03.10.11
NEW BRITAIN YOUTH THEATER “PIG-STRAVAGANZA”
NEW BRITAIN YOUTH THEATER “PIG-STRAVAGANZA” TO PROMOTE
“BABE, THE SHEEP-PIG” AND CELEBRATE THEATER’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY
New Britain, CT – In March 2010, New Britain Youth Theater incorporated as Connecticut’s newest nonprofit theater focused on serving children and young adults. One year later, NBYT has already reached over 400 children and teens in programs at New Britain schools, at Trinity-on-Main Performance Center, and in locations through Greater New Britain. Nearly 400 people attended NBYT’s first production in December, A Children’s Christmas Carol, and over forty young actors auditioned for the spring play, Babe, the Sheep-Pig, which will be presented at Trinity-on-Main from April 29 through May 1.
To celebrate a first successful year, to promote Babe, the Sheep-Pig, and to raise funds for further programming, NBYT is holding a Pig-stravaganza Art Show & Auction. According to NBYT Executive Producing Director Darren Farrington, “The Pig-stravaganza is a fundraiser designed to involve the whole community. Local artists and designers are painting and decorating piggy banks. The pigs will be displayed in the Downtown Art Gallery at the Visitor’s Center and at businesses throughout New Britain that sponsor the event. Children in some of our programs are painting piggy banks to display too. Many of the piggy banks will be auctioned off at an event between performances on April 30. We’re even looking to get celebrity autographs on some pigs and have collected a few already.”
Rehearsals for Babe, the Sheep-Pig have already begun with NBYT Executive Artistic Director David Sousa. A cast of thirty-eight actors ranging in age from 7 through 16 play farmers and villagers, sheep, ducks, dogs and puppies, other farm animals, and the famous pig Babe. Roughly half the cast comes from New Britain and the other half come from towns throughout central Connecticut. The play is based on the book The Sheep-Pig, which also inspired the 1996 film Babe. Tickets for the production are on sale by calling Trinity-on-Main at 860-229-2072. Tickets may also be purchased online through websites for New Britain Youth Theater (www.nbyt.org) and Trinity-on-Main (www.trinityonmain.org).
Businesses or organizations that would like to sponsor the Pig-stravaganza Art Show & Auction are invited to contact Farrington at 860-515-8115. Business sponsorship opportunities for this event begin at just $20. “Individuals are always welcome as sponsors or donors as well,” said Farrington.
For more information about New Britain Youth Theater, please visit the company’s website at www.nbyt.org
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About New Britain Youth Theater
New Britain Youth Theater provides programming to the Consolidated School District of New Britain, produces a season of performances by and for children and young adults, schedules classes and workshops, and offers summer and vacation programs. NBYT is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and young adults by encouraging creative thinking, fostering self-confidence and self-esteem, and developing general life skills through involvement in low-cost programs in the performing arts. NBTY operates at Trinity-on-Main Performance Center in downtown New Britain as a home for administration and select performances and educational programs.
