Young Artists of America Announces 2016-2017 Season

Young Artists of America at Strathmore (YAA) is proud to announce its 2016-2017 season, beginning this fall with The Wizard of Oz in Concert, featuring narration by WETA and SiriusXM's Robert Aubry Davis on October 29th. The fully orchestrated concert is based on the 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum, with music and lyrics from the 1939 MGM motion picture score by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. Next, on March 12th, 2017, YAA will present the world premiere production of The Circle of Life: The Songs of Tim Rice in Concert, created specifically for YAA by Hugh Wooldridge with special participation by Sir Tim Rice. In the spring, YAAjunior, YAA's new program for middle school singers, dancers and actors, will present Disney's The Lion King Experience on May 20th, 2017.

The Wizard of Oz in Concert will take place on October 29th at 4pm at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. It will feature narration by Host and Moderator of WETA's Around Town and SiriusXM's Symphony Hall, Robert Aubry Davis as well as 120 artists of the Young Artists of America Orchestra, Vocal Ensemble and YAAjunior. For this production, over 175 students from across the DC-Metro area auditioned, and rehearsals will be held twice a week until the production. Students are mentored and trained by Co-Founders and brothers, Rolando and Kristofer Sanz (Producing Artistic Director and Music Director, respectively) as well as Paul Heinemann, Director of YAAjunior, and Associate Artistic Director, Terry Eberhardt. Additional mentors for this production include Sarah Lasko, who played Dorothy in the recent national tour of The Wizard of Oz, as well as Dr. Dominic McHugh, a leading British expert on Hollywood musicals.

The world premiere of The Circle of Life: The Songs of Tim Rice in Concert will take place on March 12th, 2017 at 4pm at the Music Center at Strathmore. It will feature nearly 250 artists from the Young Artists of America Orchestra, Vocal Ensemble and YAAjunior, as well as the Walt Whitman High School Combined Choruses (Bethesda, MD). Hugh Woodridge (Chess in Concert, Royal Albert Hall; An Evening with Alan Jay Lerner, Lincoln Center; The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber) devised the concert specifically for YAA and will guest direct, acting as a YAA Mentor. And, Sir Tim Rice(Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Aida, Chess, Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King) will also have special participation in the production.

In its inaugural production, YAAjunior, YAA's new program for middle school singers, dancers and actors, will present Disney's The Lion King Experienceon May 20th, 2017 at AMP by Strathmore starting at 8pm. The production is the coming-of-age adventure of Simba, a lion cub who cannot wait to be king, as he searches for his destiny in the great 'circle of life.'

For tickets ($18-$75) or for more information about each of these performances, visit www.yaa.org/performances

(Photo Credit: YAA Facebook Page)

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