World Premiere Middle School the Musical Opens Alliance’s 2010-11 Family Series
By: Joseph Harrison Oct. 15, 2010
The ALLIANCE THEATRE’s 2010-11 Family Series presents the world premiere of Middle School the Musical, an original theatrical production – and the Alliance’s first truly interactive show for children and families – for five performances only starting Saturday, October 23.
It’s not easy being ‘tween. But thankfully, a team of four middle school students will take the stage and – through music and improv – help guide audiences through the maze of locker rooms, 8th grade dances, book reports and cafeteria blues. This survival guide for tweens was conceived and workshopped over the course of the last year and born out of real life stories of middle schoolers. Framed as an orientation assembly for kids new to middle school, it features 15 scenes and songs which focus on constructive and humorous ways middle school children can face the issues which plague them in the tweenager years.
“The show helps kids identity a few well-intentioned rules for survival in middle school with positive messages about finding acceptance by being unafraid of discovering who you really are,” said Director Rosemary Newcott. “There’s a reason the tweenage years are the basis of so much comedy – this IS one amazing phase of life, a time to be intensely social while also experiencing tremendous isolation,” “There’s the fear of the unknown and also of what might happen if the wrong decisions are made – so airing out these thoughts is actually enlightening, surprisingly entertaining and even therapeutic!
Many of the story lines woven into the Middle School the Musical script are derived from stories gleaned through personal interaction between ALLIANCE THEATRE’s resident teaching artists and teachers and students throughout the metro area. This partnership, Alliance’s Institute for Educators and Teaching Artists, includes comprehensive professional learning opportunities for educators offered through summer seminars and workshops, curriculum based classroom residencies, team planning sessions with an ALLIANCE THEATRE teaching artist, and field trips to the ALLIANCE THEATRE. In addition to the five public performances of Middle School the Musical, the production will also serve nearly 10,000 metro school children through 19 school day performances, offered to schools throughout the metro area, including all that participate in the Institute.
The cast of Middle School the Musical features Jacob York (recently named an “up and comer” in the Atlanta theatre scene to watch by The Sunday Paper) as Tubbs, Bernard Jones (Mushu in Disney’s Mulan and Lil’ D in Class of 3000 LIVE at the Alliance) as June Bug, Diany Rodriguez (Dora, national tour of Dora the Explorer) as Cesario, and Sharisa Whatley (The Stinkey Cheese Man¸ In the Red and Brown Water, and Class of 3000 LIVE at the Alliance) as July. Keith A. Hale plays the role of Dr. K and is also the music director for the production. All five performers make Atlanta their home and have participated in the writing and development of this original piece, including a workshop production for schools the ALLIANCE THEATRE mounted in the fall of 2009.
Middle School the Musical plays the Alliance Stage for five performances only - Saturday, October 23 and Saturday, October 30 at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Monday, October 25 at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for children under 18 and are available at the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office by calling 404.733.5000 or online at http://alliancetheatre.org. Discount rates for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 404-733-4690. The ALLIANCE THEATRE is located at the Woodruff Arts Center, corner of Peachtree and 15th Street, in Midtown Atlanta.
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