Center Stage @Mainstagearts

Do you think your kid has an interest in  performing arts ? Do you think your son or daughter can do well in this field? If that’s the case, even if your child has a busy academic schedule, enroll them in performing arts without any hesitation. The education of performing arts will undoubtedly play a significant role in your shaping of his or her future. Take note that even the researchers have linked the involvement in the arts for better child development and higher achievement. A few reasons to consider enrolling your kid in one of the best performing  art education classes in South Jersey  include: Higher academic achievement. Improved confidence and self-presentation skills. A medium for self-expression. Enhanced problem solving and perseverance. Developed empathy & compassion. That said, are you now interested in getting your son or daughter enrolled for performing arts classes in South Jersey? If so, choose  Mainstage Center for the...

It’s a show packed with memories for anyone who remembers the iconic 70s Saturday morning Schoolhouse Rock cartoon that taught history, grammar, math, science and politics through clever songs. The musical brings all of it to life onstage, chronicling the story of Tom, a nerve-wracked school teacher nervous about his first day of teaching. Tom tries to relax by watching TV when various characters representing facets of his personality emerge from the set and show him how to win his students over with imagination and music, through such beloved Schoolhouse Rock songs as  Just A Bill ,  Lolly, Lolly, Lolly  and  Conjunction Junction . For many, Schoolhouse Rock is pure nostalgia. “For me, as a middle school teacher in the 1980s and 1990s", says Ed Fiscella, Artistic Director for Mainstage Center for the Arts, " School House Rock was a shared experience. I used it in my teaching to make the subjects fun and memorable. Once the live shows b...

Mainstage Center for the Arts (MCA) is proud to present its third Summer Stage 2019 production of  Frozen JR ., based on the Disney Broadway hit  Frozen , on July 24-26, 2019.  This enchanting musical brings Elsa (played at various ages by Charlotte Capie as the young Elsa, Claire Corriveau as the middle Elsa, and Diana Pinolini as the adult Elsa), and Anna (Played by Riley Cassidy as the young Anna, Olivia Williams as the middle Anna, and Caroline Corriveau as the adult Anna), and the magical land of Arendelle to life, onstage. The show features all of the memorable songs from the animated film, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, plus five new songs written for the Broadway production. A story of true love and acceptance between sisters who are kept apart by prejudice and fear, but are later brought together by courage and love. The plot thickens with a zany talking snowman, a sinister prince charming, and lots of ice...

I saw The Drowsy Chaperone for the first time on Sunday.   After watching High School Musical JR and Cinderella , I was pleasantly caught off guard by the adult humor.   But before I say anymore, here’s a quick synopsis, in case you’re new to this musical as well: A Broadway fanatic, who narrates much of the story from his chair, listens to a recording of a fictional 1928 musical comedy, The Drowsy Chaperone .    While listening to the record from his chair in his apartment, the characters from the musical appear and his apartment is now the set of a Broadway musical.   Essentially, The Drowsy Chaperone is a show-within-a-show, that centers on Janet Van De Graaff, a showgirl who plans to give up her career in order to marry an oil tycoon, Robert Martin.   Janet’s "Drowsy" (i.e. "Tipsy") Chaperone, is charged with keeping Janet away from Robert, as the soon-to-be bride and groom shouldn’t see each other before the wedding. Watching from hi...

Mainstage’s Center for the Arts Cinderella  performance was phenomenal!  My lens was from that of a dancer. I have always admired dancers—their gracefulness, the fluidity of their movements and the effortless way they handle intricate choreography.  So much so, that in college, (which seems like many moons ago) I participated in several semesters of African Drum and Dance.  I recently started dancing again, this time as a backup dancer to a local artist.  The choreography is typically to Afrobeats, a music genre that blends West African musical styles with jazz, soul, funk and in more contemporary tracks, electronic music.  Many people today would describe Afrobeat as a mix of African music with Western-pop.  To learn choreography for a typical 3-minute song has required numerous hours of practice per week.  So, when I watched Mainstage’s Cinderella performance, I was truly in awe over the vocals and particularly the dance chor...

As a published poet, I have a deep love for the arts, but zero talent when it comes to performing my work. So, as a new member of the Mainstage Center for the Arts team, I was most excited about attending the performances. As I suspected, I was not disappointed. My first show was Disney’s High School Musical JR . Quick synopsis in case you haven't seen the musical: It’s the first day after winter break at East High. The Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes all find their cliques. Basketball team captain and resident jock, Troy, discovers that the brainy Gabriella, a girl he met singing karaoke on his ski trip, has just enrolled at East High. The couple cause an upheaval when they decide to audition for the high school musical. Although many students resent the threat posed to the “status quo,” Troy and Gabriella’s alliance might just open the door for others to shine as well. The Mainstage cast was phenomenal with classic themes that emerged during the ...

     Disney's High School Musical JR. 60-Minute Version   We're all in this together in Disney Channel's smash hit musical phenomenon.  Summer Stage Children’s Theatre 31 st season kicks off with High School Musical, Jr.   Based on the Emmy-award winning television movie, High School Musical , it runs July 10-12, Dennis Flyer Theatre, Camden County College, Blackwood. Bowman & Co, 1 st Colonial Community Bank, and Ryan Bansky Expert Tree Service sponsor the production. Disney Channel's smash hit movie musical comes to life at Summer Stage at Mainstage Center for the Arts  in   Disney’s High School Musical JR.  Troy, Gabriella and the students of East High must deal with issues of love, friends and family while balancing their classes and extra curricular activities. The show’s infectious, danceable songs are sure to engage performers and audiences alike. Tickets to High School Musical, Jr, are $12 adul...