Photo Flash: Jason Robert Brown & More at Broadway Dreams Foundation's Philly Summer Intensive

Philadelphia's Broadway dreams came true for the fourth consecutive summer when The Broadway Dreams Foundation (BDF) partnered with The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts to present their Summer Performing Arts Intensive, July 30 through August 5, 2012. Jason Robert Brown, Tony Award-winner for Parade, and a faculty of Broadway professionals taught master classes during the week to aspiring Philadelphia area students interested in pursuing a career in musical theatre. A week's end, the Broadway faculty performed alongside BDF students in "Express Yourself," a concert event directed by New York director Matt Lenz (Hairspray, Beauty and the Beast) at the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts' Perelman Theater. Check out photos oF Brown in workshop and the faculty and students performing in concert below!

Jason Robert Brown's music has been heard all over the world in the hundreds of productions of his musicals every year and in his own live performances. Brown's four major musicals as composer and lyricist include 13, which premiered at Los Angeles's Mark Taper Forum before opening on Broadway; The Last Five Years which will receive an Off-Broadway revival in 2013 at NYC's Second Stage; Parade, which premiered at Lincoln Center Theater and garnered Brown the Tony Award for Best Original Score; and Songs for a New World, a theatrical song cycle which played Off-Broadway in 1995, and has since been seen in hundreds of productions around the worlD. Brown is the winner of the Kleban Award for Outstanding Lyrics and the Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Foundation Award for Musical Theatre.

Brown joined a faculty roster of Broadway favorites including BDF Artistic Director Nicholas Rodriguez ("One Life to Live," Tarzan), Tituss Burgess (The Little Mermaid), Craig D'Amico (Annie Get Your Gun), Deidre Goodwin (A Chorus Line), Morgan James (Godspell), 2012 Emmy Award nominated "So You Think You Can Dance" choreographer Spencer Liff (Cry Baby, "Smash"), Billy Porter (Kinky Boots, Miss Saigon), Matthew Scott (Jersey Boys), Kirsten Scott (Follies), Nikki Snelson (Legally Blonde), Tony Vincent ("The Voice," Jesus Christ Superstar), nationally recognized college audition coach Mary Anna Dennard, Broadway Clear Talent Group NY Office Director Jamie Harris, NY talent agent Josh Pultz, and Telsey + Co casting directors Craig Burns and Rachel Hoffman.

The Broadway Dreams Foundation teaches America's youth how to kick start their career through unique week-long performance intensives taught by Broadway's brightest stars and savvy industry insiders. Attendees receive first-rate training in acting, dance and vocal performance before participating alongside their Broadway idols in a one-night concert event open to the public and directed by one of the industry's finest directors.

Thousands of students have participated in BDF's programs and have gone on to perform in regional, national and Broadway productions including Bring it On, Shrek, The Addams Family, Disney's The Lion King and Spring Awakening among others. Countless other BDF students have pursued successful careers in the arts or attend prestigious theatre programs in universities throughout the United States. In addition to the week-long Summer Performing Arts Intensives, BDF offers shorter, concentrated workshops entitled "Triple Threat Extremes" in cities throughout the country.

For more information on The Broadway Dreams Foundation, please visit:
www.mybroadwaydreams.com.

Photo credit: Vii Tanner

 

Tony Vincent performs Jesus Christ Superstar

"Artistic Director Nicholas Rodriguez and company perform "Sunday" from Sunday in the Park with George

BDF Student Melody Betts performs "Mama Will Provide" from Once on This Island

BDF Philly Students Perform "When I Grow Up" From Matilda

BDF Students perform "When I Grow Up" from Matilda

"Gold" from Once

"Hello" from The Book of Mormon

Kirsten Scott and BDF Philly students perform "Life Upon the Wicked Stage"

Matthew Scott and Philly Student Katie Huff perform "They Both Reached for the Gun" from Chicago

Spencer Liff performs "Come Together"

Craig D'Amico and BDF Student Lindsay Roberts perform "I'd Give It All For You" from Songs From a New World

Finale

Jason Robert Brown in rehearsal

Jason Robert Brown in rehearsal

Matt Lenz, Mary Anna Dennard, Nikki Snelson, Tony Vincent, Annette Tanner, Spencer Liff, Tituss Burgess, Matthew Scott, Kirsten Scott, Craig D'Amico, Nicholas Rodriquez

Nicholas Rodriguez, Annette Tanner and Ryan Ratelle