VIDEO: 42ND STREET Revival Dancers Join Teens To Save Their Local Theater Production

It hasn't been only Broadway with a broken heart during these coronavirus times. Youth around the country have also experienced canceled auditions, shows and programs while theater companies are scrambling to keep the arts alive and exciting online. So this former Broadway performer & dance teacher did something about it.

Tamlyn Brooke Shusterman, cast member of the Broadway 2001 42nd Street revival is familiar with the power of theater during difficult times especially with this show. Her cast performed 42nd Street 2 days after the tragedy of 9/11.

"It was not only an extremely difficult time for all of us in the cast but also a powerful experience to be able to lift the spirits of grieving New Yorkers. I wanted the students to be a part of something so meaningful and positive as we overcome our circumstances today" said Tamlyn.

During the March shut down, Tamlyn was preparing her current students for a pre-professional production of 42nd Street at San Diego Music Theater (SDMT) where she was to be the choreographer. Tamlyn's been teaching teens the original choreography of 42nd STREET for a few years and they were so excited to finally perform in this glorious tap musical at one of San Diego's most beloved professional theaters.

The audition was canceled and given the unknown length of this theatrical pause, Tamlyn decided to feature her students now and had a surprise in mind. She reached out her Broadway cast members asking if they would join in. "I'll do it!" claimed Amy Dolan and 10 more yeses followed, including Cheryl Baxter from the original 1980's Broadway cast. They all wanted to help these teens feel special and experience what we did two nearly decades ago.

Together teens and Broadway performers are dancing their hearts out Covid style in a compilation video produced and edited by Tamlyn's student, SDMT alumni and 2020 high school graduate heading to Manhattan School of Music in the fall, Piatt Pund (also featured in the video) to raise awareness and funds for the San Diego Music Theater.