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GRUFF!

AGES
2-7

GRUFF THE MUSICAL

  • Book by Ora Fruchter and Christopher Scheer
  • Lyrics by Ora Fruchter
  • Music by Toby Singer
  • Directed by Ora Fruchter
  • Choreography by Allison Frasca and Hollybeth Gourlay
  • Video Projections Jacob Graham
  • Scenic Designer Hannah Cook
  • Assistant to Scenic Designer Rebecca Key
  • Goat Costume Designer Lex Gurst
  • Projection Background Artist Asher Rogers

ABOUT THE SHOW

Gruff! is an interactive, family-friendly reinvention of The Three Billy Goats Gruff that calls audiences to action in the fight against climate change.

Gruff! takes place in a world that goats have transformed into a toxic junkyard. A young goat named Gruf discovers the magically hidden Troll Valley - the only surviving oasis of natural plant and animal life left on Earth. Gruf eagerly tries to convince her fellow goats to join her on a quest to make the world green again, but her elders are bent on drilling for fuel in Troll Valley. The fate of the world hangs in the balance!

PHOTOS

CAST

Emily Marsh (Gruf) is an actor, singer and puppeteer in NYC. Emily performed all over the midwest with Madcap Puppets, a Cincinnati based puppet company, and in the DC area with KP Educational Theatre. In NYC Emily has performed at La MaMa Theatre in The God Projekt, Tuffy the Tiger with Brooklyn Puppetry Arts, and is currently a puppeteer with the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre. Emily is excited to be performing with Doppelskope. www.emilykmarsh.com

Allison Frasca (Grif / Danderlion / Co-Choreographer) is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She has acted in many plays, musicals, and comedy shows at the People's Improv Theater. She is also an actor and writer for film. She loves her family very much and thanks them daily for their support! www.afrasca.com

Dominic Russo (Clancy/Moss) Excited to make my Vital debut! Also excited to wear jorts again! Stage: Gruff! (Clancy, The PIT), Maybe Never Fell (Gunther Holt, Axial Theatre), SPAM (The Operator, Jack) Andronicus! (Chiron and Demetrius, Bank Theatre) and Two Gentlemen of Verona (Launce, Shakespeare in the Burg). TV: Gotham. Thank you to Ora, Chris, Toby, Alaina, and to all the people who offered me places to sleep when I needed it. #WhatIsGrass?

Rowan Magee (Frack) is a puppeteer, teaching artist and theater maker from Troy, NY. He has performed across the US, in Europe, Asia and Africa with Robin Frohardt, Phantom Limb Company and Dan Hurlin. He is a co-curator for the Object Movement Festival at the West Park Presbyterian Church (https://www.centeratwestpark.org/). When Rowan was six years old, his parents brought him to play with a neighbor's goat. The young goat attempted to play by jumping and head-butting, which terrified poor Rowan to tears. He holds a special deference for goats, to this day.

Jacob Graham (Aquifer / Frick / Video Projections) is a puppeteer, artist, and actor from Brooklyn NY. Graham performs with the Up In Arms puppet troupe presenting anti-bullying puppet shows at elementary schools in the tri-state area as well as touring nationally with his band, Sound of Ceres, as a laser light artist. He's currently developing his own puppet series and time travel project called The Creatures of Yes. creaturesofyes.com

Ashley Nease (Mimir/Mavis) is thrilled to be working with the brilliant artists at Doppelskope and Vital, thank you for being with us! Ashley's work as an actor, vocalist and producer has been seen on NYC stages including the New York Theatre Workshop, The Field, and Dixon Place.Some of her favorite stage credits include: Grace in David Budbill's Judevine, Rosalind in Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Firs in The Cherry Orchard, Nurse in Tantalus, Miss Watts in The Women, and the Friar in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. www.ashleynease.com

CREATIVES

Ora Fruchter (Co-Writer / Director / Lyricist / Puppet Designer) directs and designs the puppets for Doppelskope's family shows. Her puppeteer credits include HERE Arts Center, La MaMa and St. Ann’s Warehouse. She is the creator of Yellow Sneaker Puppets and teaches the Puppetry, Clown and Devising class at Muhlenberg College. Love and gratitude to Bradford and Gideon - you make this all possible. www.orafruchter.com

Christopher Scheer (Co-Writer / Assistant Director) is an actor, puppeteer, writer, clown, magician and acrobat. His NYC credits include Theater for the New City, La MaMa, Dixon Place and The Tank. Chris is also a resident performer at Lost Nation Theater and Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre. His notable puppetry credits include X-Tink-Shun (a co-production of The Jim Henson Company and Philadelphia Zoo) and Banksy’s Sirens of the Lambs. www.scheerbrilliance.com

Toby Singer (Composer / Musical Director / Sound Designer) is a composer and playwright. Outside of The Grilogy, recent compositional work includes Debate Team (which debuted at the 2016 Fort Worth Fringe Festival); Wicked Frozen (w/ Zoe Farmingdale, a Time Out New York critic's pick in 2014), and South by South Death (w/ Jared Saltiel, debuted at National Sawdust in 2016). Toby was trained at the University of Michigan School of Music. www.tobysinger.com

ABOUT DOPPELSKOPE

Doppelskope creates highly visual and interactive comedies that explore topics ranging from existential dread to ecological crises. We believe that the stories we tell about the world can change the world. We believe that audience interaction empowers people to be active participants in the world. We believe in the intelligence of children and the whimsy of adults. Our shows celebrate life and inspire connection, discovery and community. www.doppelskope.com

Follow Doppelskope and learn more at:
www.gruffthemusical.com
facebook.com/doppelskope
@Doppelskope
Gruff! was originally produced at Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre
PRESENTED by VITAL THEATRE COMPANY, INC - NEW YORK, NY
www.vitaltheatre.org
(212)799-3753
info@vitaltheatre.org