Trust Your Gut Productions Summer Academy Original Musical: The Velveteen Rabbit (copy)

The 6^th Annual Trust Your Gut Productions Summer Academy is presenting The Velveteen Rabbit, a 100% original musical written, composed, designed, and performed by the youth of Fulton County in Gloversville’s Trail Station Park Friday, July 31^st through Sunday, August 2^nd. Velveteen… will be the second time TYGP’s Academy will perform in this beautiful park, to the delight of audience members, following in the success of their recent production of Romeo & Juliet, Fulton County’s first-ever Shakespeare in the Park. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets for this outdoor performance.

The Velveteen Rabbit is based on the eponymous children’s work by Margery Williams, which the students have worked together to adapt into a heartfelt celebration of childhood, magic, and love. As with past Academy productions, the script, lyrics, music, story, and design have been created completely by the Academy students, lovingly referred to as “Rising Stars,” under the guidance of a dedicated staff of regional arts professionals including Lead Teaching Artist and TYGP Creative Director, Michael Maricondi, Assistant Director and Puppet Creator, Ashley Olmstead, Production Stylist and Music Coordinator, Lillian Nevins, Storytelling Coach, Sonny Duross, and Vocal Performance coach, Sarah Dworman.  TYGP is also pleased to partner with The Gloversville Recreation Commission, the Gloversville Public Library, and class host-venue, The Shoeleather Express, whose owners, Elaine Mikenas and Dennis Viscanti, led several square dance workshops with the students, to make this program possible. The Academy was also the recipient of a Saratoga Arts Arts Education regrant award, thanks to their fiscal sponsor, The Gloversville Recreation Commission, and also received a charitable donation from the Sean M. Higgins Foundation, which supports arts education programs throughout the region.

Olmstead is leading the students on the creation, manipulation, and performance of puppets including hand-and-glove, rod, and Bunraku-style puppets which the students will use to bring the story’s many creatures to life. The students’ original musical will also include a square dance, choreographed with Elaine Mikenas of The Shoeleather Express.

This year’s group of Rising Stars consists of nineteen students aged 9-19 from Fulton & Montgomery counties.

The Velveteen Rabbit will be presented in Gloversville’s Trail Station Park on July 31^st (7pm), August 1^st (2 & 7pm), and August 2^nd (2pm). A suggested $10 ticket donation is appreciated and can be reserved at ticketstripe.com/academyrabbit.

Small concessions and soft drinks will be available for suggested donations purchase at this outdoor production, which will be followed by a short talkback with the Rising Stars.

Images provided by Trust Your Gut Productions. Poster designed by Michael Maricondi.