Mary McDowell Friends Upper School A CENTURY OF CONNECTIONS: A MUSICAL REVUE

Broadway, regional, community theatres and most schools in the country were required to shut down all theatre and music programming during the pandemic, Mary McDowell Friends Upper School in Brooklyn Heights had other ideas. The artistic team--Peabody Award-winning producer/director Juleen Murray Shaw, IT wiz and assistant director Isabelle Pisini, music director and NYU Ph.D. Candidate Peter Tinaglia, Broadway arranger/orchestrator Haley Bennett, and editor Key Soto--joined forces to ensure their students had a full plate of remote performing arts opportunities to keep them grounded and looking forward right from their bedrooms.

A Century of Connections: A Musical Revue is anchored by the theme of connections, (something we have all struggled with in the last 18 months) with one musical number from each of the last ten decades, original narration (written by Murray Shaw), and beloved sketches made famous by comedy stars Groucho Marx, Burns & Allen, Abbott & Costello, Nichols & May, and Timmy Rogers.

Filming everything remotely on Google Meet was a challenge and a way to see how far they could push the platform in an artistic direction. They also had parents involved by taking all production stills that would be edited and laid over all voiceover narrations and comedy sketches to bring those to life. All but three musical numbers were filmed live action. The result is a moving and stunning show that makes audiences laugh, cry, and everything in between.

"A Century of Connections: A Musical Revue" is entertaining with substance, educational with humor, and compassionately reminds us, among its many wise and positive messages, to smile. The unique talents of every cast member shine through. Every minute was engaging and we found ourselves foot tapping, laughing, moved, indeed through our tears, smiling."

-Kathryn & David Canty

THANK YOU again for a wonderful production. The kids were amazing and looked so happy, which is monumental considering these tough and isolating times.

-Belinda Prada

"That was amazing. Don and I both cried."

-Emily Stephenson

Mary McDowell Friends School is a K-12 college preparatory program dedicated to the success of students with learning disabilities. Grounded in the Quaker values of equality, integrity, and social responsibility, we cultivate a diverse and anti-racist community in which all students can reach their full potential. Our specialized teaching methodologies and challenging curricula empower students to become academic achievers, creative thinkers, advocates for equity, and contributing members of a global society. https://new.marymcdowell.org/