Photo Flash: Hunter Foster Visits URINETOWN Workshop at STAGES St. Louis' Performing Arts Academy

STAGES Performing Arts Academy expanded their teen performance workshop this Summer by moving to the state-of-the-art Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School. The three-week program features professional teachers, directors, and guest artists from around the country, resulting in a final full-scale production of Urinetown: The Musical. As STAGES Performing Arts Academy teens neared the end of the rehearsal process, they were greeted by a surprise audience member. On August 2nd, Hunter Foster, who originated the lead role of Bobby Strong in the first Broadway production of Urinetown, stopped in to catch the final dress rehearsal of the show, offering a very special "break a leg" to the young cast. Check out photos from his visit below!

Foster is not new to Broadway by any means. His breakthrough role in Tony Award-winning show Urinetown: The Musical earned him individual honors from the Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards. After his critically acclaimed performance, he went on to play Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors which earned him a Tony Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical. Aside from a stellar Broadway career, Foster is also a playwright, having written the libretto for an off-Broadway musical based on the motion picture Summer of '42.

His younger sister, actress Sutton Foster, adds even more Tony Awards to the family collection. Her awards include Best Lead Actress in a Musical for the 2002 Broadway production of Thoroughly Modern Mille and the 2011 production of Anything Goes, along with three other Tony nominations. She currently is starring in the popular ABC show Bunheads. This remarkable brother-sister team is the talk of Broadway, and they are putting their fame to use by educating theatre students wherever they go.

The Fosters regularly go out into the communities and love meeting aspiring Broadway stars. Sutton teaches master classes at universities and high schools around the nation. Hunter, while busy performing and writing, still makes time to pursue his passion for teaching as well. Hunter was able to extend his expertise while in St. Louis as he made his Muny debut in Pirates! as the Pirate King. Paul Pagano, board member and St. Louis University High School teacher of theatre and fine arts said, "Hunter was very eager to come out and meet the kids, and he did us one better. He asked if he could see a rehearsal run through, in addition to having a meet and greet."

The students were thrilled to have the original Bobby Strong in their midst. The talented teens in this comprehensive workshop showed Foster everything they had. The busy Broadway star gave the aspiring teens advice, tips and no doubt created a wonderful STAGES Performing Arts Academy memory the teens will cherish forever.

The performance workshop of Urinetown: The Musical is directed by Peggy Taphorn (Producing Artistic Director of the Temple Theatre in Sanford, NC), with musical direction by Greg Schweizer (Visual and Performing Arts Director at Visitation Academy), and choreography by Ellen Isom (returning choreographer for STAGES Theatre for Young Audiences productions). The new technical workshop for teens is led by Joe Novak (former STAGES Production Manager and current Technical Director at Chaminade) and Sean Savoie (Lighting Designer and Production Manager for Washington University). The final performance will be held on Friday, August 3, 2012 at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts, 425 South Lindbergh Boulevard. For more information, go to www.stagesstlouis.org or call 636.449.5775.

STAGES ST. LOUIS is committed to preserving and advancing the art form of Musical Theatre through excellence in performance and education.The recipient of twenty-eight Kevin Kline Awards over the past seven years, including three awards for Outstanding Production of a Musical, STAGES has become the leading company for musical theatre performance and education in the Midwest.

Photos courtesy STAGES St. Louis (on Facebook here).

Hunter Foster answering questions at the workshop

STAGES Workshop

Hunter Foster with the Production Team

Hunter Foster and Company

Hunter Foster and Company

STAGES St. Louis' URINETOWN Workshop

STAGES St. Louis' URINETOWN Workshop

STAGES St. Louis' URINETOWN Workshop

STAGES St. Louis' URINETOWN Workshop

STAGES St. Louis' URINETOWN Workshop

STAGES St. Louis' URINETOWN Workshop

STAGES St. Louis' URINETOWN Workshop

STAGES St. Louis' URINETOWN Workshop

STAGES St. Louis' URINETOWN Workshop

Hunter Foster with the URINETOWN Cast and Creative Team

Hunter Foster with the URINETOWN Cast and Creative Team