Christmas will be white in Omaha and Philadelphia this year when The Broadway Dreams Foundation presents White Christmas, a celebratory holiday cabaret featuring performances by Broadway’s brightest stars and talented local BDF performers. Each year hundreds of students receive valuable musical theatre training through BDF programs offered in partnership with Omaha Performing Arts and Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
The Broadway Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to training,mentoring and presenting career opportunities to anyone interested in the performing arts, regardless of socioeconomic background. In 2011, 38% of the students who attended a BDF program were on full or partial scholarship. Proceeds from White Christmas will allow BDF to offer opportunities to students in Omaha, Philadelphia and other U.S. cities throughout the 2012 season.
Omaha Performing Arts will celebrate the holidays at The Barn (15220 Military Road, Omaha) tonight, December 11, 2011. The evening will begin with cocktails and a light buffet at 5:30 pm followed by a festive cabaret featuring musical holiday favorites at 6:30 pm. Nicole Parker, who starred in Broadway’s smash hit Wicked and on FOX’s “Mad TV,” will lead the cast of Broadway performers which also includes Paul Canaan (Sweet Charity), Tyler Hanes (A Chorus Line) and James Kinney (Fosse) and Omaha’s performing youth. Noah Ricketts serves as Musical Director.
Tickets for White Christmas at The Barn are $125 per person and are available online at TicketOmaha.com, by calling 402-345-0606 / 866-434-8587 or in person at the Ticket Omaha Box Office (Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas Street).
Christmas will come early in Philadelphia when Vicki & Chris Le Vine host the second annual White Christmas at Sweetwater Farm and Grace Winery (50 Sweetwater Road, Glen Mills, PA) on Sunday, December 18, 2011. Performances will take place at 1:00 pm and 5:30pm in the Winery’s charming barn, nestled on the property’s 50 acres overlooking picturesque Sweetwater Wood.
The festive holiday cabaret will feature performances by Philadelphia’s performing youth and Broadway favorites Paul Canaan (Sweet Charity), Tracy-Jai Edwards (Legally Blonde), Eden Espinosa (Wicked), Jessica Dillan (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Tyler Hanes (A Chorus Line), James Kinney (Fosse), Nicholas Rodriguez (Tarzan, “One Life to Live”) and composer & BDF Musical Director Jeremy Schonfeld (“Iron & Coal”). Tony Award nominee and recording artist Laura Bell Bundy will make a special appearance at the evening performance.
Tickets for White Christmas at Sweetwater Farm and Grace Winery are $100 each ($75 for children 10 and under) for the 1 p.m. matinee performance. Matinee guests will be treated to holiday punch and cookies following the performance. Tickets for the evening performance are available at three levels: Marquis Tickets are $800 and include a cocktail welcome reception, top priority seating, a post concert reception and light buffet, a bottle of wine from Grace Winery and will cover a full BDF student scholarship; Supporting Cast Tickets are $500 and include the cocktail reception, light buffet and priority seating; Ensemble Tickets are $200 and include the cocktail reception and light buffet. Please call 610-459-4711 to reserve tickets. Seating is limited.
The Broadway Dreams Foundation’s musical theatre intensive programs are offered nationally throughout the year and are led by an exceptional faculty of high-profile and experienced Broadway professionals. The unique programs offer highly personalized and supportive coaching, an exciting and collaborative learning environment and ongoing networking to build confidence and life skills – all of which may launch a life-changing career.
The ever growing BDF faculty includes Tony Award winners Jarrod Emick and Alice Ripley, Tony Award-winning composer Adam Guettel, Tony Award nominees Jodi Benson, Gavin Creel, Melissa Errico and Andrea McArdle, “American Idol” finalist Diana DeGarmo, TV’s Mark Indelicato, Dave Barrus, Shoshana Bean, Stephanie J. Block, Matt Bogart, Jessica Bogart, Quentin Earl Darrington, Carlos Encinias, Jenn Gambatese, Kate Guyton, Megan Hilty, Adam Hunter, Claci Miller-Juday, Leslie Kritzer, Matt Lenz, Norm Lewis, Sarah Pfeifer, Paige Price, Nikki Snelson, Josh Walden, Amanda Watkins, casting directors Craig Burns and Rachel Hoffman and Clear Talent NY’s agent
Jamie Harris.
Over two thousand students have participated in the BDF program and some have gone on to star on Broadway, pursue careers in the arts or attend prestigious theatre programs in universities throughout the United States.
For more information, please visit www.mybroadwaydreams.com.
