January 5th through February 3rd

VITAL CHILDREN’S THEATRE COMPANY kicks off the new year with its production of “The Last of the Dragons,” a contemporary adaptation of the short story by E. Nesbit directed by Bruce Merrill. Book and lyrics for the production are by Kristin Walter. Tracie Stanfield is the choreographer. Performances run Saturdays January 5th through February 3rd at 1:00pm and Sundays at 11:00am and 1:00pm. Vital Theatre Company is located at 432 West 42nd Street, 3rd Floor, between 9th and 10th Avenues.

Princes are supposed to save princesses from Dragons, but what if neither the Princess nor the Dragon wants to cooperate? Based on the short story by E. Nesbit, THE LAST OF THE DRAGONS tells the story of a Princess and Dragon, both determined to break from tradition, but for very different reasons.

As Director of Vital Children's Theatre, Bruce Merrill has helmed productions of Rikki Tikki Tavi, Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, The Selfish Giant, Aesop's Fables, The Swineherd and most recently The Snowmaiden for Vital. Other New York directing credits include: Musical Comedy Murders of 1940; January 1, 1973; before the war; and Betrayals.

Featured in the cast are Maria Cabezas as the Princess, Tracy Gaillard as the Dragon, Darren Macri as the Prince, James Hunt as the King, with supporting roles from Ben Hindell as the Valet and Claire McClanahan as the Nurse.

VITAL CHILDREN’S THEATRE COMPANY has received high acclaim from audiences as well as critics, for being “a wonderful place for parents to introduce their kids to the glories of live theatre, done well and at modest prices.” Now in its third year, the company is dedicated to producing entertaining and educational theatre for young audiences. To date, the company has presented ten original productions for children, including The Selfish Giant, Aesop’s Fables, and The Snowmaiden. The Last of the Dragons is the third production of the 2001/2002 season which will also include The Ransom of Red Chief and Ogres, Trolls & Dragonwings.