Summer Intensive: Larger Than Life!
Broadway for Arts Education partnered with local theatre company Pied Piper Theatre to offer a two week musical theatre intensive for teens over the summer. BAE’s Program director Luis Mora and Pied Piper’s Artistic director Lesly de Groot dreamed up this collaboration for over a year with the intention of building on programs that happen parallel to the Department of Education’s schedule, but with neither entity having robust summer programming. “Our programs make sense together.” says Pied Piper’s production manager Nancy Fiaschetti.
The summer intensive’s schedule was packed. Teens met daily Monday - Friday for acting, singing, and dancing activities. They were supported by masterclasses in Tap Dance (BAE’s Brett Tubbs), audition technique (Garfield Hammonds), stage combat (Adam Burby), and voice (Elizabeth Perryman). Additionally, students were fed a full lunch every day.
“Our goal was to create a program that was truly collaborative and to create an opportunity for young theater artists from the neighborhood to work together. Our communities live in close physical proximity to each other, yet never get chances to share space. There is a cultural divide in the neighborhood of Washington Heights that we set out to tackle through the performing arts.” Says Luis Mora.
“I am so proud to share that our experiment worked. We have witnessed friendships and collaborations happen organically, proving that we are stronger together.”
The showcase took place on August 15th at the Hebrew Tabernacle, where Pied Piper presents their year-round programming and shows. The teens performed 10 numbers in total, representing at least one popular musical from every decade starting with the 1960s to today.
Here is the set list:
Larger Than Life, &Juliet, 2022
Flowers, Hadestown, 2019
You’ll Be Back, Hamilton, 2015
You’re Welcome, Moana, 2016
Everything I Know, In The Heights, 2008
He Lives In You, The Lion King, 1997
Suddenly Seymour, Little Shop of Horrors, 1982
What Comes Next, Hamilton, 2015
Grease Lightning, Grease, 1972
Let The Sunshine In, Hair, 1967
Check out this highlights video!
