For Immediate Release: April 6, 2005
Media Contact: Stephanie Grant, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 215.573.8537

A great Philadelphia tradition continues as the Philadelphia International Children's, a Penn Presents event, celebrates its 21st year! As in years past, there is something for everyone at this esteemed event, the oldest and largest festival of its kind in the country! But this year the Festival is greatly expanded! As the Festival enters its third decade, all events this year are directly in and around the Festival's home – the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts at 3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. The changes in the Festival reflect our over all philosophy of “Experience It Live!” – a campaign designed to give Penn Presents audiences a more holistic experience.

Approximately 400,000 children and their families from all over the Delaware Valley region have participated in the Philadelphia International Children's Festival over its illustrious history. As the Festival enters the next phase of its evolution entertaining a new generation of young people, the Festival will continue to provide distinctive, culturally-centered artistic adventures for young people. The roster has more than doubled from last year to include nineteen children's performing groups and solo artists in seventy-four performances over the seven-day Festival, scheduled for Sunday, May 1 through Saturday, May 7, 2005.

This year's Festival will take place entirely in and around the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, at 3680 Walnut Street and the Annenberg Outdoor Plaza. Not only will this make the Festival experience more accessible and cohesive, but it will also help to foster a joyous and festive atmosphere. Tickets prices: Children (18 and younger), $10 per ticket for the first show and $7 for each additional show; Adults (19 and older), $12 per ticket for the first show and $9 for each additional show. All Stageworks shows on the Annenberg Plaza Outdoor Stage and crafts and games at Playworks are free with a ticket to an indoor show. Further information and tickets are available online at www.PennPresents.org or by calling 215-898-3900. Media sponsors are Comcast, WMGK-FM and WXPN's “Kids Corner.”

The line-up of music for this Festival is more energetic, more engaging and more diverse than ever! The ballyhooed BREAK! THE URBAN FUNK SPECTACULAR performed at the 2005 Super Bowl and will soon don the stage at Radio City Music Hall. Fresh and contemporary, this troupe has been traces the dynamic history of hip hop dancing over the last thirty years! The cast of BREAK! and their unorthodox creative movements demonstrate a distinctive American art form which finds its roots in the streets of the Inner City. BREAK! Performers have all been featured as soloist dancers in worldwide performances with show business legends including Puff Daddy, Janet Jackson, Ringo Starr, Whitney Houston and Luther Vandross. Cast members are supremely talented specialists from the world of break dancing, locking, "electric boogaloo" or "popping," and power tumbling. The company of BREAK was presented at The 2000 Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, and has gone on to tour performing arts centers throughout the United States. BREAK! most recently completed a tour of Korea where they were featured at Olympic Park in Seoul in a 5000 seat arena.

2004 Grammy-nominee DAN ZANES & FRIENDS (Zanes is the former lead singer with the rock and roll band The Del Fuegos) perform exuberant, handmade music for delighted kids and their parents. His music is a bit trendy, a bit folksy and a bit rock-n-roll. Born in New Hampshire in 1961, Zanes grew up in Texas and then in Fredericton, New Brunswick before living on the edge of Concord, New Hampshire, where there were ponds and fields, and where today his mom, a photographer, still runs a soup kitchen. He picked up the guitar when he was eight and began taking Leadbelly records out of the public library as soon as he was old enough to get a library card. He fell in love with rock and roll one night in junior high school while babysitting at a house that had some old Chuck Berry records. Zanes went off to Oberlin College In 1981, with the number one goal to start a really cool band. He met Tom Lloyd and soon The Del Fuegos were born. Rolling Stone named the Del Fuegos "Best New Band" in 1984. The band broke up in 1991, and when Zanes and his wife had a baby, he began playing music with other fathers he had met in West Village playgrounds. Eventually they became The Wonderland String Band, playing at parks and parties. That was the beginning of Zanes career as an entertainer for children, and now eight recordings later (most recent Sea Music, 2004) Zanes has reached superstar status with thousands of diminutive fans!

On the other side of the musical coin is the classic stylings of the MARCUS ROBERTS TRIO from New Orleans, led by jazz pianist Roberts. This performance is designed to engage the audience and is the perfect introduction to this classical American art form. Born in 1963 and already world-renowned, pianist Roberts is noted for his ability to address the entire history of jazz piano while performing in his own distinctive style. Roberts, who lost his sight at the age of five, began teaching himself to play piano at age eight. Roberts studied classical piano at Florida State University with Leonidus Lipovetsky, during which time he won many awards and competitions, including a young artist's competition at the National Association of Jazz Educators' 1982 Chicago Conference. After four years at Florida State, Mr. Roberts left to tour with Wynton Marsalis' Quartet for six years. He signed his first recording contract in 1988 and subsequently enjoyed the distinction of being the first jazz musician to have his first three recordings reach No. 1 on Billboard's traditional jazz chart. To date Roberts has released over a dozen acclaimed recordings. He was Artist-in-Residence for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

