Victoria Theatre Association’s 2009 education project, In the Footsteps of Celie: Using Art to Empower Youth, reaches its conclusion in April.

The six-week project is tied to the Chase Broadway Series presentation of the musical Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple and uses the life of the show’s main character to engage 55 students in an intensive, uplifting experience. The project is organized and coordinated by our Education and Outreach Department.

The project pairs 55 high school students from Dayton Public Schools with 55 area college students who serve as their mentors. Using the Pulitzer-Prize winning novel by Alice Walker, the Academy-Award winning film from Director Steven Spielberg, and the Tony-winning Broadway musical, the students trace the steps of the story’s central character, Celie, and learn through her journey the importance of becoming strong, independent and responsible citizens in a modern age – in essence, learning that triumph over adversity is within everyone’s grasp.

“As an organization, Victoria Theatre Association has gained a greater understanding of the community we serve, created new partnerships and strengthened existing partnerships within the Dayton area community,” says Education and Outreach Manager David Brush. “Our hope is that this type of project can serve as a model for further development of this demographic, which is in such need of positive role models, educational opportunities and powerful exposure to the arts.”

The students and their mentors are currently mid-way through the project, which culminates with them attending the opening night performance of The Color Purple at the Schuster Center on April 21.

The In the Footsteps of Celie education project receives support from The Dayton Foundation, The Dayton Power and Light Company Foundation, The Reynolds and Reynolds Company, the Levin Family Foundation and anonymous gifts.

Thank you to everyone for the tremendous response to our JPMorgan Broadway University  summer camp, GOING BLONDE, to be held June 16-18 in conjunction with the Chase Broadway Series presentation of Legally Blonde The Musical at the Schuster Center. The camp is now full and registration is closed.

The JPMorgan Broadway University program offers area theatre students the chance to participate in master classes with the stars of our stage. It is a unique opportunity for them to strut their stuff and get feedback from professionals working in the field.

Our JPMorgan Broadway University program has expanded to offer its first summer camp experience, GOING BLONDE, in conjunction with the Chase Broadway Series presentation of Legally Blonde The Musical at the Schuster Center. The camp will run June 16-18, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. each day.

The summer camp will feature a series of workshops over the course of three days that focuses on the “triple threat” of musical theatre performance:  acting, singing and dancing.  These workshops will be led by cast members from Legally Blonde The Musical, as well as Victoria Theatre Association staff.

The camp is open to area high school students only and the cost is $85.  Camp fees include daily master classes and rehearsal sessions with Legally Blonde cast members and Victoria Theatre Association staff, daily lunch provided by Citilites restaurant, resume coaching for performers, and a ticket to the Thursday, June 18, performance of Legally Blonde The Musical at the Schuster Center.

Go to www.victoriatheatre.com/goingblonde for more information and to download the application.  Once completed, the application and fees should be mailed to:

Victoria Theatre Association
Attn: David Brush
GOING BLONDE Summer Camp
138 N. Main Street
Dayton, OH 45402

Space is limited to 60 students, on a first-come, first-served basis. Once participants are selected, they will be required to audition for performance group placement during the camp.

Legally Blonde The Musical is on stage at the Schuster Center, June 16 – 21. Legally Blonde follows sorority star Elle Woods, an underestimated blonde who doesn’t take “no” for an answer.  When her boyfriend dumps her for someone more “serious,” Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law. Along the way, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style.  Click Here for more information.

The JPMorgan Broadway University program offers area theatre students the chance to participate in master classes with the stars of our stage. It is a unique opportunity for them to strut their stuff and get feedback from professionals working in the field.