Berks Spotlight – ‘Pinkalicious The Musical’ opens KU Presents! Family Series Nov. 17
Opening the KU Presents! Family Series, "Pinkalicious: The Musical" will delight children and their parents at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, at Kutztown University's Schaeffer Auditorium.
The musical opened at the McGinn-Cazale Theatre on Broadway in 2007 (a year after the publication of the beloved children's book), and is still running at the Actors Temple Theatre. Vital Theatre Company has created a touring branch of the show.
The book "Pinkalicious" was written by sisters Elizabeth and Victoria Kann for toddlers and early readers. The protagonist, Pinkalicious Pinkerton (inspired by Victoria's daughter), loves eating pink cupcakes so much she winds up with "pinkititis," which turns her pink from head to toe. She has to come up with a solution to her predicament, with the help of her parents and brother Peter.
The book, with illustrations and cover by Victoria and text by both sisters, became a New York Times bestseller, sparking a "Pinkalicious" craze that resulted in a 64-book series, the latest of which, "Pinkalicious: Lost in Paris," came out this year.
VTC co-founder and producing artistic director Stephen Sunderlin said that previous to 2007, the company had been creating original work for children, including adaptations of Shakespeare plays, folk tales and fairy tales, building a reputation for quality children's theater in New York.
"We never wanted to do a book show, because often children's books are pedantic," he said. But "Pinkalicious" was different; he and co-founder Michael Schloegl felt it had real potential for theater, and they decided to create the musical, with lyrics by the Kanns and John Gregor and music by Gregor.
"We usually did five shows a year and ran them for six weeks each," Sunderlin said. "When 'Pinkalicious opened, by the third week the entire run was sold out. So we moved it to off-Broadway. That's when we realized the power of a popular book title."
Since then, the company has created musicals based on other books, including "Fancy Nancy," "Angelina Ballerina" and "Flight School."
As they have toured "Pinkalicious," Sunderlin said children who have read the book have become rabid fans.
"I've had parents tell me they've read it over and over to their daughter every night for a year. One little girl met Pinkalicious after the show and burst into tears. After one show I heard a little girl say to her mom, 'Oh my gosh, that was better than going to DisneyWorld!' And parents tell me they enjoyed the show as much as the kids. It's sophisticated enough to speak to parents of small children."
Part of the appeal of the show, he said, is the eye-catching art, which is central to the décor of the show. And then, of course, the cupcake, tiara, wand and tutu that make up Pinkalicious' regalia are quite popular. And everyone can relate to a story about a family who love each other and work together to find happy endings.
Because the show is aimed at children aged 2 to 7, Sunderlin said, "gender identity is not a problem. They're all just little kids. The little boys like it, too, and they want the star wands. Even infants watch the sounds and lights, sitting up on their parents' laps. And the dads aren't on their cellphones; they're watching with big smiles."
Tickets for "Pinkalicious" are $20 for all ages and can be purchased at the KU Presents website or by calling the KU Presents! Box Office 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, at 610-683-4092. Established to be the center of cultural life at Kutztown University, KU Presents! serves the campus and community by bringing world-class live arts that entertain, educate and enrich.
This fall and winter and throughout 2025, Dave Kline & The Mountain Folk Band are celebrating 45 years of presenting, promoting, writing and performing bluegrass music by releasing their seventh album, "Our Grass," on the Mountain Laurel label.
"Our Grass" has been released worldwide and is available for streaming and downloading on all major digital platforms such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Apple iTunes, Spotify, Deezer, etc., via this link: album features the superb musicianship of Travis "The Mad Fiddler" Wetzel, Keith Kupp and Kline, all veterans of the Pennsylvania and beyond bluegrass and folk music scene.
Kline is a Pennsylvania-based producer, writer, photographer, composer, lyricist, singer, songwriter, bandleader, researcher, entertainer and retired newspaper, radio, TV and internet business executive.
The new album features 11 new original pieces by Dave Kline & The Mountain Folk Band, with five covers of musicians, bands and songs the band likes.
"Our Grass" delivers bluegrass that comes from the heart and minds of a band that conveys a respect for Bill Monroe's vision and traditions, but isn't shy about working material from other genres into the bluegrass style.
The album includes a tune written by Monroe but never recorded by him called "The Reading, Pennsylvania, Breakdown." Inspired by a visit and concert performance at the City Park Bandshell on July 11, 1992, where he was working with Kline, who was the host and producer of the long-running, award-winning, syndicated "Mountain Folk" radio web show.
Monroe wrote the tune and told Kline that he hoped to perform it on the Grand Ole Opry "some day." During a backstage conversation, Monroe told Kline about the tune and then gave him permission to record it live that evening. That original recording is preserved at this YouTube link: told Kline he was moved to write the tune by the beauty of City Park and Mount Penn. Monroe asked the audience to decide if they liked the new tune. The audience, numbering in the thousands, gave the Father of Bluegrass Music a standing ovation after he and his band performed the new tune.
A limited number of CDs will be produced and sold at the band's live appearances throughout 2025.
Over the last 45 years, the David L. Kline Family Mountain Folk Music Scholarship Fund, administered by the 501c3 Reading Musical Foundation, has raised more than $115,000 for use in providing music learning scholarships to students of bluegrass, folk, mountain and related acoustic music. A portion of each album sale goes into this fund.
Berks Opera Company
Berks Opera Company, in collaboration with Albright College, will produce a fully staged production, "Hänsel & Gretel," with orchestra, at the Miller Center for the Arts, 4 North Second St. in Reading. Performances open to the public will be held on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, and free of charge for children accompanied by an adult and students of any age with ID.
A pair of unruly siblings overcome deprivation and questionable parenting decisions, narrowly escape being eaten, and by courage and wit defeat the evil witch's supernatural powers. Engelbert Humperdinck's unforgettable music ranges magically from simple folk songs and hymns to rich harmonies and textures.
The production is led by conductor Francine Black, director Joel Gori and Tamara Black as producer and artistic director. The cast features students from the Albright Music Department. The performance also features dancers from JCWK Dance Lab.
The production and venue lobby will feature artworks created around the opera's theme by kids at the Olivet Boys and Girls Club this summer, supported by a grant from the United Way, as well as gingerbread and other treats provided by Sweet Street Desserts to delight the palate. Albright student Maya Burdick, who will be singing the role of Gretel on Nov. 22, created an original artwork for the program cover, and the original 24"x36" piece will be available for purchase over the performance weekend.
