Photo Coverage: Middle Schoolers Visit MOTOWN through TDF's Stage Doors Program

It is Theatre Development Fund's belief that future audiences are built by engaging students, first-hand, in the vital and exciting activity of the creative process, as well as providing opportunities to see live performances of great theatre. To that end, 1,500 New York City public high school and middle school students from 20 schools (and one school from East Orange, NJ), who are participating in TDF's Stage Doors Program, attended a special matinee performance of Broadway's smash hit, Motown the Musical today, April 3 at 1pm at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street, NYC). BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the special event below!

TDF's STAGE DOORS, which is provided at no cost to the schools or students, is a project-based arts education program that provides middle and high school students with a meaningful introduction to live theatre. Each participating class attends a Broadway or Off Broadway performance and participates in eight in-class workshops: four workshops conducted by a TDF teaching artist and the other four conducted by the classroom teacher. The workshops engage students in discussion, writing, reading and improvisation to prepare them for their experience at the theatre. Over 55,000 students have been served through TDF's Stage Doors since the program was founded in 1995.

The smash hit Motown the Musical, now in its second year on Broadway, features the music and lyrics from the legendary Motown catalogue and a book by Berry Gordy. Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, Motown the Musical is the real story of the one-of-a-kind sound that hit the airwaves in 1959 and changed our culture forever. This exhilarating show charts Motown Founder Berry Gordy's incredible journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and many more.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

Brandon Victor Dixon, Krystal Joy Brown

Brandon Victor Dixon, Krystal Joy Brown

Brandon Victor Dixon, Krystal Joy Brown and students from Democracy Prep Endurance Middle School

Brandon Victor Dixon, Krystal Joy Brown and students from Democracy Prep Endurance Middle School