is the hottest place for children to be and be seen!  A multitude of family-friendly events, free fun festivities and lively performances await South Florida families during the 2009-2010 season, including the ever-popular guaranteed good time, FAMILY FEST; the highly-anticipated canine caper 101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL, and Mexico’s well-known and inspiring puppet performance MARIONETAS DE LA ESQUINA. Much to the merriment of South Florida children, the exciting entertainment launches in October 2009 and runs through May 2010!
 
“In keeping with our tradition of serving our South Florida community and their families, we’re extremely proud of our new season’s exciting and diverse kid-centered performances,” said M. John Richard, president and CEO of the Adrienne Arsht Center. “Young people celebrate new experiences in live theater differently from adults. Their joy is infectious, and often radiates beyond the performances.”
 
The upcoming family-friendly performances include:

MARIONETAS DE LA ESQUINA
October 10, 2009

Carnival Studio Theater (in the Ziff Ballet Opera House)
Direct from Mexico, this beloved performance troupe launches our season with its Miami debut. Uniquely blending puppetry and storytelling, “A Moon Between Two Houses” tells the tale of two neighbors who become friends through their shared fear of the dark. This inspiring puppet show, which has two performances in English and one in Spanish, demonstrates that, like most things in life, our fears are better shared with friends than faced alone. Recommended for children ages 3 to 8 years old.
 
Tickets for Marionetas De La Esquina are $15 and can be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office at (305) 949-6722 or online at www.arshtcenter.org
  
SING, MIAMI! ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER SINGS WITH MIAMI CHILDREN’S CHORUS
October 17, 2009

Peacock Foundation Studio (in the Ziff Ballet Opera House)
Join the youth of Miami Children’s Chorus for a fun, free hour of singing your favorite popular, folk and traditional songs – no experience necessary. Led by Music Director Timothy A. Sharp, families, seniors, and kids of all ages will have a great time exercising their vocal chords and making new friends.
This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, call the Adrienne Arsht Center box office at (305) 949-6722 or online at www.arshtcenter.org
 
 FAMILY FEST
Multiple Dates
Parker and Vann Thomson Plaza for the Arts
FAMILY FEST is a free series that makes the performing arts attractive and accessible to South Florida’s families. This entertaining series is fully interactive and features learning opportunities including hands-on activities, demonstrations, and mini-workshops that highlight music, dance and theater. In addition, families enjoy face painting, make-and-take crafts, and performances on the outdoor stage, every FAMILY FEST in the 2009-2010 season will conclude with a FREE performance designed especially for family audiences on one of the Center’s indoor stages.
 
November 7, 2009
In addition to the outdoor activities, families are invited to Around The World Through Music – an introduction to the orchestra for kids, a free performance inside the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall. event.  Under the direction of conductor James Judd, the Miami Music Project brings forth a musical trip around the world starring area professionals and students from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ High School Honors Orchestra.
 
January 9, 2010
For this installment of FAMILY FEST, the Center has partnered with Miami City Ballet School to offer families an opportunity to enjoy the beloved fairytale ballet Cinderella live on the stage of the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House! 
 
March 6, 2010
Following the array of outdoor activities, Step Afrika!, the only professional dance company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping brings powerful percussion, and rhythmic dance to the Knight Concert Hall in this vibrant display of music and movement.
 
May 8, 2010
Rock Odyssey is an innovative spin on the Homer classic that chronicles the epic journey in an accessible and theatrical rock opera style. The professional cast, elaborate costuming, and beautiful sets create a memorable theatrical experience for children and adults alike.
FAMILY FEST is free and open to the public.
FREE tickets for the indoor performances can be reserved online or by phone.  Tickets will also be available on performance days on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
For additional information, call the Adrienne Arsht Center box office at (305) 949-6722 or online at www.arshtcenter.org
  
HOT PEAS ‘N BUTTER
November 22, 2009
Carnival Studio Theater (in the Ziff Ballet Opera House)

