Children's musical offers alternatives to bullying

Youth music and video project to use local talent New Windsor — "Letters to Daddy: The Musical Key to Bully Free," is a musical for children that imparts positive messages and songs in response to challenging social issues, like bullying. The media company 4e Productions will use local talent and be performed throughout Orange County. It is 4e's first campaign with KickStarter, an online funding community that helps creative projects raise money. Terry Odell of the Acting Out Playhouse in Warwick is the director. The animation studio 8 Hats High in Middletown is producing a behind-the-scenes documentary that will show how the musical was put together. With the support of KickStarter, they will also produce an HD video of the live stage production. The premiere and other performances throughout 2011 and 2012 are cast with students ages 9 to 13 from across the county. Their mission is to show children that they have choices, and that their choices, thoughts and actions affect others. It encourages people to work on problems together. Because of the heightened sensitivity to bullying, 4e Productions has been recognized and endorsed by Orange County Executive Ed Diana and received support from the county's Department of Social Services, the Youth Bureau, System of Care, and the Orange County Business Accelerator. 4E Productions balances entertainment with education to create original programs, characters, and brands that address universal social issues, strengthen character and encourage conscious life choices. The company name encapsulates the company's core purpose, to: "Enlighten, Empower and Enrich Everyone."