GUTHRIE FOR KIDS: FEATURING SARAH LEE GUTHRIE & JOHNNY IRION celebrates the legacy of American Folk icon Woody Guthrie, and the wealth of children's music he left behind. A creation of Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, this concert provides a uniquely American experience in music and words! Sarah Lee is the granddaughter of Woody Guthrie, arguably the greatest folksong writer of the 20th century; and the daughter of Arlo Guthrie, who won his own claim to fame as the composer of the great '60s classic, "Alice's Restaurant.” It was romance, along with Guthrie's heritage, that got her started toward the concert stage. In 1997, she went to Los Angeles in hopes of continuing her education. There, she met her future husband, Johnny Irion.” I came to California with a huge notebook full of my writings. Johnny kept telling me I should sing them and one night I did. My whole life turned around then." Soon Guthrie was learning to play guitar; and not much later her father asked her to sing with his concert company, which she did for the better part of two years. Johnny Irion is a man of multiple talents, working both as a musician and an actor.

There will be an assortment of theatre available during this year's Festival, beginning with FRED GARBO INFLATABLE THEATRE COMPANY, starring Garbo and Brazilian ballerina Daielma Santos. Their show combines physical comedy, dance, juggling, and most importantly, their own creative inventions that INFLATE! Fred Garbo got paid for doing a card trick in 1974, and has been a professional performer ever since. On Sesame Street, he was the acrobat inside Barkley the Dog. On Broadway, he was the chief juggler in the musical Barnum. He toured Europe, Hong Kong and Australia with the Obie Award-winning Foolsfire, with Bob Berky and Michael Moschen. Whether tumbling for the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center or dancing with MOMIX in Brazil, Fred brings a gymnast's timing and an actor's presence to his Inflatable Theater Co. Most recently featured on David Letterman's Late Night, Fred Garbo continues to astound and tickle audiences with his pop-action inflatables and hilarious stage presence. For the last 12 years he has been inventing inflatables with artist/builder: George York. Daielma Santos was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her training includes studies at the Royal Academy of Dance of London, Michigan University, and with director Tony Montanaro. In Brazil, Daielma danced with Studio de Dancas and was principal ballerina with the Opera Paulista II dance company. Her performances span the Americas and Europe, both as choreographer and performer. From The Nutcracker to The Inflatable Living Project, Daielma's choreography combines world-class artistry and technical brilliance with theatrical humor. Daielma is very excited as she has just recently become a US citizen!

Gale LaJoye's SNOWFLAKE is a loveable homeless character who will touch everyone's heart in this beautiful theatrical comedy. He lives in a dreamlike world where he explores the power of imagination by releasing the inner spirit of barren, thrown-away objects. Without a single word, Gale LaJoye teaches a child to turn sorrow into joy. LaJoye grew up and lives in Marquette, Michigan. It is here that LaJoye began and continues to study how people respond to situations and each other. Over time, LaJoye has learned how to integrate his observations into funny and poignant stories without words – stories that turn sorrow into joy and inspire us to embrace life. He studied acting in college, and early on LaJoye developed a reputation for portraying complex characters - characters that rely on physical humor and non-verbal communication. After college, LaJoye immersed himself in pantomime and the Japanese art of Kabuki. In 1973, LaJoye ran off to Florida to be with the greatest show on earth - Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. While with the circus, he mastered the art of gesture, silent communication, and poignant short story telling. Within four years, LaJoye became “Boss Clown” - one of the highest honors in the circus tradition. In 1979 fate dealt Gale LaJoye a crushing blow. After a car accident, his doctors advised him he would “never walk again.” Driven to be a performer, LaJoye immediately began rebuilding his body and using humor to heal his mind and soul. Today, you would never imagine LaJoye was once paralyzed.

The Bridge: El Puente is a multidisciplinary, multi-media family concert of bilingual music and legends, performed by Latin Grammy-nominated MARIA DEL REY with projected film and art images from Latin America. An international bilingual recording artist, Del Rey is an award-winning producer and recording artist of the successful The Peanut Man, Lullabies of Latin America and A Universe of Song, which are distributed by Music For Little People, Kid Rhino and Time Warner. Del Rey has also recorded with Hampton Brown, KidzUp, Random House, Disney, Family Circus, Enrique and Julio Iglesias, Ana Gabriel, Chayanne, Roberto Carlos, XuXa, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Reebok and Jon Anderson of Yes. Maria has sung and or produced over 30 music CDs for the children's marketplace. Maria Del Rey has been featured on worldwide TV to over 8 million viewers in one-woman performances on Despierta America (Good Morning America) and Primera Ediccion (First Edition). She has been a guest on National Public Radio, performed in large venues such as the Universal Amphitheater, Houston Coliseum, Cerritos Center, Tampa Bay Performing Arts, Thousand Oaks Center of Performing Arts, Ojai Music Festival and Guzman Concert Hall in Miami, and made in-store appearances at Virgin Mega Stores, Barnes and Noble and Borders Books nationwide. Del Rey has lectured at numerous colleges including Cal State Northridge and created residencies in Manhattan, The Bronx and Harlem sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation Centennial Program in association with the New York Public Library. Del Rey was recently invited to sing at the closing ceremonies of the United Nations Global Peace Initiative for Women leaders in Geneva Switzerland representing the children of Latin America.