 
HOT PEAS ‘N BUTTER is a unique children’s musical group that incorporates elements of traditional Latin music, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, jazz, folk, and rock.  With an interactive, invigorating approach to performance, HOT PEAS ‘N BUTTER has developed a distinct way of inspiring creativity in kids and adults alike.  This ensemble has been awarded the 2006 and the 2008 “Parent’s Choice Award,” has produced hit videos “Number 1” and “Deep Down” on Nickelodeon and Noggin, have been featured on XM kids and Sirius Satellite Radio, and their single, “Different Spokes for Different Folks” held the number 1 spot for several weeks on Sirius Kids. HOT PEAS ‘N BUTTER is sure to make kids dance and sing along during this entertaining event!
 
Tickets for HOT PEAS ‘N BUTTER are $15 and can be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office at (305) 949-6722 or online at www.arshtcenter.org
  
101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL
December 30, 2009 – January 3, 2010
Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House

101 DALMATIANS is an experience for the entire family about what it means to be a family, canine and courageous. More than a simple story about good versus bad, the family bands together to overcome every hurdle and hardship in the most difficult times. Led by the creative team of Jerry Zaks (La Cage Aux Folles, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Everybody Loves Raymond), B.T. McNicholl (Spamalot, Billy Elliot, Cabaret) and Dennis DeYoung (founding member of the rock group Styx, The Hunchback of Notre Dame), 101 DALMATIANS will transport audiences to a slightly topsy-turvy, exciting, and altogether fantastic reality that gives grand license for song, dance and spectacle in a one-of-a-kind show that will leave everyone cheering.
 
Season tickets for the Broadway Across America – Miami 2009-20010 five-show package range from $125.00 – $477.00. Individual tickets for 101 DALMATIANS range from $25 – $73 and will go on sale soon.  For information, contact the Adrienne Arsht Center box office at (305) 949-6722 or online at www.arshtcenter.org. 
 
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, and Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council. Education & Outreach is funded in part by The Children’s Trust. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from private contributions to the Adrienne Arsht Center Foundation, Inc., through its Visionary Society membership program and its Encore Circle major gifts program; City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency; American Express Company; Arison Arts Foundation; Dade Community Foundation; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council; the National Endowment for the Arts, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
 
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About the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County
The Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is Miami-Dade County’s largest ever public/private-sector partnership, comprised of an $150 million private capital campaign conducted by the Performing Arts Center Foundation and public funding drawn primarily from the County’s Convention Development Tax revenues, as well as the City of Miami Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency. Greatly enhancing the artistic and educational opportunities in South Florida, the Adrienne Arsht Center will have significant and long-term economic benefits for the city and the region.
 
The Adrienne Arsht Center, designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, includes the 2,400-seat Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House, the 2,200-seat John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall, a 200-seat black box Carnival Studio Theater, the Peacock Education Center, a restored Carnival Art Deco Tower, and the Parker and Vann Thomson Plaza for the Arts, which unites the Center buildings across Biscayne Boulevard, providing a magnificent setting for outdoor entertainment and informal gatherings. The key members of the design team include theater planning and design consultant Joshua Dachs of Fisher Dachs Associates, Inc. and acoustician Russell Johnson of ARTEC, Inc., both of whom worked on the project since its inception.
 
The Adrienne Arsht Center is a Miami venue not only for its three resident companies (Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet, and New World Symphony), but also for many smaller South Florida arts organizations that will perform in its theaters on a regular basis, as well as for the finest popular and classical performances from around the world. With state-of-the-art performance facilities in Miami for the first time, the Adrienne Arsht Center offers South Florida audiences the best and most diverse theater, music, and dance—with a dedication to entertain, challenge, and educate all segments of the community. For more information, visit www.arshtcenter.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Suzette Espinosa
786.468.2221
sespinosa@arshtcenter.org 
Daisy Cabrera
786.468.2228
dcabrera@arshtcenter.org

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