Broadway Composer Charles Strouse to Lead Talk-Back with Students at Teaneck Community Charter School, 4/23

Dreaming big continues to pay off for the Teaneck Community Charter School in Teaneck, New Jersey which won one of ten grand prizes in the nationwide "NBC's 'Smash': Make a Musical" program. The honor bolstered the school's ambition to stage their own musical theater productions and implement a self- sustaining theater program.

Broadway composer Charles Strouse, who has written scores for over 30 stage musicals, including 14 for Broadway, and is a three-time Tony Award winner, a two-time Emmy Award winner, and whose cast albums have earned him two Grammy Awards will visit the school and lead a "Talk-Back" with students. The Teaneck Community Charter school will present a production of the recently created "Bye Bye Birdie Young Performers Edition." The Talk-Back event will feature the student cast and crew of the show and will lead into the Opening Night performance at 8pm.

Over 1,000 schools across the nation applied for the 'SMASH': Make A Musical Program (Fall 2012) and 30 finalists were selected by iTheatrics' Junior Theater Project. America cast over 250,000 votes for its favorites. The Teaneck Community Charter School rallied over 12,000 votes, an impressive effort for a small community with 306 elementary and middle school students. Upon winning the grant, the Teaneck Community Charter School participated in professional development workshops with teachers and students. These workshops guided educators step-by-step through the process of producing their first-ever musical.

The Teaneck Community Charter School's Performing Arts program has accelerated since its first production into a driving force for creativity and community involvement. The school's inaugural production of "Annie Jr." was a collaboration of hundreds of parent, teacher, and student volunteers to create a performance space within the multi-purpose room for the show. The production stirred interest in dozens of students, both onstage and off. The school instituted a Summer Theatre Camp program and has operated at full capacity for two summers, yielding profits that have been re-invested in equipment for the school's program. "In times of educational hardships, when it's time to choose how we spend our money on education, it seems like the arts always takes a backseat. The Teaneck Community Charter School has made a commitment to the arts," says Teaneck councilman Mohammed Hameeduddin.

The school's second production, "The Little Mermaid Jr." was a major triumph for the program. The show featured over 40 students onstage and trained over 50 more in the vital work behind-the-scenes. The program's director and school's music teacher, Mr. Jaime Valente states, "There is simply no substitution for the learning experience derived from preparing, rehearsing, and performing in a live theatrical show. Our program is a magnificent opportunity for students to experience the performance process from all viewpoints - on stage, backstage, and as our audience." Valente has inspired dozens of students to collaborate on the productions. This year, the community has nominated him for the new Tony Awards Excellence in Theatre Education Award.

Broadway designer, Edward Pierce, is a parent at the school and has served as the producer for the mainstage productions. Pierce has been instrumental in bringing entertainment industry talent and resources to the school. Production Resource Group, the world's leading supplier of entertainment and event technology, graciously provides the school with theatrical equipment for its productions. Mr. Pierce has established a collaborative relationship with the Bergen County Academy of Visual and Performing Arts. The Teaneck Community Charter School productions are choreographed by a rising student from the Academy.

This season's production of "Bye Bye Birdie Young Performers' Edition" marks an achievement for the school. iTheatrics recently adapted the musical for student performers and TCCS's presentation shall be one of the first productions. Pierce comments, "One of our goals for the musical theatre program is to be positioned to produce the latest musical properties as they are developed for young performers. Our proximity to New York City and our professional contacts contribute to the program's success. It is an incredible opportunity for our community to host the show's composer, Charles Strouse, and share with him the enjoyment and commitment that our students bring to the work."

The music of Charles Strouse has touched the life of almost every American in the last half century. There may be no other living composer from America's songbook whose work is as integrated into the popular culture as that of Charles Strouse. His music has attracted top recording artists such as Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, Harry Connick, Jr., Jay-Z, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra. Strouse has written scores for over 30 stage musicals, including 14 for Broadway. He has also composed scores for five Hollywood films, two orchestral works and an opera. He has been inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Theatre Hall of Fame. He is a three-time Tony Award winner, a two-time Emmy Award winner, and his cast recordings have earned him two Grammy Awards. His song "Those Were the Days" launched over 200 episodes of "All in the Family" and continues to reach new generations of television audiences in syndication. With hundreds of productions licensed annually, his musicals "Annie" and "Bye Bye Birdie" are among the most popular of all time - produced by regional, amateur and school groups all over the world.

For over 15 years, the Teaneck Community Charter School (TCCS) has operated as one of New Jersey's most successful charter school programs. TCCS is one of the first schools granted a charter in New Jersey and was organized through a grassroots effort by a diverse group of very committed and determined parents and educators who resided in the Township of Teaneck, New Jersey. As a "community school," the success of the program continues to rely on the passion and energy of the parents and educators within the school.

New Jersey State Senator (District 37) Loretta Weinberg notes, "The Teaneck Community Charter School is an exemplary model of charter school education in New Jersey. Their record of solid performance has produced replicable methods of teaching and students who have excelled in high school and beyond - all in the spirit of the original legislation. I applaud the inclusion of an arts-infused curriculum into the regular programming at Teaneck Community Charter School."

After a decade of renting facilities for the school, the TCCS community once again used grass-roots strategies to purchase and renovate an industrial warehouse in Teaneck for their schoolhouse. The bright, friendly, and technologically-equipped building provides a healthy and effective learning environment for the children. However, there were not enough funds to complete the whole renovation - an area on the 2nd floor remains unfinished and unusable. The unfinished space is slated to be the school's Creative Arts and Innovation Suite. Since Arts Education is an integral aspect of the school's curriculum, it is a priority of the community to finish the Suite.

As a New Jersey public charter school, the Teaneck Community Charter School operates without facility funding. The school's local aid is stretched thin to cover instructional, administrative, and support expenditures. There are few funds available for capital improvements and building upgrades.

The Teaneck Community Charter School seeks sponsorship to complete the Creative Arts and Innovation Suite. The school community's Parent/Teacher Organization has provided the foundational support with a gift of $20,000. The school encourages local businesses, individuals, arts foundations, and others to support the effort. Donations are administered by TCSCO, 563 Chestnut Avenue, Teaneck NJ 07666. All contributions are tax-deductible. For ease of giving, the school's web site contains an internet link for accepting donations. The Teaneck Community Charter School web site is www.tccsnj.org

The mission of the Teaneck Community Charter School is to provide a nurturing environment in which students realize their full intellectual potential and become self-directed learners, who make both pragmatic and creative use of basic skills and who understand and appreciate the cultural diversity of our society. The faculty, staff, parents, extended family, and other members of a child's support network are committed to creating and operating a student-centered "learning community" which promotes and supports a child's natural curiosity and enthusiasm for acquiring knowledge. This learning community follows a "living curriculum" - experiential, interdisciplinary studies that encompass literacy, critical thinking, and responsible social interaction while empowering each child to demonstrate his/her unique interests and abilities.

The township of Teaneck has long been rich in cultural, ethnic and racial diversity. This spirit of tolerance and unity was demonstrated in the 1960's when Teaneck became the first town in New Jersey to voluntarily begin busing to desegregate its schools. This commitment to progressive ideas made Teaneck an ideal place to implement an innovative educational initiative of a charter school - especially one in the mold of the Teaneck Community Charter School.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!