North Carolina Theatre Conservatory presents OKLAHOMA!

North Carolina Theatre Conservatory, NC Theatre's flagship training program offering professional instruction in acting, voice and dance for ages three to adult, is excited to bring to the stage their production of Oklahoma!, July 7-9, 2017, at the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater in downtown Raleigh. The show will be produced by the students of NC Theatre Conservatory's Master Summer Theatre Arts School, NC Theatre's four-week summer camp with emphasis on pre-professional training of the highest caliber culminating in a full-scale musical production. Students range in age from middle school to rising college students. This production also features a "kids chorus" of elementary school aged children.

Oklahoma! will be directed and choreographed by Dance Department Head, Tito Hernandez, and produced by NC Theatre Conservatory Artistic Director, Ray Walker. With more than 20 years of experience as a professional choreographer, actor, dancer and educator, Tito Hernandez made his Broadway debut in the Tony award winning musical Jerome Robbins' Broadway. Other credits include Bob Fosses' Dancin', Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, the National Tour of Evita and The Gingerbread Lady starring Oscar winner Shelly Winters. Mr. Hernandez has had a long history with NC Theatre, including choreographing productions of Evita, (starring Ray Walker and Lauren Kennedy), The King and I (starring Lou Diamond Phillips) and NC Theatre's Summer Theatre Arts School.

An evergreen classic, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! will have audiences smiling from ear to ear. With its legendary score, Oklahoma! tells a tale of young love in a land of endless possibilities. This joyous celebration of America's heartland features memorable songs, "People Will Say We're In Love," "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin," and many more.

NC Theatre Conservatory will do four performances of Oklahoma! at the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater. Performance dates and times are as follows:

Friday, July 7th: 7:30PM

Saturday, July 8th: 2PM and 7:30PM

Sunday, July 9th: 2PM

Tickets for Oklahoma! Start at $25. To purchase, visit NCTheatreConservatory.com or call 919-831-6941 x6944.

NC Theatre Conservatory is celebrating their 12th anniversary as the flagship education program of the North Carolina Theatre, which has been producing professional Broadway-caliber musicals in Raleigh for over thirty years. The Conservatory is a supportive, challenging and innovative environment where students receive instruction in dance, acting and singing. The teachers are professional working actors that have performed on Broadway and other stages across the country. The Conservatory runs year-round programming in addition to the summer programs. Registration for fall classes are now open. For more information and to register, visit www.nctheatreconservatory.com.

Carly Grissom (Laurey) is a recent graduate of Broughton High School and is thrilled to be back on the Master Summer Theatre Arts School stage, one last time. In May, she finished her tenth and final year at the Conservatory, where she was part of the Elite Live on Stage and Dance Companies and honored as a recipient of the De Ann S. Jones College Scholarship. In August, Carly will be attending Shenandoah University to pursue a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. She has previously appeared in NC Theatre Conservatory's The Who's Tommy, In the Heights and Crazy For You (Polly Baker). NC Theatre credits include Spamalot, Grease, Les Misérables, Evita, and Oliver. Other credits include Mary Phagan in Theatre Raleigh's Parade, Oh What a Night II, Music of Hot Summer Nights and A Christmas Story.

Jack Russell Richardson (Curly) has appeared in NC Theatre productions of Spamalot and Grease. He's also appeared in NC Theatre Conservatory productions of Jake's Women (Jake), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Reuben), Trojan Women (Talthybius), Crazy for You (Eugene), and Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter). With Theatre Raleigh he's appeared in The Wolf (Peter) and in Broadway Series South's Frosty the Snowman (Joey). This is Jack's tenth and final year as a Conservatory student. In the fall he will be attending Ithaca College for a B.F.A in Musical Theatre.

Matthew Sheaffer (Jud Fry) Oklahoma! Is Matthew's fourth Master Summer Theatre Arts School production. Past Master Summer Theatre Art School roles include Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph), Crazy for You (Moose), and Jesus Christ Superstar (Priest, Apostle). Recent musical/drama credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy), Once...Mattress (Jester), Our Town (George Gibbs), and Addams Family (Fester). At Raleigh Little Theatre he's appeared in Avenue Q (Bad Idea Bear) and Memphis. Matt will appear this fall in Richard III (Richard). He's a member of NC Theatre Conservatory's Elite Live on Stage and Dance Companies. A rising 12th grader at Ravenscroft, he studies voice, dance, drama and cello.

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