Electric Youth Rocks Fenway Park at Annual Picnic in the Park 8/1

Electric Youth, the dynamic touring ensemble of singer-dancers trained at the Franklin School of Performing Arts (FSPA), performed at the annual Picnic in the Park held at Fenway Park on Sunday, August 1st. Electric Youth followed Blue Man Group as entertainment for the Picnic, an annual fundraiser for the Red Sox Foundation. As the official team charity, the Red Sox Foundation is an award-winning nonprofit organization. Proceeds from the Picnic went to the Red Sox Scholars' program, which provides tutoring, after school enrichment activities and college scholarship funds to talented, low-income Boston public school students.

The event was hosted by Mike O'Malley, who portrays Burt Hummel on the hit television show Glee. Brad Falchuk, the Co-Creator and Co-Executive Producer of the show, was in the audience for the performance.

The Electric Youth (EY) performance thrilled more than 1,000 fans of all ages at Fenway, including many Red Sox players and their families. Performing on a stage in left-center field, EY opened their 30-minute set with a Footloose medley. The Fenway Jumbotron illuminated the EY members electrifying the crowd with songs including Sweet Child of Mine, Sweet Home Alabama and Somebody to Love, a number that was recently revived on Glee. EY closed their crowd-pleasing set with their signature Eighties Medley.

The members of Electric Youth enjoyed the experience of performing at New England's best-know sports venue. "It was amazing to be right on the field, to look out and see the Green Monster," said Katie Ryan, EY Member from Millville. "It was an awesome experience."

Accompanied by an eight-piece band of Boston-based musicians, Electric Youth members are selected at the beginning of each academic year by audition. This season's group of eighteen performers, ranging in age from 14 to 18, studies all disciplines of dance, voice, acting, and musical theater at FSPA. While some EY members are preparing to pursue a career in the performing arts, others will graduate with life skills learned through the Electric Youth experience.

The members of Electric Youth 2010 are Meghan Dean, Matt Duhamel, Ali Funkhouser, Jill Gleason, Galen Hancock, Kerryn Reeve, and Catherine Weiss of Franklin; Michael Egan of Hopkinton; Samantha Vita of Mansfield; Ali McCurdy and Erica McLaughlin of Medfield; Dan Harcourt and Katie Ryan of Millville; Emily Harrington and Samantha Millette of Norfolk; Jacquie Hurley of North Attleboro; and Corrine Falotico and Callie Liljeberg of Wrentham.

Electric Youth also toured Austria, Slovenia and Italy earlier this summer, and gave their final performance of the season at Franklin's Concert on the Common on August 11th.

Further information regarding Electric Youth and all programs at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts is available by contacting The School at 38 Main Street at (508) 528-8668 or by visiting www.electricyouth.com and www.fspaonline.com.

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