BWW Reviews: Youthful Talent Abounds in Charlotte

SONGS STORIES AND STARS at Matthews Playhouse was a fun live musical review for serious performing youth. Campers (8-12 grade) had just 28 hours to learn the skills and techniques of musical theater in this "PRE-PROFESSIONAL SUMMER PROGRAM". The numbers included "Pure Imagination" Everything Old is New Again", "Feel at Home with You", "The Lady is a Tramp", "Thou Swell" and "Goodbye", along with other well-known show numbers, scenes and monologues. The masterful instructors, Ron Chisholm, Bo Broadwell, Colin Ruffer, Ellen Robison and Lucia Stetson brought a professional curriculum to this ensemble group which included Treena Chaudhuri, Marisa Becht, Lucy Cain, Arella Flur, Lauder Fuhrmann, Melinda Harrison, Gracie Matthews, Carson Palmer, Jessie Sherman, Hailey Thomas, Ava Wolf, Leila Wu, Aidan Loretz, Quinn Riback, Nina Zarrillo, Nolan Dunagan, Stewart Harrison, Elysia Kirk, Ryann Losee, Grace McKinney, Hope Nicholson, Emilee Pope, Laurel Farr and Abby Sand. Some of the campers had never danced or tapped before this week. They were all in-step for every number in this entertaining review. The musical numbers were accompanied by Colin Ruffer and Ellen Robison on piano and John Hogan on drums. This is a great camp experience for those wanting to perform professionally in musical theater. Classes are ongoing at Matthews Playhouse, www.matthewsplayhouse.com 704-846-8343.

AN ACTOR'S SHOWCASE at Duke Energy Theater, produced by Charlotte Acting, a division of Corlin Productions, LLC, was the culmination of a weeklong intensive "MINI BEGINNING ACTING CAMP" and an "INTERMEDIATE ACTING & SCENE STUDY CAMP" for youth. Campers included Elora Tickle, McKinley Tickle, Paul Goodwin, Keller Moore, Seth Bingham and Gavin Humpal. They had just 16 hours to refine their acting skills for this dramatic showcase filled with scenes and monologues. This camp's professional curriculum teaches techniques including sense memory, personalization, substitution and creative hiding for a truthful performance on-camera or on-stage. Each actor's commitment to the emotional connection to character was apparent in this showcase. The next classes "BEGINNING ACTING & SCENE STUDY" and "PROFESSIONAL FILMMAKING & EDITING" for youth will be starting in fall. Adult classes at Charlotte Acting are ongoing at Spirit Square. Contact www.CharlotteActing.com 704-849-2025.