Jason Robert Brown, Jeanine Tesori and Martin Charnin Come to WPPAC for 'Creating Broadway' Series This Summer, Fall

The White Plains Performing Arts Center Conservatory Theatre has announced the premiere of the Creating Broadway Series. This series will spotlight top-notch Broadway artists showcasing the talents that got them to the Great White Way. The series will be presented in the form of concerts, master classes, lectures and workshops. Whether participating or observing, these events promise to be amazing opportunities for teaching and learning for theatre enthusiasts and professionals of all levels.

To kick off the series, we've invited three incredible Broadway composers and lyricists: Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Violet, Shrek), Jason Robert Brown (Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas, Parade) and Martin Charnin (Annie).

Audition Technique Master Class with Tony-Nominated Composer Jeanine Tesori

Monday, July 28, 8pm

Click here for tickets ($20)

Tony-nominated composer Jeanine Tesori will lead an audition technique workshop with 4-6 actors where she will review and critique their performances, teaching tricks of the trade along the way. Ms. Tesori's extraordinary body of work includes the current Tony nominated revival of Violet with Sutton Foster and the recent Off-Broadway hit Fun Home, which she co-authored with Lisa Kron. Fun Home was honored with the Outer Critics Circle, Obie Award and Drama Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical of 2014. Her other Tony nominated musical include Shrek, Thoroughly Modern Mille, Caroline or Change and Lincoln Center's Twelfth Night. Tesori is the Artistic Director of a new concert series of Off-Broadway musicals, Encores! Off-Center, holds numerous film and television credits, and is a visiting teacher at Yale University. Observer tickets are available for $20.

Jason Robert Brown in Concert to benefit the WPPAC Conservatory Theatre

Wednesday, August 6, 8pm

Click here for tickets ($35 for adults and $25 for students 22 and younger)

WPPAC is delighted to announce a benefit concert for the Conservatory Theatre program. Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown will perform from the piano an evening of songs from his amazing canon of shows. Jason Robert Brown is the ultimate multi-hyphenate -- an equally skilled composer, lyricist, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, director and performer -- best known for his dazzling scores to several of the most renowned musicals of his generation, including the recently revived The Last Five Years, his debut song cycle Songs for a New World, the 2014 Tony Award winning Bridges of Madison County and the upcoming Broadway production of Honeymoon In Vegas.

Mr. Brown won his first Tony and Drama Desk Awards for the 1998 production of Parade. The WPPAC Conservatory Theatre is currently producing Parade as a part of our summer theatre season with performances on August 8-10. Click here for more information or to purchase Parade tickets.

Jason Robert Brown's concert is not to be missed. He is entertaining, outspoken and always educational. Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for students 22 and younger.

Martin Charnin: Sculpting the Song for Performance or Audition

Monday, September 8, 8pm

Click here for tickets ($20)

The third stop in WPPAC's Composer Series will be with Tony-winning lyricist Martin Charnin, who will work with actors to provide techniques for rounding out songs in their repertoire for performance or audition. Charnin has been the director, lyricist, composer, librettist, producer or a combination for over 85 theatrical productions. He is best known for his work as the conceiver, director and lyricist of the Tony Award-winning musical, Annie and its sequel, Annie Warbucks. During his extensive career, Charnin has received four Tony nominations, one Tony Award, seven Grammy Awards, three Emmy Awards, three Gold records, two Platinum records, six Drama Desk Awards and a Peabody Award for Broadcasting. Master Class participants will be selected, by audition, from ticket buyers. Participants must be 14 or older to audition (with no age restriction for observers). Tickets for this Master Class are $20 each.

To buy tickets to one or more of the events, visit www.wppac.com and click on "Buy Tickets" or call the box office at 914-328-1600. All events take place at the White Plains Performing Arts Center, 11 City Place (at City Center), 3rd Floor, White Plains, NY 10601.