Kimmel Center's SHOW STOPPERS Musical Theater Program to Wrap with Winter Revue, 12/13

KimMel Center Education Department's new Show Stoppers after-school musical theater program is gearing up for its inaugural winter revue in Perelman Theater on December 13 at 7 p.m. The public is invited to experience this free community concert that celebrates the musical theater, dance and vocal talents of over 40 regional students, grades 9 to 12, who after a series of weekly after school instruction sessions with renowned teaching artists, will showcase their skills in a culminating performance. The evening program is an original work by teaching artist Jennifer Blaine in collaboration with the staff that showcases the many talents of the students as they express their concerns and solutions to the existing problems of budget crisis and the arts. The concert concludes Show Stoppers Fall session.

The weekly after-school program began October 1, helmed under the leadership of KimMel Center Education Manager Carole Frazier, who has brought together a critically acclaimed group of teaching artists with acting, dancing and Broadway credits to their names, to instruct the inaugural Show Stoppers program. Show Stoppers encourages young musical theater artists to explore their talents in acting, singing, and dance, engaging them in a weekly instructional group setting with other enthusiastic young singers, dancers, and actors from area high schools.

Auditions are required for the Spring session of Show Stoppers, which resumes Tuesday, January 7. The spring revue is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13. For more information on Show Stoppers January 11 audition and registration, contact maec@kimmelcenter.org. For more information on Showstoppers, visit kimmelcenter.org/education/showstoppers.php

Show Stoppers teaching artists currently instructing the Fall and Spring sessions include:

Comedian Jennifer Blaine, known for shedding light on socially relevant newsworthy topics through comedy teaches Show Stoppers' Theater Arts. Blaine has opened for George Carlin, and has performed with Chris Rock and Joe Piscopo in the past. She is a graduate from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT and founder of "5,000 Women" which supports work of artists and activists committed to creating works that inspire change in the world.

Dancer Jaquetta Colson received her B.F.A in Dance Education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She has performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and has performed abroad in X'oa, China and Holland. Colson is the founder of the Living Arts Dance and Fitness Studio in Fairmount, where she teaches dance and fitness classes to adults and children.

Reginald Pindell is a Baritone, versatile artist who will teach jazz vocals. He represents a broad and diverse repertoire that ranges from standard classical to popular works. Pindell has performed as a soloist with several orchestras, including, Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati. He has also worked with conductors that include, Robert Shaw, David Zinman, Sarah Cladwell, Peter Nero, and Erich Kunzel. Pindell's voice has taken him far and wide as he has sung internationally in Bermuda, France, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg Russia, Italy, China and Japan.

Carol Frazier is assisting Reginald Pindell with piano and vocals for Show Stoppers. She is a graduate of Oberlin College Conservatory of Music (Bachelor of Piano Performance and Master of Music Teaching) and Southern Methodist University where she received a Master of Sacred Music with an emphasis in Choral Conducting. A former twenty-four year veteran teacher of the School District of Philadelphia, she is the 1996 recipient of the Rose Lindenbaum Award for excellence in teaching. Frazier is the Minister of Music at the New Covenant Church of Philadelphia, and performs as an artist here and in Europe on jazz festivals with her gospel group Agape/New Spirit, which earned the 2005 "Grand Prix du Jazz/Gospel Disque" from the Hot Club of France.

Show Stoppers is generously supported by Dave and Patricia Holveck.

KIMMel CENTER, INC., a charitable, not-for-profit organization, owns, manages, supports and maintains The KimMel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center. KimMel Center, Inc. also manages the Academy of Music, owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, and the University of the Arts Merriam Theater on the KimMel Center for the Performing Arts Campus, home to the Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, The Philly Pops, Pennsylvania Ballet, PHILADANCO, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and American Theater Arts for Youth. Our mission is to operate a world class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience which includes providing arts in education, community outreach and a rich diversity of programming. The KimMel Center Presents Season is sponsored by TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org The Broadway Philadelphia Season is sponsored by American Airlines.