Before picking up the accordion for his upcoming run in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, Okieriete “Oak” Onaodowan, from the original cast of Hamilton, will host the third annual Shubert Foundation High School Theatre Festival for New York City Public Schools.

On Monday, March 13th at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street) at 7 p.m, more than 100 students from five New York City high schools across the city make their Broadway debuts performing from their selected winter musicals or plays.

Additional guest artist presenters include Shoba Narayan, Nicholas Belton, and Paul Pinto of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, with cast members from Dear Evan Hansen.

A panel of professional theatre artists and theatre educators selected a total of five productions from a pool of 25 schools. Students from the chosen schools will present excerpted scenes and musical numbers from:

The Music Man: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts (Queens)
Almost, Maine: Brooklyn High School of the Arts (Brooklyn)
Company: Susan E. Wagner High School (Staten Island)
Angels In America: Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts (Manhattan)
Into The Woods: Edward R. Murrow High School (Brooklyn)

School principals and teachers, along with student family members, will attend to support their young performers representing four of the five boroughs, along with Philip J. Smith, Chairman of The Shubert Organization and Robert E. Wankel, President of The Shubert Organization.

New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña states:

“Theatre instruction teaches students the importance of rehearsing while building self-confidence and strengthening public speaking skills. These are critical skills that prepare students for college, careers and beyond. That’s why I’m so pleased that we continue to expand access to theatre programs and arts education across the City. In particular, we are committed to leveraging the incredible connections we have to New York City’s rich cultural resources and developing meaningful arts partnerships with organisations like Shubert.”

According to the press release:

“The High School Theatre Festival showcases the ongoing and excellent theatre work currently taking place in NYC public high schools, as well as highlighting the positive effects of theatre study on skills for the stage and in life: collaboration, artistry, discipline, focus, literacy, student voice, self-awareness, presence, active listening and empathy.”

Peter Avery, the Festival’s producer and the Director of Theater for the NYC Department of Education, further expressed the importance of the festival, and the impact it might have:

“How inspiring for our student performers to have such unique support for their Broadway debut of their show excerpts, from a professional tech crew and pit musicians to the broader embrace of the theatre community. Given today’s discourse, it is all the more crucial to celebrate the next generation of diverse, talented artists in our NYC public schools. These young men and women, representing a myriad of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, expand the definition of casting and collaborate to produce meaningful theatre for others.”

Sponsored by The Shubert Foundation in partnership with the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), the festival focuses on the impact a full theatre program might have on students and school communities, and further enables them to see theatre and the arts as a potential career path. Since 2005, The Shubert Foundation has provided more than $4.3 million to the New York City Department of Education for Theatre/Arts programs.

For more information, visit Shubert Foundation.

I’m the queen of talking about theatre and accessibility, but it’s time I put my (and other people’s) money where my mouth is.

This past school year I’ve had the honor of teaching over 200 amazing students in Brownsville, performing arts (Acting, Singing, Dancing) and as I sat at home, I wondered what I could do to make my class feel more real, more tangible. Sure they’ve had their winter concert, Black History Month show, and soon their Spring musicals but what else can I do? For many of my students this class was out of there comfort zone and over the course of the year I’ve noticed students really breaking out of their shells and discovering a new creative part of themselves.

Then I had this idea. I saw Shuffle Along Or the Making of the Musical Sensation and All That Followed while it was in previews and I was captivated from start to finish. There was a particular moment about William Grant Still that made it all click for me. I had just taught my students about William Grant Still a few weeks prior and here he was being presented in this amazing show. It came to me, I have to take some of my students to see this show, I must. So I thought long and hard about who would go and how I can make this possible. I came up with a list of 12 amazing, talented students that are I personally feel would benefit from seeing this show. Not only would they enjoy the dancing, singing, acting, lighting design, set design, orechestrations, but I picked students that would care about the history and the story being told. Students that would understand that it’s because of people from the past in the original Shuffle Along and the people in the present currently on stage performing at The Music Box that allow them, the people of the future, to be able to continue where they left off.

Check out one of my students KILLING “Seasons of Love” from the Broadway Musical RENT!

Y’all. This is what I get to do everyday. It’s the greatest job in the world! *Remember the LOVE* #teachdababies #igotababybelteronmyhands #gonnaturnherintoaMTnerd #watch

A video posted by Jazmine Harper-Davis (@themelaningawd) on Apr 19, 2016 at 3:38pm PDT

  This was powerful to me and I want my students to be able to see something that will hopefully inspire them to continue to be creative, to continue to strive for excellence in the arts, continue to grow and know there is a place for them in the theatre. I remember my High School Drama teacher taking me to see Broadway shows that forever changed the trajectory of my life and my career. It’s important for these students to see a show that tells a story that would otherwise be forgotten. It’s important that the story lives on and what better way to ensure that than with the next generation. My students. So I created a GoFundMe with the hope that people understand what I’m trying to do and feel inspired by it. Whether it be $5 or $50 this is a show that I fully expect to change these little performers lives. More info on the GoFundMe campaign can be found here.

  Two of the 12 students singing a bit of @hamiltonmusical with me after school! These are the kids you’re helping!!!! gofundme.com/LPBVMAShuffle   A video posted by Jazmine Harper-Davis (@themelaningawd) on Apr 22, 2016 at 12:00pm PDT

UPDATE: 4/25/16

Through the generosity of some amazing donors, we have met our goal, in only FIVE days. I honestly didn’t expect to meet it so soon, however because of this I’ve gotten word there are people who are still willing and wanting to give.

So we’re going to open the trip to add (4) more students (yay!) Any additional funding we receive will be used to take more students to see the show.

Once again from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU all who donated and shared with family and friends, this wouldn’t have been possible without any of your help.

Here’s a quick thank you in the form of some of the 6th grade students performing “Steppin To The Bad Side” from Dreamgirls!