Little Affordable, Sustainable House on the Prairie

The South Bronx may be a long, long way from Walnut Grove, but Habitat for Humanity's new alliance with Little House on the Prairie: The Musical shows that home is where the heart is. To kick off the new stage production, Little House star Melissa Gilbert and the rest of the musical's cast pitched in on labor efforts yesterday to help build a house in New York City in hopes of raising awareness for Habitat for Humanity's ongoing mission.

"An enduring message of 'Little House on the Prairie' — the importance above all of a home and a strong family — is exactly the mission of Habitat," said Gilbert in a press release. "There couldn't be a more perfect match between a show and an organization."

Led by Disney's Little Mermaid director Francesca Zambello, the production premiered at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls for a decade in NBC's 1970s hit TV show, will play the role of Ma Ingalls in the musical. According to the website, Little House on the Prairie: The Musical, brings the joys and sorrows of family life during the settlement of the prairie to contemporary America. Families will continue to identify with these life affirming stories that celebrate the pioneering spirit and the core values on which this country was founded — a spirit that resonates within each of us today."

The musical production opens Sept. 9 at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, N.J., launching a 25-city tour that ends in Kansas City, Mo., in June 2010. For each location on the stage show's 34-week itinerary, a minimum $1,500 contribution of the proceeds will go to a Habitat for Humanity project, and the cast and crew will help build another home.

"Today, decent shelter is as critical to families as it was to the Ingalls family so many decades ago," said Josh Lockwood, executive director for Habitat for Humanity New York City. "This alliance furthers our mission to provide affordable housing and sustainable communities for families worldwide."

Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity.