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We are committed to engaging children in the arts, which develops their imagination and instills the mental flexibility necessary to utilize creative, problem solving in their adult life. High-quality theatrical productions which offer engaging costumes and sets, as well as performances by talented professional actors, reach across the footlights and welcome the child in. "The Ugly Duckling" , our premiere Literally AliveTM production , opened in October 1999 at the Little Theatre on West 63rd Street in Manhattan and ran to sold-out audiences for 11 months. In addition to a full musical, families participated in a pre-show workshop , an adventure that led them to a deeper understanding of how the arts can make a story come alive. Children were able to experience for themselves how the body can become a falling autumn leaf , creating a beautiful ballet as they swirl in the wind. Half the audience , imagining that they were the duckling , experienced the bitter chill of the winter wind , which the rest of the audience was portraying. These exercises along with the creation of an art project (which became part of the set), made the day an unforgettable event. Setting the stage for a new and exciting form of children's entertainment, the success of "The Ugly Duckling" inspired the creation of three additional seasons and three more original productions. Due to the overwhelming response , in year two we moved to a larger facility and made the Hitchcock-Rockefeller Auditorium in the YWCA on Lexington Avenue our new home. Subsequent productions have included musical adaptations of "The Little Mermaid", "The Velveteen Rabbit" and "Beauty and the Beast" while work has started on "Treasure Island". Fully orchestrated CDs were created for both "The Little Mermaid" and "The Velveteen Rabbit". We are now offering custom production services and have completed projects New York Reads, Borders Books and Music and NYC Parks and Recreation to name a few. As we continue to grow , it is our hope to reach out to other organizations with a similar purpose , join forces , and make Literally AliveTM accessible to children world-wide.