Currently running in seven Queens public schools, Inside Broadway’s Cultural After-School Adventures (CASA) program gives students the chance to be educated and enriched by music, theatre and the performing arts.
Now in its fifth year, CASA provides 150 New York City public school students, ages 8 to 18, the chance to learn dancing, singing, music, acting and theatre history alongside professional teaching artists.
Students work twice a week after school for eight and a half weeks to create a 30-minute musical revue and work on a final performance of their original show that will be performed in their school’s auditorium for families, teachers and fellow classmates. Participants also help build scenery and backdrops for their shows.
The theme for the shows this season is “Fractured Fairy Tale.”
Final performances begin at the end of March and all schools participating in the program, as well as 10 additional schools in Queens, will receive a performance of “The Melody Lingers On – The Songs of Irving Berlin,” Inside Broadway’s 2011 touring musical.
“Every child is a star and every child wishes to be a star on Broadway,” said Michael Presser, executive director of Inside Broadway. “We try to get them going from a young age to follow their dreams.”
At the final performance, students will receive official certificates presented to them by one of their district’s councilmembers, some of whom provide support to the program.
Councilmember James F. Gennaro, of the 24th District, said, “Inside [Broadway] is a wonderful program… I’m proud to have supported it throughout the years.”
Each year more than 30,000 students in over 85 schools throughout New York participate in theatre arts workshops by Inside Broadway.
The New York City based non-profit organization is committed to producing Broadway musicals for young audiences. For more information regarding Inside Broadway and its programs, visit www.InsideBroadway.org.
