Cathy Rigby is flying high at The Mansion Theater and offers Peter Pan Adventure for youth to benefit children battling cancer

The McCoy-Rigby Entertainment Production of Peter Pan, starring Cathy Rigby, returns to The Mansion Theater in Branson, Missouri giving local youth the chance to win a Walk-on part with the cast and the opportunity to help children battling cancer, benefiting the non-profit organization Discovery Arts.

Branson, MO – July 17, 2010 — Eight time Olympic Gold Medal winner, Actress and Speaker, Cathy Rigby returns to the Mansion Theater in Branson Missouri in the McCoy-Rigby Entertainment Production of Peter Pan, as the enduring swashbuckling lead character. Rigby will perform 8 shows a week through August 15, 2010.

As Spokesperson and Board Member for Discovery Arts, Ms. Rigby has teamed up with Discovery Arts’ Executive Director, Marilyn Clements, to offer children the opportunity to win a Walk-on during the second act of Peter Pan, and also fly at the end of the show, with the purchase of a Discovery Arts Peter Pan Adventure Ticket.

Discovery Arts Peter Pan Adventure Tickets can be purchased during each showing of Peter Pan at the Mansion Theater. A winning ticket will be announced during intermission of each performance; the lucky ticket bearer will then have a Walk-on part in the performance and will also fly at the end of the show.

Proceeds of Discovery Arts Peter Pan Adventure Tickets will go directly to benefit Discovery Arts Adventure Programs for children currently undergoing cancer and life-threatening illness treatments in the hospitals which they serve.

Discovery Arts uses the arts as tools to help children step outside the confines of their illness and into the world of creativity and imagination by bringing “Art Adventures” to the bedsides of pediatric cancer patients in six Southern California Cancer Treatment Hospitals.

“Seeing these children and their families first hand really makes you grateful for your own healthy children. I am excited to be the Spokesperson for Discovery Arts and to be a part of something that gives children who are undergoing cancer treatment a creative fun filled way to express themselves, while in an environment that is far from normal…. for these kids, normalcy is their greatest wish. Discovery Arts proves that anything is possible.” said Cathy Rigby.

In her recurring musical theatrical role as Peter Pan, Rigby has witnessed firsthand the positive impact of imagination and creative play for seriously ill young audience members. She said, “Many children with special needs come to visit after the shows. Some express their desire to fly like Peter despite their illness, some have asked me to ‘fly’ to their home and take them to Neverland, and some just want ‘Peter’ to sprinkle them with a little fairy dust. Each child has incredible creativity, imagination and such courage! Through Discovery Arts, I want to bring the wonderful healing powers of theater arts right to their bedside!”

Cathy Rigby earned a Tony nomination when she starred in the 35th Anniversary production of Peter Pan on Broadway. In addition to her lauded roles on Broadway and national and regional theatrical tours, she has performed in various TV movies. She has been honored with the National Broadway Theatre Award’s 2004 Distinguished Lifetime Service Award from The League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc. Tom McCoy of McCoy-Rigby Entertainment is also Board Member of Discovery Arts, since 1994 Mr. McCoy has been Executive Producer of the McCoy-Rigby Entertainment series at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. McCoy-Rigby Entertainment recently opened the McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts in Yorba Linda California. With 550 students, McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts is dedicated to teaching youth excellence in dance.

Discovery Arts Peter Pan Adventure Tickets can be purchased during performances of Peter Pan at the Mansion Theater by Parents, Grandparents, and Guardians in kind naming the child entered to win the Discovery Arts Peter Pan Adventure with Cathy Rigby during each performance.
Discovery Arts serves over 3,500 children and their families each year. With programs at Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Miller Children’s Hospital, Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center at Millers, CHOC at Mission and Fountain Valley Hospital. All of Discovery Arts programs and services are free of charge to the hospitals, patients and their families, relying on the generosity of individuals, corporations, fundraisers such as the Peter Pan Adventure Ticket, and grants. “We began serving children in a small 14 bed unit at Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center. We are now honored to serve more than 3500 children and their families each year, doing 9 programs in 6 southern California hospitals,” said Executive Director, Marilyn Clements.
The National Cancer Institute states, “Children with cancer have enormous emotional needs, they need a safe place to express their feelings about their illness; they need relief from the pain and chaos of critical illness; they desperately need fun and normalcy”.

For more information on the treatment of children with cancer see: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/youngpeople

Discovery Arts Peter Pan Adventure Tickets can be purchased during performances of Peter Pan at the Mansion Theater in Branson.

For tickets to Peter Pan, please call The Mansion Theatre: (866) 707-4100

Peter Pan Schedule of Performances: http://www.themansiontheatre.com/cal/events/images/shows/peterpan.pdf

JOIN DISCOVERY ARTS’ CIRCLE OF FRIENDS:
Your support of just $15 a month will help bring “Arts Adventures” to a child with cancer, serious blood disorder or life threatening illness while they are in the hospital receiving treatment. Donations are graciously accepted online at: http://www.discoveryarts.org/donate-to-children-with-cancer.htm

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Contact Discovery Arts
Website: www.discoveryarts.org
Telephone: 714 637-1774
E-mail: [email protected]
Publicist: Cyrene Jagger
[email protected]
951.795.4455

About Discovery Arts:
Discovery Arts was created in 1993 by a dedicated group of entertainment industry professionals who began volunteering their time and talents to bring music, dance, art and drama to children with cancer, serious blood disorders and life threatening illness while they are in the hospital receiving treatment.
In recognition of the powerful impact of the arts on these children, Discovery Arts was formally incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency in 1998 with a mission to expand the delivery of “Arts Adventures” to many more children in many more hospitals. All of Discovery Arts programs and services are offered free of charge to the hospitals, patients and their families. Website: www.discoveryarts.org
About Cathy Rigby:
Cathy Rigby earned a Tony nomination when she starred in the 35th Anniversary production of Peter Pan on Broadway. Subsequently, her multiple talents have been lauded on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre as the Cat-In-The-Hat in Seussical the Musical. Other National and Regional tours include Annie Get Your Gun, Meet Me In St. Louis, South Pacific, Paint Your Wagon, The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Most recently Cathy Starred in AR Gurneys Silvia, to rave reviews at the La Mirada Theater for the Performing Arts.

Some of Rigby’s dramatic television movie credits include the “Perfect Body,” “Hard To Read,” “The Great Wallendas,” “Triathlon,” and the Emmy-nominated “Peter Pan” for A&E. A two-time Olympic gymnast, Cathy Rigby is the first American woman to win a medal in the World Gymnastics Competition and holds 12 international medals, eight of them gold. Cathy worked with ABC as a gymnastic commentator for 18 years. ABC-TV’s venerable “Wide World of Sports” named her one of America’s Most Influential Women in Sports. Cathy and her husband, Tom McCoy are Executive Producers of the McCoy-Rigby Entertainment Series at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.

About McCoy-Rigby Entertainment:
www.mccoyrigby.com

Tom McCoy, of McCoy-Rigby Entertainment is also Board Member of Discovery Arts. McCoy-Rigby Entertainment recently opened the McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts in Yorba Linda California. With 550 students, McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts is dedicated to teaching youth excellence in dance. Since 1994, Tom McCoy has been Executive Producer of the McCoy-Rigby Entertainment series at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.

McCoy-Rigby Credits include; Broadway: Peter Pan, Starring Cathy Rigby 1990, 1998, 1999, and 2005. National Tours: Seussical The Musical starring Cathy Rigby; Jesus Christ Superstar; and Annie Get Your Gun starring Cathy Rigby, and in 2007 the national tour of Camelot, starring Michael York. A & E Television Network Premiere of “Peter Pan,” Historic All Star Concert for Pope John Paul II; award winning documentary on “Balancing Wellness.” Many, many Emmy, Tony, and LA Theater Award nominations….some actual awards! McCoy-Rigby Entertainment has just purchased McCoy Rigby Dance Academy in Yorba Linda California. With 550 students, McCoy Rigby Dance Academy is dedicated to teaching our youth excellence in dance.