Woodruff School Warms the Winter with FROZEN JR.

Disney's Frozen JR. is playing at Woodruff School from Friday, April 12th, 2019 through Sunday, April 14th, 2019 at 7pm Friday and Saturday, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. The spectacular 60-minute musical, designed for middle school-aged performers, is based on the 2013 Disney film and the 2018 Broadway adaptation. The Woodruff School ACE Music cast includes 50 students led by Director Spencer Lau, Associate Director Tanya Nakai, Choreographer John Stephan, Vocal Coach Kayleigh Whitmore, Assistant Choreographer Lindsay Nakai and Casting Directors Jaclyn Pohlig and Sarah Moore.

"We are incredibly excited to be presenting the Jr. adaptation based on the Broadway show version of the movie Frozen. We are blessed to have a tremendously talented bunch of kids on and off stage. This is such a family favorite show and hope to see lots of our younger audience members come in costume." says Kayleigh Whitmore.

Do you want to build a snowman? You'll love this fanciful and heartwarming stage adaptation of the top-grossing animated film of all time! Join Anna, Elsa, and all of your favorite characters as they embark on an epic, ice-filled journey of self-discovery, camaraderie, and the real meaning of true love. Adapted for young performers, this musical includes favorite Frozen songs such as "Love Is an Open Door," "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?," and "Let It Go," as well as wonderful new songs from the Broadway production. With its empowering message of love and understanding, Frozen JR. is sure to melt your heart!

For information on purchasing tickets please visit www.udts.org or call Dana Frazer (856) 455-2267 x4220 for reservations.

Disney's Frozen JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all materials are provided by Music Theatre International [423 West 55th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10019.]. For more information about licensing Frozen JR. or other Disney shows, please visit www.DisneyMusicals.com.

Sophia Everingham and Grace Frazer will lead the cast as Anna and Elsa and will be joined by Brendon Pierce (Kristoff), Andrew Higgs (Hans), Aiden Yeboah (Olaf) and Kaleb Hadley (Sven). Joining them will be Julia DiFilippantonio (Young Anna), Rachel Salvatierra (Young Elsa), Isabella Praul (Oaken), Luciano Sanchez (King Agnarr), Lillian Cruz Garcia (Queen Iduna), Anthony Bui (Pabbie), Eva Vittorini (Bulda) and Ayden Horsman (Duke of Weselton).

They will be joined by Aaliyah Telfair, Abby Shafer, Trinity Williams, Caitlyn Lupton, Yancy Stone, Jessica Gibbs, Theresa Ingegneri, Carli Morgan, Minh Hoang, Isabella Howard, Hope Johnson, Megan Basile, Anna Nichols, Sarah Williams, Kayleigh Smallwood, Jade Morgan, Story Dagostino, Karelly Balbuena, Brynn Gioia, Alaina Briggs, Jordan Dover, Jamera Willis, Abby Lee, Brendon Pierce, Abby Lee, Nya Stephenson and Ava Piatt.

About Woodruff School ACE Music:

The Woodruff School ACE Music Program is composed of middle school students in grades 6-8 in Southern New Jersey. Students are selected via an audition at the end of each academic year that includes a written theory test, singing audition, teacher recommendation, and a grade/disciplinary review. Students need not excel in every area but are judged on drive, determination, and commitment to the program. Students that are accepted to any part of the music program must sign a contract saying they understand their role and the expectations that they must meet. The contract also states that all the students who meet their contract also are eligible for all trips, regardless of financial status.

The ACE Music Program approaches each show and rehearsal process as a professional company would, with the goal that students learn all aspects of musical theater and how to perform at a professional level. Students learn about how to create and become a character as well as what would be expected of them if they were to audition and perform in a company show in any major city. Each year the program is called upon to perform at multiple community events such as Veteran's Day and Community Day. Students of ACE Music Program also participate as actors in emergency drills to help maintain Township preparedness and put on a performance of their annual school musical for local seniors as well as the other elementary schools in the area. The Woodruff School was named a 2014 Best Community for Music Education by NAMM and was one of the opening acts for the country band Lonestar.

Woodruff ACE Music's JTF Team is comprised of 8th and 7th Graders from the program with a select group of 6th Graders attending.

The group has enjoyed past success at the Junior Theater Festival. At the 2018 Junior Theater Festival Atlanta, Woodruff ACE Music's Lindsay Nakai won a Freddie G award for Outstanding Student Direction & Choreography. At the 2017 Junior Theater Festival Woodruff ACE Music's Woodruff ACE Music's Gavin Frazer was one of 11 students named to Tech Theater All-Stars. This select group worked side by side with seasoned professionals, and served on the technical crew for the awards ceremony. Gavin Frazer was also one of three students awarded the fourth annual Sharidan Giles Technical Theater Award Scholarship. Additionally, Woodruff ACE Music was picked to be one of the pilot schools working with Disney Theatrical Group presenting Aladdin JR. based on the hit Broadway show version of the show.

In 2016 Woodruff School ACE Music student Korrine Maurer won a Freddie G Inspirational Student Award - given to a student who inspires the adjudicators in some way. In 2015, the students earned a Freddie G group award for Excellence in Acting. At the 2014 festival the group won a Freddie G Excellence in Ensemble Work award, and student Desmond Martinez was awarded the Sharidan Giles Technical Scholarship. Martinez was also one of 11 students named to Tech Theater All-Stars, and worked side-by-side with festival professionals to help stage festival events. In 2013, the first year the group attended the Junior Theater Festival, Woodruff ACE students won a Freddie G Outstanding Community Service award, which honors the group that has most given back to its community over the past year. Teacher Spencer Lau was one of eight exceptional educators from schools and performing arts centers around the country selected to participate in "The Freddie G Broadway Experience"-an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City in the summer of 2013 to collaborate with each other and work one-on-one with Broadway greats.

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.

MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials, and dynamic theatrical resources to over 70,000 professional, community, and school theatres in the US and in over 60 countries worldwide.

MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI's Broadway Junior shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI's School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.

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