This fall, Kids Club’ was proud to support two free school theater residencies of Beauty & The Beast Jr at Washington Irving & Sleepy Hollow Middle School. Thanks in part to a grant from Kids’ Club, The Music Hall was able to offer the residencies free of charge to The Public Schools of the Tarrytowns and its students.
The residencies involved Academy Director Kevin J Kearins, Broadway performer and educator Lauryn Ciardullo, and a team of musical directors, choreographers and production professionals.
There were two casts, and 100 3rd-7th graders participated. Students rehearsed after school for two weeks – they alternated between music, staging and dance rehearsals. At the Music Hall, they were introduced to costumes, mics, scenery, props and a live, professional orchestra made up of Broadway musicians.
Over 1200 students from Morse Washington Irving and Sleepy Hollow Middle Schools attended daytime shows and over 1200 members of the general public came to the evening performances.
In the spring, Kids’ Club will be supporting The Music Hall’s production of Aladdin Jr in Spanish. This production is designed for native Spanish speakers and dual language students – all rehearsals and performances will be conducted in Spanish. Again, there will be no fee to participate.
The musical will be directed by Evy Ortiz, who played Maria in the Broadway National Tour of West Side Story, and choreographed by Lauryn Ciardullo, who performed Jasmine in the original production of Aladdin on Broadway. Special surprise Musical Director to be announced!
Auditions will held on April 3 and the performances will be in June.