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Author! Author! “Irving The Theater Nut!” – Special Book Reading, Signing, and Sing-a-long Event


Two years ago, when Gregory Allen started a new job as the theater manager of the historic Town Hall Theater in Irvington, NY, he had no idea he would meet the inspiration for his third children’s book. A squirrel had gotten into the theater and was quickly removed, but Allen went home that night and wrote an outline about a squirrel that loved theater. That outline was put away and forgotten until this year when he was constantly asked by children what his next book would be.

Irving the Theater Nut! will be celebrated as part of a new author series at the Irvington Town Hall Theater on Saturday, October 22nd at 10:30 am. The event is free to the public.  Allen will discuss his book, read it aloud, engage the children in a sing-a-long, and will have books available for purchase that he will sign.

“I love the fact that our town hall theater has so many family and children’s events,” says Allen. “I am so excited for Irvington to meet Irving, since this book is based on this wonderful village, and to encourage children — and squirrels — to chase after their dreams.”

The children’s book Irving the Theater Nut! tells the story of a squirrel who wants nothing more than to join the children rehearsing inside the theater and be a part of that theater world. Many theater kids/theater geeks may feel they are different because of that love they have for the arts, but Allen hopes that his picture book, with illustrations by Morgan Swofford, will show kids of all ages that being a lover of the arts is nothing to be ashamed of. It also teaches subtle lessons of teamwork, encouragement, and collaboration.

“We are excited to add this author series to our line-up this season,” says theater commission chair Burnett Hansen. “Our plan is to host authors that somehow tie into theater, and Greg writing a book based on our very own theater seemed like the perfect way to kick it off.”

Allen has been in the entertainment industry (television, film, stage) for over 25 years as an actor, director, writer, and producer, and is an award-winning author of a dozen books and stories (including two children’s books on autism awareness carried by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt); ten shows that he has served as book writer and/or composer/lyricists have been produced on stage (Theater Week Magazine Best Score Winner). As a freelance director and script writer, Allen has worked for Broadway Live, a media company specializing in original programming for the New York theater scene. He has contributed to several online sites including Huffington Post, Broadway Voice, and Broadway World and is the winner of the 2015 Indie Soul Best Director Award from the Boston International Film Festival and Best Director at the Los Angeles International Film Festival Awards for his short film Mother.

New York City theater critic and author of Let’s Put on a Musical, Peter Filichia, calls it an endearing book and says,” Parents, Gregory G. Allen’s Irving the Theater Nut! is the book you’ll be reading to your children at bedtime for the foreseeable future. Who doesn’t love a story in which a child is nice to an animal and have that animal return the favor?”

Irvington Town Hall Theater is located at 85 Main Street, Irvington NY. The book reading will start at 10:30 am on Saturday, October 22, 2016.

 

Event Location and Ticket Information

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Irvington Town Hall Theater
85 Main Street
Irvington, NY 10533
Handicap Accessible? Yes

Date: Saturday, October 22, 2016
Times: 10:30 am - 11:45 am

Ticket pricing:
Free event

Presenter: Irvington Town Hall Theater
Presenter Phone: 9145916602
Presenter Website: www.irvingtontheater.com