Music Dance Theatre Workshops Bring Broadway Coaching to Indianapolis

A new program is coming to town! Music Dance Theatre Workshops brings Broadway performers to Indianapolis to give personalized coaching and performance instruction to young actors in the central-Indiana arts community. All teaching artists are originally from the Midwest, most with ties to Indianapolis. These performers, many with Broadway credits, are excited to give back to the community that shaped them into the artists they have become today!

Out of the 14 teaching artists, 7 are originally from Indianapolis and got their start in high school and local community theatres like Footlite Musicals, Civic Theatre, and Buck Creek Players to name a few! Full bios of each artist are available on the website; highlights include Broadway's Ghost, The Lion King, Shrek, Riverdance, The Book of Mormon, an Off-Broadway Music Director, Rent, High School Musical, Tokyo Disney and more!

Cessalee Stovall, (that's me!) program director, leads the talented staff. Ms. Stovall is joining the cast of the Broadway tour of The Book of Mormon in November. Additional teaching artists for week one are Chicago and New York actors Melody Betts and Grant Thomas. Also joining the artists for week one is Indianapolis native, Broadway Actress, Moya (Campbell) Angela. Ms. Angela is a North Central HS grad, and just completed her run of Ghost on Broadway last week.

Week two teaching artists are Cessalee Stovall, long-time American Cabaret Theatre music director Michael Murray, and Indianapolis natives Christopher Noffke and L. Steven Taylor. Mr. Murray is a singer and music director both in New York off-Broadway and in New Jersey, Mr. Noffke is a nationally recognized choreographer, and Mr. Taylor is currently performing The Lion King on Broadway!

Additional teaching artists include David Vaughn (Shrek), LaDonna Burns (Rent, natl. tour), Caitlainne Rose Gurreri (Dreamgirls, MUNY) Ben Mapp (Riverdance, intl. tour), Ryan Reilly, Zach Frank (The Wedding Singer, natl. tour).

Classes are open to ages 13+ (with some leeway for exceptional students as young as 10.) The first four sessions will be held at Premier Dance Academy in Avon. Classes focus on Audition Techniques, Music, Dance and Acting Master Classes, and a special forum on Theatre as a Career! Registration is currently reduced to $50 (from $150) and parents can register their students online or by phone. For more information, please visit www.musicdancetheatre.com, email registration@musicdancetheatre.com, or call 317-679-6042.

Mission Statement: Music Dance Theatre Workshops exist to teach, mentor and encourage students with a passion for the arts. Classes will focus on all aspects of musical theatre including singing, dancing, acting, auditioning, and theatre as a career. The primary goal of the program is to make a career in the arts a realistic, feasible, and accessible possibility for young performers. Music Dance Theatre Workshops will accomplish this by bringing the knowledge and expertise of professional actors to theatre students. All MDT teaching artists are successful actors, choreographers, dancers, singers, musical directors, voice teachers and performers who have a strong desire to teach and mentor students. These artists' credits include professional, regional, and interNational Theatre, cruise ships, theme parks, film and tv, and Broadway!