Book and Lyrics by Mark St. Germain : Music and Lyrics by Randy Courts

A holiday musical for all ages….

VITAL THEATRE COMPANY is pleased to present THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI, directed by Stephen Sunderlin, with musical direction by Marcus Baker. This holiday musical begins previews Thursday, December 4th @ 7:00 p.m., opening Saturday, December 6th @ 7:00 p.m. The production runs Wednesdays through Sundays at 7:00 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m through Saturday, December 20th. All tickets are $15.00 or $10.00 with current student ID. TDF Accepted. For reservations, please log onto www.vitaltheatre.org or call (212) 592-0129. Vital Theatre Company is located at 432 West 42nd Street, 2nd Floor, between 9th and 10th Avenues on Theater Row.

THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI is a holiday love story that reminds us of the true reason for the season. It is Christmas in New York, but for two young lovers, Jim and Della, the prospects are bleak. Both are out of work and penniless but, as those familiar with the famous O. Henry story are aware, their dilemma is solved when Jim and Della each part with their most precious possessions in order to buy presents for each other. Their selfless acts of love create an aura of warmth for this one magical moment in an otherwise cold winter in New York City. Throughout their love story, there are a variety of city folk moving ahead with their holiday business, like the cheerful bum, Soapy, who wants only to get arrested so he can spend the night in a cozy cell. Their interwoven stories are gracefully enhanced by tuneful songs and brought together by a newsboy-named Willy, who adds his own melodious contribution and informative observations to the delightful proceedings.

Featured in the cast are MICHELLE MILLER, BEN RAUCH, MICHELLE ROSEN, ETHAN J. DUFF, REN CASEY and BILL BLECHINGBERG. The Scenic Designer is JEFF HINCHEE, the lighting designer is JOSH BRADFORD and the Costume Designer is AARON P. MASTIN. PAIGE VAN DEN BURG is the Stage Manager.

VITAL THEATRE COMPANY is a three-time winner of the Off-Off Broadway Review's AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE for the main stage productions of FUNNY (’03) by Shawn Hirabayashi, SHAKING THE MESS OUTTA MISERY by Shay Youngblood (’00) and the 2001 – 2002 Children’s Theatre Season. VITAL THEATRE COMPANY was also named 2002 THEATRE COMPANY OF THE YEAR by the New York Theatre Experience. To date, twelve plays that first premiered in Vital Theatre Company’s VITAL SIGNS New Works Festival have gone on to be published. Vital Theatre Company was recently commissioned by The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation to create and produce “America is My Home: The Immigrant Journey to America” which ran on Ellis Island for seven months. For more information on Vital Theatre Company, please visit www.vitaltheatre.org.

THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI will play Wednesdays through Sundays at 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., December 4 – December 20th.