A beautiful dream in action – filled with fantastic tales that are illustrated with masterful acting, amazing magic and shadowplay – is Leland Faulkner's WORLD OF WONDER. During this enchanting performance lifeless objects are given the gift of animation and an extra dimension through the use of light. Faulkner's performances are constantly evolving, embracing improvisation, and encouraging the magic of wonder. Through his explorations of myth and magic, Faulkner has created groundbreaking visual theatre. This process starts when seemingly simple objects are given the gift of animation and an extra dimension through the use of light. For example pieces of paper filled with movement become butterflies dancing and multiplying; shadows take on a life of their own in an imaginative exploration of light. Creative use of visual effects exposes the audience a contemporary view of ancient art forms, including Japanese art, shadow theatre, illusion techniques, and folk tales from around the world as well as original works and original theatrical special effects. The resulting performance product is like no other. Faulkner has won critical acclaim for his uniquely creative, mesmerizing presentations. With a vision dedicated to the necessity of make-believe and the ability of theatre to be a universal art he continually searches for meaningful theatre.

And rounding out the theatre offerings is Robbi K & Friends in their performance of THE GROWING ROCK, a Southwest Native American tale which invokes the magic of the desert and its creatures. Children are encouraged to clap, sing and chant with Mamma Bluefeather, who has not yet taught her Baby Bluebirds to fly! A Parents' Choice Award winner, Robbi Kumalo consistently delivers intelligent crowd pleasing performances for children and adults. Whether singing and sharing her high level of energy for a group of 10 or 10,000, Robbi K gives it her all with captivating creativity and exceptional talent. As a little girl growing up on eastern Long Island, NY - she was quite funny and dramatic, and always drawn the stage. From reciting the traditional Easter Address at church, to dance classes & piano lessons, Robbi's early years focused on creative expression. Her family nickname was "Sara" as in Bernhardt! Truly bitten by the bug, Robbi has since concentrated her talents on working with, and for, kids. Along her life path, she's recorded and performed with Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Jewel, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Daniel Rodriguez, Mary J Blige, and Harry Belafonte, among other chart toppers. Her TV appearances with various artists include Oprah, 60 Minutes, Rosie, Regis & Kathlee, The view, VH-1 Storytellers, The Today Show, and Dave Letterman's Late Show. Listen for her lyrical soprano voice at the Bronx Zoo on the Congo Conservation Film soundtrack, and the "Between the Lions" theme song backing vocals. Robbi speaks and sings in Spanish, French, German, and Italian, languages that she's studied since Junior High School. As an actress, and puppeteer, she's developed a host of characters incorporating different accents, dialects, and idioms in Zulu. As for the Long Island community, she sits on The Board as Children's Programs Director for the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council, and is head of Educational Programs with the Three Village Historical Society.

Even the Stageworks and Playworks experiences have been enhanced, with more family-friendly and enlightening activities. Stageworks, co-sponsored by WXPN's “Kids Corner,” will feature more area artists on the Plaza's stage. And nine other arts organizations are collaborating with Penn Presents in presenting the popular Playworks, where kids (and adults) get to create crafts and play games. No longer an amusing addendum to the main performances, Stageworks is now so much more – and actual extension of the Festival performances!

There will be festival perennials GIVE & TAKE JUGGLERS, a rollicking troupe with amazing tricks; John Hadfield's THE SCIENCE SHOW, a unique science lesson using music, magic and mayhem; the interactive Turkish-American KARDELEN FOLKLORE GROUP; a moving history lesson with KIM & REGGIE HARRIS in a performance of Steal Away: Songs of the Underground Railroad, hosted by Kathy O'Connell; the rich celebration of Latin culture presented by LATIN FIESTA; the upbeat and creative sounds of MILKSHAKE; the traditional, classic and modern movements of South Asia with PENNAACH; an exhibition of the variety and depth of the cultural art form of Flamenco as RAICES CULTURALES LATINOAMERICANAS Presents FIESTA FLAMENCO DANCERS; the interactive national family-fun favorite of STEVE PULLARA & HIS COOL BEANS BAND, hosted by Kathy O'Connell; and theater especially for children presented by STIMULUS CHILDREN'S THEATER.

The International Food Court, scheduled for 12pm – 4pm on May 1 and May 7, will include food being sold by some of University City's finest eating establishments – Bitar's, Bubble Tea House & Restaurant, Caribbean Cuisine, Fatou & Fama, Mad 4 Mex, and Penne Restaurant.

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