COCA Announces Author Series, 2012 Summer Arts Programs and More

 COCA announces its line-up for this weekend, including TRIumphant, its Spring Repertory Concert to be held this Friday, April 20 at 7 p.m. and April 21, 22 at 2 p.m.

Ballet Eclectica, COCAdance and the Hip-Hop Crew conclude their 2011-12 seasons with work by choreographers including Jose Limon (re-staged by Danny Lewis), Darrell Grand Moultrie, Antonio Douthit, Kirven J. Boyd, Dace Dindonis (re-staged by Jeanne Engel), Anthony Redd Williams and Christine Kardell. There will be a special send-off to graduating seniors.

Purchase tickets for $15 ($10 for students with ID).

Allegro Showcase will highlight vocal performers Saturday, April 28 at 5:30pm. COCA’s teen vocal ensemble performs its end of season showcase. Purchase tickets for $8 ($6 for students with ID).

Tickets are now on sale for COCA's second annual business creativity conference "SPARK: Where Do Great Ideas Begin?" featuring best-selling authors/speakers Seth Godin, Jonah Lehrer and Linda Kaplan Thaler.

Seth Godin
May 10 and 11 at COCA
Thursday, May 10, 4:00-6:00pm (includes cocktail reception)
Business Week’s “Ultimate Entrepreneur for the Information Age” Seth Godin is a best-selling author, entrepreneur and change agent. In his incredibly popular blog and 13 mind-bending books, Godin advocates the use of creative, remarkable thing to transform business ideas and practice. Successful Meetings named Godin one of the top speakers for the 21st century.
Purchase tickets to Seth Godin keynote and reception now.

Jonah Lehrer
Friday, May 11, 8:00-9:30am (includes continental breakfast)
Author of the New York Times best-seller Imagine: How Creativity Works, Jonah Lehrer presents a myth-busting, revelatory look at the science of creativity. A sought-after speaker, Rhodes Scholar and contributor to Wired magazine, Lehrer is called an “important new thinker” by the Los Angeles Times. Sponsored by Cannon Design.

Linda Kaplan Thaler
Friday, May 11, 3:00-4:00pm
The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Creative Officer of the Kaplan Thaler Group, a billion-dollar advertising and entertainment company, Thaler is responsible for some of the most memorable advertising in America. She is a television personality and co-author of The Power of Small: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness and Bang! Getting Your Message Heard in a Noisy World.

COCA has also announced its Summer Arts Programs for Teens, June 4-August 17. COCA Summer Arts Camps aren’t just for kids! Teenagers can indulge their passion for dance, theatre, visual arts and more in 65 programs conceived with their talents and interests in mind. Half and full-day programs for middle and high school students run the gamut from introductory level studios to intensive training programs led by arts professionals. Available offerings follow.

THEATRE
Audition Studio, Broadway Studio, Suzuki Acting Studio

CULINARY ARTS
Incredible Ice Cream, Farm to Table, Culinary Passport

DANCE
Fundamentals of Hip-Hop, Ballet Intensive,
The Real World: Professional Experience with Jon Lehrer

VISUAL ARTS
Fashion Challenge, Manga for Teens, Pottery Wheel

MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Camp Africa, Passport French Tour, Poetry Workshop

COCA offers youth another chance to be involved in the arts this summer with its Summer Youth Musical. COCA has announced an open call for auditions for its production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Junior, to be held Friday, May 11, 6:00-8:00pm and Saturday, May 12, Noon-3:00pm.

Students (ages 9-14) are invited to audition for Willy Wonka Jr., based on the novel by Roald Dahl. The COCA Youth Musical is directed by Joe Schoen and Libby Salvia. Rehearsals are fully supervised and take place during COCA “camp days” June 4-June 22, with a final performance scheduled for June 22.

Students should prepare 32 bars of a song and provide sheet music and a headshot/photo. Cast members will be asked to pay a participation fee of $475 ($450 for COCA members). Financial aid is available to those who qualify.

Finally, The Kennedy Center’s Sean Layne will lead two workshops designed for classroom teachers and artists. These workshops are offered as part of COCA’s Interchange Summer Institute.

Acting Right will be held Wednesday, May 30, 9:00am-Noon or 1:00-4:00pm, and costs $75. Living Pictures will be held Thursday, May 31, 9:00-10:30am or 10:45-12:15pm and costs $5. Register at COCA. Space is limited.