New England Entertainment Digest - Online
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Nickelodeon's The Backyardigans LIVE! Tale of the Mighty Knights Comes to Providence

PROVIDENCE, RI: Nickelodeon and Broadway Across America announce a brand-new, national touring production of THE BACKYARDIGANS LIVE! TALE OF THE MIGHTY KNIGHTS. The Backyardigans Live! will take the Providence Performing Arts Center stage June 20 - 21, 2008 for four performances. Tickets go on sale April 28 at 10A and may be purchased in person at the PPAC Box Office, online at www.ppacri.org, or by calling (401) 421-ARTS.

"We're excited about our latest live theatrical endeavor for families," said Stuart Rosenstein, Senior Vice President, Resorts and Theatricals, Nickelodeon Recreation. "The Backyardigans has proven to be a huge hit with Nickelodeon families, and based on the enormous success of the Dora and Diego Live shows, we're confident The Backyardigans Live! will have the same fantastic response from kids and parents across the country."

"We are incredibly proud to be partnering again with Nickelodeon on this new tour of The Backyardigans Live," said Jennifer Costello, Senior Vice President Theatrical - Production, Broadway Across America. "Combining a top-notch creative team with one of the highest-rated shows on children's programming, we are excited about producing another smash-hit with this production."

The Backyardigans Live! Tale of the Mighty Knights, based on the primetime Nickelodeon special which premiered January 14, 2008, follows Nickelodeon's backyard friends, Uniqua and Tyrone, as they become Knights and embark on a quest to protect King Pablo's unpredictable egg. Along the way, Grabbing Goblin Austin and Flighty Fairy Tasha join the medieval mayhem as the runaway egg hatches feet and makes an unexpected dash all the way up to Dragon Mountain. The Backyardigans will need the audience's help to face a mighty dragon and return the egg to the king. The Backyardigans Live! will have the entire family singing, dancing and laughing along to songs of courage, friendship, and the power of imagination.

The Backyardigans Live! includes some of the same creative team that produces The Backyardigans for Nick Jr. television, including Emmy-nominated writer Adam Peltzman and choreographer Beth Bogush. Drama Desk Award-nominated director, Lou Jacob, has also signed on to direct the production.

On Tuesday, January 22, Nickelodeon and Sony BMG released The Backyardigans: Born to Play CD nationwide. The third CD from the hit series features 22 new tracks, with six songs from "Tale of the Mighty Knights" including Adam Pascal performing the Zepellinesque rock-opera ballad "Not an Egg." The CD is also be available digitally on iTunes, with a special deluxe-edition that includes four bonus exclusive tracks and a digital folder. Additionally, The Backyardigans Tale of the Mighty Knights one-hour television movie is available on DVD at retailers nationwide.

Since its debut on Nickelodeon's preschool weekday lineup, The Backyardigans has become the number-two-rated preschool show on all of commercial TV among the target audience of preschoolers*.

Nickelodeon and Broadway Across America's most recent project, Go, Diego, Go Live! The Great Jaguar Rescue has sold more than 600,000 tickets and has set the bar for touring family shows as the Top Grossing Touring Family Show at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Performance times for THE BACKYARDIGANS LIVE! Tale of the Mighty Knights, playing June 20 - 21, 2008, are as follows: Friday at 7P and Saturday at 11A, 2P & 5P. Tickets are $35, $28, $19, and $13 and will go on sale Monday, April 28 at 10A.

Tickets for all shows can be purchased at PPAC's Box Office window and by calling (401) 421-ARTS from 10A - 6P Monday through Friday and noon - 5P on Saturdays; or visit ppacri.org to purchase tickets any time. Discounted admission is available for groups of 10 or more; for more information, email groups@ppacri.org or call (401) 574-3162. Log on to ppacri.org for more information on the PPAC's 2007/2008 30th Anniversary Season and the recently-announced 2008/2009 Season.