Talented Kids to Perform in Four Free Performances

Play Theater, a performing arts program for children in Central NJ, will present four free performances of KIDS CABARET, a musical revue of popular Broadway songs about growing up. Performances are:

• Friday, June 16th at 7:45 pm at Rabkin Park, located at 1 Swanstrom Place East in Union, NJ. The performance is sponsored by the Union NJ Recreation Department and will be followed by an outdoor showing of the movie Sing
• Wednesday, June 21st at 6:00 pm at The Café at Union County Performing Arts Center, located at 1601 Irving Street in Rahway, NJ. The performance is indoors and open to the general public; refreshments will be available.
• Wednesday, July 5th at 7:45 pm at LaGrande Park, located on La Grande Avenue in Fanwood, NJ. This performance is sponsored by the Fanwood NJ Recreation Department and will be followed by an outdoor showing of the movie Jungle Book(2016 version)
• Thursday, July 6th at 6:00 pm at Eastman Plaza located on Eastman Avenue in Cranford, NJ. This outdoor concert performance is sponsored by the Cranford Downtown Business & Economic Development.

For more details about the performances or Play Theater classes and productions, please visit www.playtheaternj.com.

The KIDS CABARET cast includes Union County residents: Graeme Daniskas (age 11), Katie Echols (age 11), Kayla Fiore (age 10), Carolyn Joe (age 11), Allison Lesser (age 11), Maya Levitt (age 14), Artemis Levy Collins (age 11), Ella Mauer (age 12), Sophia Mekbeb (age 9), Audrey Miller (age 10), Amelia Sherman (age 13), Grace Sweeney (age 11), and Olivia Vella (age 11). The shows are Stage Managed by Katie Agnello (age 16).

Said Amy Fiore, Play Theater's Director, "I became aware that the kids I taught were enthusiastic about modern musicals and had memorized all of the lyrics to shows like Hamilton and Matilda but didn't know any of the classics that shaped what musical theater is today. As a teacher, I wanted to expand their awareness. As a director, I also wanted songs that would be recognizable and fun for the audiences. My goal was to choose songs that the performers could relate to from musicals that were written before 1990." The presentation will include: Little People from Les Miserables, I Won't Grow Up from Peter Pan, Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors, Matchmaker from Fiddler on the Roof, T.E.A.M. (The Baseball Game) from You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, All for the Best from Godspell, I Feel Pretty from West Side Story, Born to Hand Jive from Grease, and, naturally, Wilkommen from Cabaret.

Play Theater began as part of the Scotch Plains NJ Recreation Department and has provided musical theater instruction and productions there for three years. Director Amy Fiore has enjoyed a life-long passion for Musical Theater. She studied and engaged in performance from a young age and continually sought ways to immerse herself in all aspects of theater arts. Amy holds a degree from Syracuse University in Musical Theater Performance with a minor in Education and has taught theater, acting, and arts administration to children and adults in many places including Camp Harmony, West Orange Theater Under the Stars, Baruch College and NYU. Amy is also an experienced arts administrator and was inspired to bring her skills to her community after volunteering at a local elementary school. For the last 9 years, Amy has helped run NYC's most established children's theater company, TADA! Youth Theater, and is proud have brought her spirit as well as her combination of skills and experience to the children of Scotch Plains/Fanwood, and now expanded it to greater Union County.

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