Students Take Art Education Center Stage for the 2016 Broadway Junior Theater Celebration

Apr 14, 2016 /

Charlotte, NC (Thursday, April 14, 2016) – Blumenthal Performing Arts’ annual Broadway Junior Theater Celebration, which has taken place each spring for 9 years, will bring 44 elementary and middle school groups from seven counties, totaling 2,199 students and teachers, to Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (April 19- 21).

Each day, students will perform one song from their school’s show on the professional stage of the Knight Theater, as well as participate in workshops led by theater professionals from New York City. 

Blumenthal has provided the means for children in the community to experience the thrill of performing in a show with their after-school drama clubs, music and theater classes and school performing arts programs.

“I am amazed every year at the attentiveness of these students during the Broadway Junior Celebration,” explained Blumenthal Education Director Ralph Beck. “After each school's musical presentation, one of the iTheatrics pros joins the students on stage to offer guidance. The kids on stage and the kids in the audience are hanging on to every word during the critiques while taking mental note to apply to their own performances. I've never experienced a school-related exercise or activity in which students more eagerly internalize and adapt information. Even after 9 years, I’m still blown away by that.”  

Blumenthal also purchases comprehensive theater kits for schools, which are for fully licensed 30- or 60-minute versions of Broadway shows such as Into the Woods, Legally Blonde, Disney’s The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan. The kits have everything schools need for their students to put on a production, including scripts, director’s guides, musical accompaniment CDs, choreographer’s guides and more.

Systems Maintenance Services and Publix Supermarket Charities are this year’s sponsors of the program. The Doctor Family Foundation and Kearns Saldinger Family Foundation also both provided generous support again this year. Many other donors pitched in to help raise the $21,000 needed to purchase the musical show kits for schools that otherwise could not afford them, as well as the transportation costs for students to attend the celebration.

 

Workshop Leaders include:

Marty Johnson

Recently named by Playbill.com as one of the top ten educators who are shaping Broadway, Marty is the now Director of Education and Resident Director at iTheatrics. He oversees all of iTheatrics’ educational programs including the Junior Theater Academy for students, a series of Professional Development Workshops for teachers held yearly at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and a partnership with the President’s Committee on The Arts and the Humanities. These partnerships led to Marty directing students for the first-ever White House Turnaround Arts Talent show hosted by our First Lady, Michelle Obama. Marty holds a graduate degree in Theatre for Youth from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and currently serves on the board for TYA/USA, the leading organization for the advancement of Theatre for Young Audiences in the world.

 

Steven G. Kennedy

Steven has performed in New York and touring productions including; Me and My Girl, Oklahoma!, Crazy For You, 42nd Street, Joseph…, West Side Story and The Toy Shoppe (in which he had the distinguished honor of acting with and backing-up the one and only “Gambler,” Kenny Rogers). Steven serves as the Choreography Supervisor for MTI and iTheatrics and has a distinguished list of credits, including the honor of working with the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities for the first-ever White House Turnaround Arts Talent show for our First Lady, Michelle Obama with Sarah Jessica Parker, the opening gala for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Family Theater, starring Kristin Chenoweth and Andrew Lippa, and the Off-Broadway smash-hit production of Dear Edwina, produced by six time Pulitzer Prize winning producer Daryl Roth.

 

Cindy Ripley

Cindy Ripley is currently the Senior Educational Consultant for iTheatrics, leading workshops with kids and teachers across the country, as well as the “go to” guru for Music Theatre International’s online Show Support for the Broadway Junior Collection.  Cindy piloted the first Broadway JR. production of Annie JR., and developed the first Broadway JR.  Director’s Guide. She was proud to be selected for USA Today’s All Star Teacher Team for 2005 and most recently has served as a teaching artist for The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities.  Cindy finds the recipe comprised of young people, teachers, parents, musical theatre and enthusiasm priceless!

 

Derek Bowley

Derek Bowley is a DC-based theatre educator and music director, and has worked with iTheatrics for over 10 years as a music director, writer, and teaching specialist.  He is currently in his sixth year as Middle School Speech & Drama Teacher at The Congressional Schools of Virginia in Falls Church, VA. Professional credits include the pre-Broadway production of Glory Days at Signature Theatre and Kennedy Center premieres of Katie Couric's The Brand New Kid, The Phantom Tollbooth, and Jason Robert Brown’s The Trumpet of the Swan: A Novel Symphony. Derek is also an avid cook.

 

Daniel Mertzlufft

Daniel graduated from the Crane School of Music with his Composition and Education degrees and joined the iTheatrics team in October. His work has been performed around the country including his musicals "A Family Christmas” and “Tie the Knot” and his opera “The Letter.” He recently served as Assistant Orchestrator, Arranger & Music Director for the Transcendence Theatre Company, and has Music Directed a number of productions.  Performing credits include; Crane Opera Ensemble: Younger Brother – Ragtime, Mike Costa - A Chorus Line, Snoopy – You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown.

 

Participating schools include:

(TUESDAY)

Benton Heights Elementary School

Banks Trail Middle School

Carmel Middle School

Charlotte Preparatory School

Cornelius Elementary School

First Ward Creative Arts Academy

Grand Oak Elementary School

Northside Elementary School

Queen's Grant Community School - Elementary

Queen's Grant Community School - Middle

Ranson Middle School

Saluda Trail Middle School

Southwest Middle School

Steele Creek Elementary School

University Park Creative Arts Academy

 

(WEDNESDAY)

Antioch Elementary School

Charlotte Country Day School

Jay M. Robinson Middle School

Kensington Elementary School

Mount Holly Elementary School

Mountain Island Charter School

New Town Elementary School

Parkwood Middle School

Providence Day School

Ridge Road Middle School

Sherwood Elementary School

St. Pius X Elementary School

St. Pius X Middle School

Sun Valley Elementary School

Sun Valley Middle School

Trinity Episcopal School

 

(THURSDAY)

Alexander Graham Middle School

Community House Middle School

Elon Park Elementary School

Hawk Ridge Elementary School

Ida Rankin Elementary School

Iron Station Elementary School

Long Creek Elementary School

Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy

Porter Ridge Elementary School

Porter Ridge Middle School

Springmore Elementary School

Union Academy Charter School

Waxhaw Elementary School