Featuring music and lyrics by Joan Cushing, the musical has been adapted from the children's book of the same title by Mike Artell with illustrations by Jim Harris. Petite Rouge follows the heroine, "now a red-robed little duck, and her 'fraidy cat friend Te Jean on a perilous journey through the Louisiana swamp. Along the way the pair tangle with a Big Bad Gator, who's out to plop the two into his next batch of gumbo. Petite is no sitting duck, though, and leads her nemesis on a merry Mardi Gras chase through New Orleans. A chorus of swamp dwellers sings backup to the Zydeco-driven score in this foot-stomping, family-friendly musical."

Joan Cushing is well known to youth audiences, having composed the popular children's musicals Junie B. Jones & A Little Monkey Business! and the award-winning Miss Nelson. Her musicals are some of the most oft-produced by children's theatres nationwide. In addition Cushing's political satire revue, Mrs. Foggybottom & Friends!, enjoyed a ten-year run in Washington, D.C.

Petite Rouge was originally commissioned and produced by Imagination Stage in Bethesda, MD. Additional productions of the popular musical have been seen in Arizona, North Carolina, Minnesota, California and Georgia.

Michael J. Bobbitt will direct and choreograph the production with a cast that includes Felicia Curry, Bobby Smith, Billy Bustamante, Cyana Cook, Tracy McMullan and L.C. Harden.

Completing the creative team are Reggie Ray (costume design), Debbie Wicks La Puma (sound design/orchestrations), Alex Cooper (lighting) and Doug Bowles (musical director). Petite Rouge plays Sept. 25–Oct. 6 at the 45th St. Theatre, located in Manhattan at 354 West 45th Street. Tickets are available online at www.nymf.org or by calling (212) 352-3101.