Thomas & Friends steams past Gwen and Pink!

ThemeSTAR, HIT Entertainment and Pacific Entertainment present

Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage

SIXTY-YEAR-OLD Thomas the Tank Engine has steamed past Gwen Stefani and Pink! as the hottest ticket in New Zealand and due to this overwhelming demand, we are delighted to announce extra show for the Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage area tour. New shows have been added to the itinerary in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

NEW SHOWS ARE:
(see below for full intinerary and booking details)
- Auckland Sunday, October 21 10am
- Wellington Wednesday, October 24 @1pm
- Christchurch Sunday October 28 @10am

Currently touring the USA and coming to New Zealand in October, is a 90-minute live musical adventure based on the delightful stories of Thomas and Friends™. For over 60 years, millions of children around the world have enjoyed the stories of Thomas & Friends through books, the popular television series, toys and DVDs and now for the first time they can see their favourite characters on stage.

“Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage is a phenomenal production that the entire family will enjoy,” says Jim Millan, the show’s writer and director. “It has wonderful props, beautiful costumes and scenery and is accompanied by great singing, choreographed dancing and special effects – all the elements that make good theatre. We use a narrator similar to the one on the television series, to make it easy for young audience members to follow the storyline.”

A story of friendship, discovery and cooperation, Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage sees our hero Thomas and his friend Percy having to work together with the other Really Useful Engines to “save the day” when a big storm disrupts the Island of Sodor’s Magic Lantern Festival. By helping each other they manage to enable the Festival to go on as planned.

The trains - three-dimensional models with animatronic faces - move about on stage and interact with each other, their drivers and engineers. “The trains are the most popular characters by far,” Millan continues. “When Thomas first appears on stage, the audience screams, claps and yells ‘Thomas! Thomas!’ It is so incredible to see.”

A company of eight multi-talented performers will bring to life the roles of the Fat Controller, the engineers and townspeople of the Island of Sodor.

Music plays a dominant role in Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage. There are seven popular Thomas & Friends songs in the show, including “Good Morning” and “Really Useful Engine” plus a new tune written especially for the live stage production. Audience members are encouraged to sing-a-long, as well as interact with the trains and cast by clapping and “peeping” their horns at key moments.

Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage has been delighting children and their families across the US and is certain to enchant young and old audiences in New Zealand as well.

“ThemeSTAR is committed to bringing the highest quality live entertainment to families worldwide, says promoter Mark Avery. “We are delighted to be working with Pacific Entertainment on this exciting, interactive and inspiring production that is supreme entertainment for a new generation of Thomas lovers. With three trains and a magnificent huge set, this is exciting leading-edge musical theatre for all children and their parents.”

ENDS

About HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment, owned by private equity investment group Apax Partners since June 2005, is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Bob the Builder™, Thomas & Friends™, Pingu™, Fireman Sam™, Angelina Ballerina™ and Rainbow Magic™. HIT acts as a representative for The Wiggles® in the UK and as worldwide representative for The Jim Henson Company’s library of classic family brands. HIT also owns the Guinness World Records™ publishing and television property. Launched in 1989, HIT’s lines of business span television and video production (including studios in the US and the UK), publishing, consumer products licensing and live events. With a catalogue of more than 1,000 hours of young children's programming, HIT sells its shows to more than 240 countries worldwide, in more than 40 different languages and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. In 2005, the Company joined Comcast Corporation, PBS and Sesame Workshop to launch PBS KIDS SproutSM, a 24-hour digital cable channel and VOD service for preschoolers. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.

Thomas & Friends LIve!
Where & When
Rotorua, Energy Events Centre, Thursday, October 18, 4pm
Bookings: Ticketek

Auckland, North Shore Events Centre, Saturday, October 20, 10am, 1pm, 4pm
Sunday, October 21, 10am
Bookings: Ticketek

Palmerston North, Arena Manawatu, Monday, October 22, 2pm
Bookings: Ticket Direct

Wellington, TSB Events Centre, Tuesday, October 23, 4pm
Wednesday, October 24, 10am & 1pm
Bookings: Ticketek

Christchurch, Westpac Arena, Saturday, October 27, 10am, 1pm
Sunday, October 28, 10am
Bookings: Ticketek

© Scoop Media