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Monday, February 3, 2014

PLEASANT VALLEY PRODUCTIONS TO PRESENT EPIC HISTORICAL MUSICAL, “RAGTIME”

Harlem EnsembleRAGTIME
Score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty
Written by Terrence McNally
Directed by Camille Vecchio-DiLorenzo
Music direction by Ilene Greenbaum
Choreography by Marcel Coleman
Produced by Howie Tilkin

WHEN: February 8-15; Saturday, February 8, at 7 PM, Sunday, February 9, at 2 PM, Thursday, February 13, Friday, February 14, and Saturday, February 15 at 7 PM
WHERE: The Theatre at Roosevelt Middle School, 36 Gilbert Place in West Orange
TICKETS: $20 adults, $18 students/seniors
Group rates available
For tickets and more information, please visit www.PleasantValleyProductions.org or call 1-800-838-3006.

Performances are As part of Black History Month and the NJ 350 celebration, a special educational talkback will follow the February 9th performance discussing the show’s themes and historic elements. The production is

Ragtime is an epic musical that paints a nostalgic and powerful portrait of life in turn of the century America. Based on the 1975 E.L. Doctorow novel,  Ragtime is a modern classic of American musical theatre. Three distinct stories intertwine to depict life in the early 1900’s for three drastically different classes of Americans – the new immigrants from Italy and Eastern Europe, the African-American working class of Harlem and the already established and affluent Anglo-Americans. The memorable score combines the haunting music of the European immigrants with the exciting Ragtime music of the Harlem jazz clubs to result in an award-winning score that delights audiences. (Above: The Harlem Ensemble L to R: Jessica Wigfall, Leonard Mitchell, Marlon Brown, Christina Boateng, Renee Kee, Nia Sorbino, Anthony LaCoste, Vicki Ridley, Lawrence Dandrige, with Kirk Lambert and Noelle Staudt at the piano. Photo Credit: Warren Westura)

Pleasant Valley Productions was formed in 2012 by long-time friends and colleagues, director Camille Vecchio-DiLorenzo, music director Ilene Greenbaum, and producer Howie Tilkin. The company’s mission is to create a professional theatre experience for local area performers, audience members, students and volunteers while providing a broad range of musical theatre works with the highest possible production value. After presenting their inaugural production, the critically acclaimed Songs for a New World in March 2012, they presented the family favorite Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat this past February. They have continued to grow their company’s presence in the community by offering free concerts at the West Orange Public Library as well as an after-school musical theatre enrichment program at Roosevelt Middle School. In addition to the upcoming production of Spelling Bee, PVP plans to continue to expand its arts education program and free concert series.