Walnut Welcomes LiveUp Philly Participants

On Saturday, May 27, Philadelphia-based actors currently performing in Walnut Street Theatre's production of Saturday Night Fever The Musical, Ben Dibble and Billy D. Hart, will share the joy of song and dance in a one-day theatre workshop with participants of the LiveUp Philly Program.

LiveUp is a volunteer-run organization that provides weekend programs for adults with Down syndrome in cities across the country, including San Diego, Boston, Washington D.C. and New York City. Philadelphia's branch of the organization runs a four-day program each Memorial Day Weekend at Holy Family University in Northeast Philadelphia. Each year, participants celebrate the start of summer with a series of exciting group activities such as sightseeing, visiting cultural destinations, and attending a barbecue.

From 10:00am to 11:30am on May 27, the LiveUp Philly group will visit the Walnut Street Theatre for a unique theatre workshop created just for their group. In support of LiveUp Philly's mission to empower its participants to learn, grow and thrive while having fun, Walnut Street Theatre has organized a morning workshop focused on the music and choreography that is featured in its current production of Saturday Night Fever The Musical (playing through July 16). Introducing the moves and grooves of the 1970s disco era will be Ben Dibble and Billy D. Hart.

On stage, Ben Dibble plays Monty, a disco DJ, and sings the leading vocals on some of The Bee Gees' most recognizable hits including "More Than a Woman," "You Should Be Dancing" and "Night Fever." Dibble will begin the workshop by teaching selections from the musical's score. Billy D. Hart, a member of the Ensemble seen in Saturday Night Fever's dynamic dance routines, will pull straight from the show's vibrant choreography to get the group ready to boogie with The Bee Gees tunes selected by Dibble. The LiveUp Philly group's visit to the Walnut will conclude with a backstage tour of the Saturday Night Fever set, led by Walnut Resident Teaching Artist Jasmine Hammond.

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