Play Based on Children’s Books Wins First Place at New Play Festival
Albert Whitman & Company (Park Ridge, IL) is pleased to announce that Princess K.I.M. The Musical, a play written by children’s book author-illustrator Maryann Cocca-Leffler won first place in the National Ronald M. Ruble New Play Festival at the Caryl Crane Children’s Theater in Huron, Ohio.
Princess K.I.M. The Musical (www.princesskimthemusical.com)is based on the children’s books, Princess K.I.M. and the Lie that Grew and Princess Kim and Too Much Truth, both written and illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler and published by Albert Whitman & Company.
On April 28 & 29, 2012, Caryl Crane Children’s Theatre and BGSU Firelands (www.firelands.bgsu.edu/arts/ccct/) hosted the 2012 Ronald M. Ruble New Play Festival. Showcasing five never-before-seen works, the festival is the culmination of a nationwide search for the finest new works in children’s and youth theatre. This year’s festival received one hundred seventy-eight submissions and the five finalists were presented as staged readings during the festival. A panel of 12 judges, 46 student participants, and nearly 400 members of the community chose the winner. The Princess K.I.M. The Musical writing team was awarded the $500 prize and a full production in 2013.
The Princess K.I.M. creative team consists of Maryann Cocca-Leffler (Creator, Playwright); Toby Tarnow (Co-adapter); Andrew Cass (Composer Lyricist); and Premik Russell-Tubbs (Composer-Arranger).
Princess K.I.M. The Musicalwill return to the Caryl Crane Children’s Theater in Ohio in a fully staged production in the Spring 2013. A full production will also be held at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts in Milford, NH on Oct 3-6, 2013.
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About Albert Whitman & Company
Albert Whitman & Company has been publishing children’s books since 1919. Best known for the classic series The Boxcar Children® Mysteries, its highly praised picture books, novels, and nonfiction titles succeed in delighting and reaching out to children and teens of all backgrounds and experiences. Albert Whitman’s special interest titles address subjects such as disease, bullying, and disabilities. All Albert Whitman books treat their readers in a caring and respectful manner, helping them to grow intellectually and emotionally.
About Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Maryann Cocca-Leffler (www.maryanncoccaleffler.com) has written and illustrated over 50 books for children and has worked with most major publishers. She holds a BFA in Illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art. A Boston native, Maryann lives in New Hampshire with her family.
