MSA Emerging Choreographers' Showcase Held Today

McDonald/Selznick Associates presents the 2015 MSA Emerging Choreographers' Showcase today, February 27, 2015 in New York City featuring the work of choreographers Al Blackstone, Adam Cates, Sean McKnight, and Rachelle Rak. Two performances will take place at the Ailey Citigroup Theater for an invited audience of producers, industry professionals, and guests.

Al Blackstone was the recipient of the 2011 Capezio A.C.E. Award for Choreographic Excellence. Dance Magazine has called his work "sweet, silly, sly... infectious." He directed and choreographed the dance narrative Happy We'll Be at the legendary Roseland Ballroom. Al's choreography has been featured in Broadway Bares, Easter Bonnet, and SYTYCD Season 8 (soloist Jess Leprotto). He choreographed Sweet Charity for the John w. Engeman Theatre. Al was the associate choreographer to Sonyah Tayeh on The Last Goodbye (The Old Globe) and Kung Fu (Signature Theater Center).

Adam Cates was the assistant choreographer for the 2014 Tony Award-winning production A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder. His choreographic work includes productions for The Juilliard Opera, New York Musical Theater Festival, The Sondheim Center, and Gulfshore Playhouse. Adam has been an associate/assistant to Peggy Hickey, Patti Colombo, Darko Tresnjak, Kathleen Marshall, and Tommy Tune. As an associate choreographer credits include Goodspeed Musicals, Paper Mill Playhouse, The Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera, Kansas City Starlight, Doctor Dolittle (national tour), and episodes of 90210 (CW Network) and Live From Lincoln Center (PBS).

Sean McKnight recently directed and choreographed the sold-out, one night concert Broadway Classics at Carnegie Hall. He choreographed the Los Angeles Area premiere of Hot Mikado earning LA Drama Critics Circle and LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award nominations. Sean remounted Kathleen Marshall's direction and choreography for the current NETworks Theatricals National Tour of Anything Goes. As an associate choreographer he has worked at Ford's Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Westchester Broadway Theatre, White Plains Performing Arts Center, Red Mountain Theatre Company, and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre.

Rachelle Rak is well known as a featured performer in several Broadway productions. Her choreography credits include Lifetime TV's Dance Moms and Abby's Ultimate Dance Challenge, An Evening at the Carlyle and Sessions off-Broadway, Vote the Musical for the Fringe Festival, Broadway Bares, Cheyenne Jackson at Carnegie Hall, and Norwegian Cruise Lines. She created the one-woman show SAS with One S (54 Below); nightclub shows The Love Fest, Splash Around The World, and VaVoom; and the web series I Love Rak 'n Roll. Rachelle was presented with an award from the Dance Educators of America for her contribution to the world of dance.

The MSA Emerging Choreographers' Showcase features performances by Steel Burkhardt (Aladdin), Holly Ann Butler (On the Town), Anne Horak (Chicago), and Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages), with Leasen Almquist, David Alvarez, Jessica Aronoff, Brad Barnes, Hettie Barnhill, Estee Beck, Rachel Bell, Olivia Bowman-Jackson, Mary Callahan, Chloe Campbell, Alicia Charles, Josh Christopher, Phil Colgan, Caitlin Conlon, Michael Peter Deeb, Clinton Edward, Drew Franklin, Jennifer Gruener, Jacob Guzman, David Guzman, Autumn Guzzardi, Derek Hanson, Jason Herbert, Adrienne Howard, Sabrina Imamura, Abdur-Rahim Jackson, Lindsay Janisse, Jolina Javier, Naomi Kakuk, Adrian Christopher Lee, Brittany Lorin, Amelia Lowe, Sharron Lynn, Alexandra Lyons, Marla McReynolds, Tony Neidenbach, Anna Noble, Gregory Omar Osborne, Con O'Shea-Creal, Aaron Pomeroy, Christie Portera, Angel Reed, Mark Roland, Marie Rose, Morgan Rose, Angela Sauers, Taylor Schramm, Tori Simeone, Ashley Talluto, Robert Taylor Jr., Teddy Toye, Joseph Tudor, Kathy VanDereedt, Laura Volpacchio, Mindy Wallace, James Washington, Catie Whalen, and Timothy Wilson.

Music direction by Jeremiah Ginn. Orchestrations and arrangements by Lloyd Butler and Steve Saari. Wardrobe by William Mellette/RWS & Associates and David "DW" Winthow.

With more than 25 years of experience, McDonald/Selznick Associates (MSA) has earned its status as the global leader in its field. Founded by Julie McDonald and Tony Selznick, MSA represents some of the finest choreographers, dancers, stage directors, producers, and production designers in the business. MSA furnishes talent for feature films, television, commercials, music videos, tours, Broadway, Las Vegas, corporate events, and more. MSA New York is helmed by partner/director Lucille DiCampli.