Wooster School Adds Auditions for Broadway at Wooster

 

Wooster School proudly announces auditions for Wednesday, May 6, 2015 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm for Broadway at Wooster, a new musical theatre intensive that brings Broadway stars and hopefuls together for an unforgettable week of learning and performing. This program runs from June 22-26, with performances on June 27, at the intimate Black Box Theatre in the Wean Performing Arts Center on Wooster's campus.

Claire Simard, of Ridgefield, and New York-based stage director Joey Murray share their passion for musical theatre with aspiring performers in grades 8-12, through daily voice, dance and acting training and rehearsals for an original Broadway revue, directed by Mr. Murray. Ms. Simard is the Head of Theatre and also teaches music at the Wooster School in Danbury.

Master Classes will be held daily and will include topics such as: Acting the Song, Audition Technique, and Musical Theatre Dance. A fully-staged revue highlighting the students in the camp will be presented on Saturday, June 27.

Broadway at Wooster's mission is to foster young, local talent in a nurturing and supportive environment, preparing them for high school productions, college auditions, and professional careers. Artist Director Claire Simard says, "We are looking for kids who are extremely passionate about musical theatre, who are looking for every opportunity to practice their craft, and are hungry to perform. We want kids to come away from this week with a better sense of who they are as performers, what makes them unique, and how to apply that to whatever theatrical experience they will have in the future. We are going to have a fantastic line-up of Broadway performers coming to work with our young actors, giving them a real-world perspective and practical training. The final performance will be an original revue of music and dance that is created uniquely for our students in the program."

Broadway at Wooster is part of Summer at Wooster. The full-day camp runs June 22-26, and costs $690. 

For more information or to schedule an audition on May 6, 2015, please contact summeratwooster@woosterschool.org. Video submissions accepted for those who cannot attend auditions. For the audition, prepare two contrasting songs, one of which should be from a Broadway musical, the other selection can be of any style or genre that you prefer - classical, jazz, folk, rock, pop, or musical theatre.

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About Claire Simard

Claire Simard studied vocal performance at the Catholic University of America. She has acted professionally at the Tony-award-winning Signature Theater, Arena Stage, and has created new roles in several off-Broadway musicals, including War Brides, Christmas Interruptus, and The Freely Given. Other opera and musical theater performances include the prestigious Bard Festival, the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Chiari, Italy, studies in Paris at the Conservatoire and at the Sorbonne, and performances with the Bronx Opera and Underworld Opera companies. Mrs. Simard studied acting with legendary acting teacher and Broadway performer Andy Gale, and voice with Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Trish McCaffrey during postgraduate studies at Brooklyn College Conservatory. She is also a pianist and music director, having music-directed over a dozen musicals at the school and regional level. She began her teacher career after the birth of her first child, fell in love with it, and has taught musical theater, voice, and elementary music at Concordia Conservatory in Bronxville, NY, and at Wooster School, where she is currently Head of Theater and Lower School music teacher. Mrs. Simard is passionate about passing on her love of acting and music to young people, and keeping music and theater alive in our schools and communities.

About Joey Murray

Joey Murray is a New York City-based stage director, who's work has been seen Off-Broadway, regionally, and on performing art center stages throughout the United States and China. He is currently the resident director for The Broadway Dolls (playing Ridgefield Playhouse Saturday, April 11), and Directing and Choreographing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for Jenny Wiley Theatre in Eastern Kentucky. His credits include Paper Mill Playhouse, Gateway Playhouse, New York Musical Theatre Festival, Fringe Festival, and numerous Off-Broadway, concert, and cabaret spaces in New York. Catholic University graduate; studied directing and playwriting at The Barrow Group and New York University.