MSU Friends of Theatre Offer Gala Evening on May 10
The Friends of Theatre at Michigan State University will host a fundraising gala, "A Bite of Broadway," on Wednesday, May 10, to support the newly created "Friends of Theatre Endowment" for the university's Department of Theatre.
Guests will gather on the Cobb Great Hall stage of Wharton Center, converted for the evening into the streets of New York, to enjoy a strolling dinner of heavy hors d'oeuvres and wine. Entertainment will be provided by the newly created Musical Touring Company featuring a special guest from Broadway.
Tickets for the event are $100, $50 of which is tax-deductible donation to the FOT Endowment Fund. Reservations can be made by calling (517) 355-6690 or online at theatre.msu.edu. Updates to the event will be posted on the Friends of Theatre at Michigan State University Facebook page.
The Friends of Theatre Endowment was created to provide funding for special projects benefitting students studying in the MSU Department of Theatre. Three projects are specIfically targeted: The ĭmáGen Musical Theatre Immersion Program with Wharton Center, Summer Circle Kids' Camp and the 4th Wall Theatre Company. Other projects that may be funded through the endowment include student scholarships, artist/educator fellowships, guest artist and scholars and special production activities.
ĭmáGen is a unique educational collaboration between the Department of Theatre and Wharton Center that annually brings together MSU musical theatre and dance students, local high school students and Broadway performers and writers to the same stage for the production of a new musical.
Summer Circle Kids' Camp provides children from grades 1-6 a free day camp with instruction in acting, design, music and dance, culminating in a free public performance as part of the Summer Circle Theatre season.
In collaboration with the 4th Wall Theatre Company, MSU students work as artist/educators to help empower everyone from those with special needs to seniors, to break through the fourth wall, get on stage and shine. Through singing, dancing and acting the department's aspiring actors learn about the theatre, the world and themselves.
Gifts to the endowment can be made in a single payment, as a recurring sustaining gift or as a pledge in installments. Those interested in contributing to the endowment may contact Bernie Campanella at [email protected].
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Announcing the MSU Department of Theatre
Musical Theatre Touring Company
The Michigan State University Department of Theatre announces its new Musical Theatre Touring Company. The group will have their premiere at the Friends of Theatre "A Bite of Broadway" gala on Wednesday, May 10, at Wharton Center. (Tickets for the gala are $100, $50 of which is tax-deductible and available at theatre.msu.edu.)
The Musical Theatre Touring Company is under the direction of Brad Willcuts and Alisa Hauser with musical direction by Dave Wendelberger. It features students Anna Birmingham, Emma Callis, Jacob Covert, Sarah Davis, Katelyn Hodge, Lukas Jacob, Melanie Vandenberg and Max Sanders (with swing: Taylor Mcphail).
Joining the company in the premiere at "A Bite of Broadway" is Courtney Holbrook, a special guest artist from Broadway. Holbrook appeared in Kinky Boots on Broadway as Nicola and in Les Misérables. Wharton Center musical fans may remember her as Wednesday in The Addams Family as Wednesday and in Legally Blonde.
Brad Willcuts describes The Musical Theatre Touring Company as "a group of elite students from our musical theatre immersion program who auditioned for this new initiative this spring." He continues to explain that the group will take musical theatre performances on the road as an excellent example of experiential learning, benefitting the university at large, as this is part of a collaboration with Wharton Centre for the Performing Arts and the College of Arts and Letters' Department of Theatre.
Willcuts says taking part in the touring company will be of direct benefit to the participating MSU students. "The students will have more opportunities to hone their craft, present their work in a variety of performance venues work on material in a performance venue environment and continue to grow as artists."
To date, several local performances have been scheduled, including the premiere at the Friends of Theatre gala. Department chairperson Kirk Domer says that the group will be presenting their work regionally and available for performances with alumni organizations and related events across the country.
Willcuts says the group was created in a way that it can be shaped for various occasions. "We chose to create a musical theatre company because it can appeal to various organizations including those not necessarily familiar with theatre in general. Musicals can reach all sorts of people, groups and events," he says. "This touring company could feasibly perform for a very large range of events since the range of musical styles is equally as large."
In addition to the entertainment, the May 10 gala will include a strolling dinner of heavy hors d'oeuvres and wine. All proceeds will benefit the Friends of Theatre Endowment, designed to provide funding for special projects benefitting MSU theatre students, including: The ĭmáGen Musical Theatre Immersion Program with Wharton Center, Summer Circle Kids' Camp and the 4th Wall Theatre Company collaboration. Other projects that may be funded through the endowment include student scholarships, artist/educator fellowships, guest artist and scholar residencies and special production activities.
Gifts to the endowment can be made in a single payment, as a recurring sustaining gift or as a pledge in installments. Those interested in contributing to the endowment may contact Bernie Campanella at [email protected].
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