Students from LeAp OnStage to Premiere Works This Week

Students from 10 NYC public schools, whose plays will be published by renowned publisher Samuel French, will showcase their original plays and perform them at the Pearl Theatre as part of the LeAp OnStage program. LeAp OnStage, created by Learning through an Expanded Arts Program (LeAp), immerses 500 underserved and culturally isolated public school students in an interactive and comprehensive theater program. Since 2006, LeAp OnStage has transformed the lives of over 4,000 inner-city middle school and high school students, by inspiring youth to actively engage with the arts and opening up college and career opportunities in theater.

Over the past few months, LeAp OnStage has worked with students in 10 schools citywide, who would not otherwise have access to educational arts programs or the opportunity to participate in a high-profile and culturally eye-opening theater production. The students participated in year-long intensive classroom workshops, led by LeAp theater teachers, including playwriting, acting, directing and stage managing. Students wrote moving, original plays-both comedies and dramas-which spoke to issues that the students considered personally important. Then, one play from each school was selected by Broadway professionals to be developed into a full production. Also, each school has an opportunity to attend a Broadway or Off-Broadway production and host an actor, director, designer or playwright from the Broadway community for a special workshop. This year's roster of Guest Artists include Chazz Palminteri, David Auburn, Judith Light, Craig Lucus and Kathleen Marshall.

Wednesday, June 10 at 7:00pm

Student plays from the following schools will be performed:

Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts (Manhattan)

Health Opportunities High School (Bronx)

Lower Manhattan Arts Academy (Manhattan)

Bronx Early College Academy for Teaching and Learning (Bronx)

Fordham High School for the Arts (Bronx)

Thursday, June 11 at 7:00pm

Student plays from the following schools will be performed:

Philippa Schuyler Middle School for the Gifted & Talented, J.H.S. 383 (Brooklyn)

Queens Preparatory Academy (Queens)

EBC High School for Public Service - Bushwick (Brooklyn)

The Young Women's Leadership School Of Astoria (Queens)
Hillcrest High School (Queens)

"I am so proud that LeAp OnStage has inspired our students to achieve their goals, find their voices, and gain an insider's look into the world of theater-opportunities that they wouldn't have otherwise been able to experience," said Alice Krieger, Associate Executive Director of LeAp, and Director of LeAp OnStage.

"LeAp is handing so many young adults opportunities that I know people would fight and make sacrifices for outside of this setting. For me personally, LeAp gave me a chance to be heard, which I think is something every teenager wants" said Raina Schoen Thomas, Lower Manhattan Arts Academy.

LeAp OnStage, now in its ninth year, is a comprehensive playwriting, play production and theater appreciation program serving 500 New York City middle and high school students in ten schools each year. The collaboration among LeAp, Samuel French and the Broadway community inspires talented and motivated young people to express their creative voices, develop their talents as young artists, and open their eyes to the opportunities in the world of theater.

Learning through an Expanded Arts Program (LeAp) is committed to improving the quality of public education through a unique hands-on, arts-based approach to teaching the core curriculum. Since 1977, LeAp has provided more than two million NYC students in kindergarten through 12th grade with music, dance, theater, and visual arts programs that are integrated into academic instruction. LeAp offers in-school residencies, afterschool activities, teacher trainings, parent workshops, and assembly programs to schools citywide, conducts programs in hospitals, shelters, and cultural institutions and develops educational materials. LeAp empowers students to reach their full potential.