Applause New York City Announces Their End Of The Semester Shows

Applause New York City announces their end of the semester shows with students performing the musicals The Magical Years, The Things I Learned in Grade School and Smile on Saturday, January 9th and Sunday, January 10, 2010 . All three musicals are being performed by students enrolled in Applause NYC programs. Open to the public, these professional level showcases are attended by hundreds, including parents and top agents, managers, casting directors and notable actors there to scout talent. At the last showcase in June 2009, five students were signed by agents.

Students attending Applause NYC are selected through an audition process. Once admitted in Applause NYC, students gain real experience and training in an Off-Broadway production. Every one who gets accepted into the program will be cast in a show. After initial auditions for the program, further auditions are held to cast students in individual roles. The director works with the students on scene study, blocking, and helping them with their character development, in the context of mounting the show over the course of a 14-week semester.

This semester, 73 students have been divided into two groups - Tweens and Teens. The large Tween group of 50 students (5th -8th grade) was also divided into two groups and will perform the productions, The Magical Years and The Things I Learned in Grade School. The Magical Years is about dodging the ins and out of growing older and examining if adolescence is magical or tortured. The Things I Learned in Grade School deals with getting ready to enter the next phase of one's life. The Teen group (9th- 12th grade) will display their talents in the production of Smile. With music by Marvin Hamlisch and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Smile is about the drama that goes on backstage at the Young American Miss Pageant.

The Magical Years can be seen Saturday, January 9 at 2:30 PM and Sunday, January 10 at 4:00 PM; The Things I Learned in Grade School will premier on Sunday, January 10 at 12:00 PM with a second show at 2:00 PM. Smile will be presented on Saturday, January 9 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, January 10 at 7:00 PM. The shows are open to the public and tickets are $20 and can be purchased by calling 212-717-0703. The shows will take place at Dicapo Opera Theatre, 184 E. 76th Street (between Lexington and Third Avenue).

Applause NYC is a performing arts school that offers an amazing and unique lineup of classes and is designed for students of all ages. With small class sizes, taught by Broadway's finest, students who
attend Applause NY gain knowledge of the theater, cultivate their passion for the arts and form unique, life-long friendships.

Audrey Kaplan founded Applause New York City in 1995 in an effort to provide a nurturing environment for talented, passionate kids who love to perform. Students come from all over the tri-state area to sing, act, dance, and simply share their passions with each other. In addition to having fun, students have the opportunity to develop their talents, learn the importance of working with others, and generally strive to achieve their goals. Now, in its 14th year, Applause NYC is proud to be the only music and drama program of its kind that offers classes for children of all ages: Babies (0-3 years), Preschoolers (3-5 years), Kids (K-6th grade), Tweens (5th-8th grade), and Teens (9th-12th grade).