A longtime student of the Maltz Jupiter Theatre Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Performing Arts is headed to Broadway to join the cast of the blockbuster Tony-nominated musical Annie!
Jupiter resident Skye Alyssa Friedman, 11, has been cast as a standby in the Broadway revival of the beloved show. Skye, who is a sixth grade homeschooled student, will travel to New York City in July to begin rehearsals and spend the next six months performing in the show. She will cover four roles in the show.
A member of the Conservatory's Youth Touring Company who spent the past year enrolled in tap, ballet, pre-pointe, musical theatre, jazz, modern, voice, piano and ukulele classes at the Conservatory, Skye has performed in numerous Conservatory shows, including Oklahoma!, the Best of Broadway Revue, Seussical Jr., Honk, Jr. and Peter Pan.
"Skye has worked very hard in the classroom to improve her skills and we are all so proud of her," said Julie Rowe, the Theatre's director of education. "We know she will do a wonderful job in her first Broadway production!"
A veteran of the Theatre's annual First Step to Stardom program, she has also performed onstage in three of the Theatre's recent professional productions: The Music Man, The Sound of Music and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
"It has been a dream of mine to be on Broadway since kindergarten, and I have worked very hard to get there," Skye said. "I have a team of people who help with my training, but I couldn't have done it without the Conservatory or my experiences in the Theatre's professional season productions. I am so excited to be heading to Broadway!"
The Conservatory's world-class classroom facilities are part of the state's largest not-for-profit award-winning regional theatre. Having access to a stage at a regional theatre - where all student shows have full production values - helps to prepare students for roles in professional productions.
"We are so proud of Skye. I think we knew early on that her talent, intelligence, persistence and dedication would help her to fulfill her dream of Broadway," said her mother, Liz Friedman. "We are so thankful to have such a wonderful theater in our backyard that has allowed Skye to train and perform in professional productions. Skye seems to live at the
Maltz Jupiter Theatre and often refers to it as her second home. It has been quite a journey, and we can't wait to see what happens next."
In addition to a full schedule of classes, the Conservatory's hands-on workshops and master classes offer students an opportunity to learn first-hand from nationally known directors and Broadway performers, agents and local instructors.
Skye met her agent at the Conservatory's annual Master Class with
Nancy Carson, New York's leading agent representing children. The Theatre's producing artistic director,
Andrew Kato, had a longstanding working relationship with Carson in New York and invited her to our theatre over five years ago. She has been hosting the workshop annually ever since.
"Over the past five years, I've found some excellent, well-trained talent at the
Maltz Jupiter Theatre's Conservatory, including Skye Alyssa Friedman," Carson said. "The Conservatory is a wonderful developmental program for young people, and it's always exciting and rewarding when one of them is chosen for a role. I love being invited to the Conservatory each year."
Skye was hand-picked by Kato and recently performed in the opening number at the Theatre's sellout 10th Anniversary gala in February.
"All of us at the
Maltz Jupiter Theatre are immensely proud of Skye's accomplishment of being asked to be in the Broadway production ofAnnie," Kato said. "It's every girl's dream to get this offer, and it's gratifying that this experience will go to one of our students."
For those who want to catch Skye on Broadway in New York, tickets for the Broadway revival of Annie are available through
www.ticketmaster.com, by calling (877) 250-2929 or in person at the Palace Theatre box office (1564 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets). Premium seating is available.
The
Maltz Jupiter Theatre is producing its own version of the musical Annie this season as part of the Theatre's 2013/14 season, Your Ticket to Great Entertainment. Performances will take place December 3 - 22. For showtimes and ticket information, call (561) 575-2223 or visit
www.jupitertheatre.org.
For more information about the Conservatory or to sign up for classes or summer camp, call 561-575-2672 or visit
www.jupitertheatre.org/education for a complete schedule.
The not-for-profit
Maltz Jupiter Theatre has become one of Florida's preeminent professional theatres, committed to production and education through its collaborations with local and national artists. Currently the state's largest award-winning regional theatre, the Theatre draws over 70,000 people annually, serves a subscription base of more than 7,530 and has world-class classroom facilities in support of its Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Performing Arts, which serves hundreds of youth and adults. The Theatre is a member of the prestigious League of Resident Theatres and has earned numerous Carbonell Awards, South Florida's highest honor for artistic excellence, including the prestigious Bill Von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence in 2012. For more information about the Theatre's upcoming shows and Conservatory, visit
www.jupitertheatre.org or call the box office at (561) 575-2223.
Comments
To post a comment, you must
register and
login.
