TADA! Youth Theater Announces Their 27th Season

TADA! Youth Theater, Drama Desk Award Winner for "providing an invaluable contribution to the future of the theater", announces its 27th Season. The season will include four musicals performed by the Resident Youth Ensemble, TADA!'s free, year-round, youth development and training program comprised of talented local kids between the ages of 8 and 18.; educational
programming; and various special events. Artistic Director, Janine Nina Trevens is excited for the upcoming year, "in the shows this season we explore themes of freedom and acceptance; about being who you are and the responsibilities we have to ourselves and our communities. I love how this messaging mirrors TADA!'s mission." The season commences on November 18 at 6 p.m. with Sneak Peek: School of Rockwell a fundraising event including a pre-show reception with
composer Eric Rockwell, a performance, and a post-show Q&A celebrating TADA!'s 20 year collaboration with Rockwell. Saturday and Sunday performances are at 2 p.m. & 4 p.m. Sneak Peak will include various numbers from past TADA!-Rockwell collaborations and a sneak peek at
musical numbers from the upcoming season as well as some Rockwell numbers from his Off-Broadway and other work.

Trevens remarks that collaboration with Rockwell "has been tremendous for TADA!. His dedication to our success includes composing and/or conceiving over 11 musicals and working with company members as a vocal teacher. He is an absolute treasure."

On January 20 (through February 19) TADA! will present The History Mystery, a musical time travel adventure--meet Martin Luther King, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and the Wright Brothers as children and imagine why they grew up to do the things they did. The book is by
Janine Nina Trevens, music by Eric Rockwell, and lyrics by Margaret Rose.

April 27 through May 20th is the World Premiere of Up To You. Who has the most school spirit? Who will rule the school in 1977? Will it be the cheerleaders, the jocks, the drama freaks, the nerds, or the brains? Don't miss this, like, way cool musical... Be there or be square! The book and music are by Eric Rockwell and lyrics are by Joanne Bogart.

The season concludes with a favorite from TADA!'s "Everything About" series, Everything About School (Almost) on July 12 through August 4. Follow 8 kids from elementary school through high school graduation in a comic look at how friendships are built and memories are made. The
show was conceived by Eric Rockwell with music and lyrics by Brad Alexander, Daniel Aquisto, Gary Bagley, Deirdre Broderick, Helen Chayefsky, Richard Chiarappa, Van Dean, David Ganon, Keith Gordon, Bruce Keisling, Jim Lochner, Dan Shore, Shawn Sturnick, Eddie Sugarman, Eric Rockwell, and Margaret Rose.

TADA!'s fall classes are currently running through December 17 and will start again in January. The weekly after-school classes and school-break Week-Long and 1-Day camps offer students the chance to experience the joy of musical theater through songs and choreography from original TADA! shows and age-appropriate selections from Broadway. All TADA! classes meet weekly and are team-taught by two of New York's best Teaching Artists and culminate with a Sharing in the
last session. In keeping with TADA!'s philosophy, each class provides learning for a range of ages. TADA! works to build self confidence and challenges each child to be the very best they can be.
This year TADA! will host two fundraisers. On March 4, 2012 TADA! will be hosting a live auction event with performances by members of the Resident Youth Ensemble. This will be done in tandem with an online auction. June 2, 2012 is the annual Dance-a-Thon, a kid-fueled
fundraiser at TADA!.

ABOUT TADA!:
Since 1984, TADA! Youth Theater has been providing young people of all different backgrounds the opportunity to explore and perform musical theater together in an educational, supportive and professional environment. TADA! has received many honors and awards including the
American Alliance for Theater Education's Anne Flagg Multicultural Award, Family Circle Magazine's 1st Annual Halo Award, and more than a dozen National Youth Theatre Awards. Additionally, in 2008 TADA! was honored with a Coming Up Taller Award, our nation's highest honor for
youth development from the President's Committee on the Arts & Humanities, and in 2009 with a Special Drama Desk Award for "providing an invaluable contribution to the future of the theater." TADA! is the only youth theater to have won this prestigious award. Every year, TADA! produces: original musical theater productions performed by kids for family audiences; a discounted ticket program; free pre-professional training and youth development opportunities through the Resident Youth Ensemble composed of over 65 NYC kids ages 8-18; renowned Arts Education in-school residencies and after-school programs; and theater classes and camps for kids of all ages taught by professional teaching artists and for which need-based financial aid is readily available.

ABOUT TADA! PRODUCTIONS:
TADA!'s original productions employ professional directors, designers, technicians and musicians who work with a multi-ethnic cast of NYC children (ages 8-18) who are members of the TADA! Resident Youth Ensemble. TADA!'s productions lauded by critics around the country including Back Stage about Rockwell's music for TADA!'s production of Princess Phooey "varied tuneful songs with wittily subversive lyrics...are fun, never patronizing," said Harry Forbes (April 29, 2008)
and Theateronline.com who said, "Fresh, updated...will surely delight the entire family." TADA!'s Alum include Kerry Washington, Josh Peck, Christina Vidal, Mizuo Peck, Jordan Peele and Ricki Lake.

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