Over 100 NYC Students Set for Circle in the Square's Teens on Broadway, 5/12

Teens On Broadway is an initiative of Circle in the Square Theatre School to celebrate, encourage and build the performing arts community in New York City public high schools.

On Monday, May 12th at 7 p.m., 120 students from the following schools will perform scenes of best works at Circle in the Square Theatre. The event will be attended by members of these school communities. The general public is also invited to attend.

· Fordham High School for the Arts (Bronx)

· Brooklyn High School of the Arts (Brooklyn)

· Dr. Susan S. McKinney Secondary School for the Arts (Brooklyn)

· Professional Performing Arts School (Manhattan)

· Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts (Manhattan)

· Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing & Visual Arts (Manhattan)

"With Teens On Broadway we celebrate achievements and encourage the desire of talented New York teens who dream of a career in the theater. We also support and acknowledge the many pre-professional public high school programs across the City that nurture new generations of theater-makers and theater-lovers."

- Circle in the Square Theatre School Board President Paul Libin

There are thirty NYC public high schools with pre-professional training programs. The opportunity to perform is rotated to make it equally accessible, regardless of how extensive or small each school's training program may be. The unifying factor is the students who aspire to performing arts careers. This year's six schools have each chosen 15 minutes excerpts that demonstrate the musical theater, drama, comedy, dance, and monologues they have been working on.

Students to be featured in Teens on Broadway 2014 include:

Nygeeba Gasques' original play Cupid's Blowout originated from a class improvisation, developed as a labor of love with the help of her class and the theater department. Nygeeba, a junior at Brooklyn HS of the Arts is also the theater department's primary costume designer. She has designed costumes for over five shows at the school.

Randy Arbujo entered Dr. Susan S. McKinney SSA because of its geographic convenience and selected to be a theatre major by default. Early in his sophomore year, Randy discovered his deep love of acting as he took on the role of Cassius in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

Having entered Fordham HS for the Arts as a transfer student Justin Valero found his niche in the musical theater program where he could express his talent and collaborate with peers, building a sense of confidence, community, and life-long friendships. Justin's dream is to become a professional performing artist.

Regan Sims is originating a character in Salomé of the Moon, a world-premiere by Nick Jones (writer, Orange is the New Black), commissioned by Waterwell at Professional Performing Arts School. After winning the NY State English-Speaking Union (ESU) Shakespeare competition, Regan will represent New York at the national competition.

Since entering Repertory Company HS as a shy, limited-English-speaking 9th grader, Betsy Paula has blossomed into a confident and talented young artist eager to share her gifts with the world. She has been cast this year as a lead in both main stage productions.

Wadleigh School for the Peforming Arts' Alana Cowan will appear in the season premiere of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and has been cast in a starring role in feature film The Best Man 3. Dariel Cruz studies with Anne Bogart's SITI Company at Skidmore University.