The Maurice Sendak Foundation Commissions Stage Play Adaptation Of "Where The Wild Things Are" - The New Victory Theater Will Produce The World Premiere
- The Foundation is devoted to promoting greater public interest in and understanding of the literary, illustrative, and theatrical arts as well as promoting the artistic legacy of Maurice Sendak -
NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Previewed last night at a private event at the New York Public Library, The Maurice Sendak Foundation announced that it has commissioned the first major and only full-length stage play adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. This stage adaptation follows a 1984 opera and 2009 film based on the classic children's story. The New Victory Theater (a project of The New 42nd Street), New York City's premier performing arts nonprofit entirely devoted to kids and families, has committed to produce the play, marking its first foray into original production. The creative team for the production is in formation and will be announced at a later date.
The Foundation commissioned Sendak's dear friend and collaborator, Arthur Yorinks, to write the script. "Where the Wild Things Are is Maurice's most renowned book and we are regularly approached to recreate it for the stage," said Lynn Caponera, The Maurice Sendak Foundation President. "It was imperative to us that we develop a version that remains true to his vision. We chose Arthur because he has a unique perspective that can accurately expand on what Maurice's book implies both literally and symbolically."
"Maurice and I believed that good theater for a family audience should not talk down to its audience and should in no way diminish what is presented for the sake of its audience," said Arthur Yorinks, playwright. "The New Victory Theater has always been aligned with us and agree that what matters is the quality of the work. The Maurice Sendak Foundation feels that there could not be a better organization to produce this important play."
"We at The New Victory Theater and The New 42nd Street are incredibly honored to have the opportunity to develop and produce the world premiere of Where the Wild Things Are for the stage," said Cora Cahan, President of The New 42nd Street. "The work is deeply personal to us not only because of our wonderful and long-standing relationships with Arthur and Maurice, but because our parents read the beloved book to us and we read it to our children. For many of the young people who come to see the show at The New Victory Theater, Where the Wild Things Are will be their very first theatrical experience. We aim to make a stage work worthy of the book that will capture the imagination of both adults and kids."
The Foundation remains steadfast in preserving Maurice Sendak's artistic legacy and will remaster and reissue Sendak's books with publishing partner HarperCollins in the coming years. Earlier this month, HarperCollins published Presto and Zesto in Limboland, a book discovered years after Sendak's passing, co-authored by Arthur Yorinks. This is the third book collaboration for Yorinks and Sendak, predated by The Miami Giant (1995) and Mommy? (2006).
As previously announced, the University of Connecticut will house all Sendak's book art in the Northeast Children's Literature Collection by March 2019. Construction on an archive attached to Sendak's Connecticut home has also been completed and will open to the public, by appointment only, in late 2019. This archive will house the rest of Sendak's art. Additionally, the Sendak Fellowship & Workshop that has been a part of the Foundation since Sendak was alive will continue in 2019, taking place on the grounds of his home.
For more information on The Maurice Sendak Foundation visit www.SendakFoundation.org.
For more information on Arthur Yorinks visit www.arthuryorinks.com.
About the Maurice Sendak Foundation
The Maurice Sendak Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organization, is devoted to promoting greater public interest in and understanding of the literary, illustrative, and theatrical arts.
The Foundation supports the artistic legacy of Maurice Sendak and nurtures emerging as well as established artists in the fields of children's literature and theater design.
The Foundation also promotes the rights and well-being of children and animals by supporting children's literacy and animal welfare.
The Maurice Sendak Foundation each year supports other not-for-profit organizations whose activities fall within its stated mission. Past recipients include The Good Dog Foundation, P.S. 188 The Maurice Sendak Community School, Portland Opera and many others.
About The New Victory Theater
The New Victory Theater brings kids to the arts and the arts to kids. Created in 1995 on iconic 42nd Street, this nonprofit theater has become a standard-bearer of quality performing arts for young audiences in the United States. Reflecting and serving the multicultural city it calls home, The New Victory is committed to arts access for all students, teachers, kids, families and communities of New York to experience and engage with the exemplary international programming of theater, dance, circus, music, puppetry and opera on its stages. A leader in arts education, youth employment and audience engagement, The New Victory Theater has been honored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, by Americans for the Arts with a national Arts Education Award, and by the Drama Desk for "providing enchanting, sophisticated children's theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people."
About The New 42nd Street
Founded in 1990, The New 42nd Street is an independent nonprofit organization charged with the continuous cultural revival of 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, building on the foundation of seven historic theaters to make extraordinary performing arts and cultural engagement part of everyone's life. The New 42nd Street fulfills this purpose by ensuring the ongoing vibrancy of 42nd Street's historic theaters; supporting performing artists in the creation of their work at the New 42nd Street Studios and The Duke on 42nd Street; creating arts access and education at The New Victory Theater, New York's premier theater for kids and families; and through the New 42nd Street Youth Corps, its model youth development initiative, which pairs life skills workshops and mentorship with paid employment in the arts for NYC youth. Inspired by the city it serves, The New 42nd Street is committed to the transformational power of the arts.
SOURCE The Maurice Sendak Foundation
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