BROOKLYN THEATER ARTS HS Receives Disney HSM Grant Program

VITAL THEATRE COMPANY Education Director LINDA AMES KEY and Principal MARTIN COREN are pleased to announce that BROOKLYN THEATRE ARTS HIGH SCHOOL is one of 10 national recipients of "DISNEY'S High School Musical: THE MUSIC IN YOU GRANT PROGRAM" that encourages middle and high schools across the U.S. to put on their own school stage production of Disney's "High School Musical."

Awarded by NAMM Foundation and Disney Channel the initiative is designed to utilize the popularity of the "High School Musical" movies to encourage kids to get involved in music and the arts in school. The grant program supports a $5,000 monetary grant and school license to produce an adapted version of "High School Musical." The funds are to support music and arts-related educational costs of the production such as hiring music and dance coaches, and to help schools that do not have sufficient lighting and sound equipment for the production.

VITAL THEATRE COMPANY, lead arts partner at Brooklyn Theatre Arts High School is the winner of two Awards for Excellence for its Family Programming by the Off-Off Broadway Review and has received high acclaim from audiences and critics alike for being a "wonderful place for parents to introduce their kids to the glories of live theatre, done well and at modest prices." Now in its tenth year, the company is dedicated to producing entertaining and educational theatre for young audiences.

The 10 grand award winners are Brooklyn Theater Arts High School, Brooklyn, NY, Bucyrus High School, Bucyrus, OH, Carver Edisto Middle School, Cope, SC, Mt. Zion High School, Jonesboro, GA, Mather High School, Chicago, IL, Necedah High School, Necedah, WI, Parkway Middle School, Kissimmee, FL, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy, Saginaw, MI, South Dade Middle School, Homestead, FL, Troy Middle School, Plainfield, IL.

DISNEY CHANNEL is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 97 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group. DisneyChannel.com, is the #1 entertainment Web site among Kids ages 6-14.

RADIO DISNEY is the No. 1 destination for kids, tweens and families on the radio. It is available in the U.S. on over 49 terrestrial radio stations and on: RadioDisney.com, XM and Sirius satellite radio, iTunes Radio Tuner, XM/DIRECTV and mobile phones. Kids, tweens and families can also download Radio Disney programming via the iTunes Music Store.

THE NAMM FOUNDATION is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing active participation in music making across The Lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry. For more information, visit www.nammfoundation.org.