Broadway talent to choreograph local youth theatre productions

The Lower Hudson Valley Youth Theatre will present two musicals this fall featuring the youth of the Rockland County community and surrounding areas. The theatre is seeking local talent ages 8-18 to bring these productions to life. Auditions, rehearsals, and performances will take place from October to December 2018.

Broadway talent Brendan Stackhouse will be choreographing both musicals. His choreography and directing credits include the Broadway production of “Fun Home” and the Off-Broadway productions of “The Marvelous Wonderettes” and “Once Upon A Mattress.” Stackhouse is the resident director of Hemlock Theatre Company on Staten Island and the Resident Choreographer at Acting Naturally in Philadelphia.

“Bring It On: The Musical,” which will feature performers ages 14-18 and is based on the 2000 film of the same name, focuses on the world of competitive cheerleading and the intense rivalries it creates. It tells the story of Campbell Davis, a young cheerleader who is mysteriously reassigned to another school: the inner-city Jackson High, where she knows hardly anyone and worse: they don’t have a cheerleading squad! “Bring It On” features a book and new music by Tony Award winners Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton,” “In the Heights”) and Tom Kitt (“Next to Normal”).

“Guys and Dolls,” which will feature performers ages 8-14, is a musical romantic comedy involving the unlikeliest of Manhattan pairings: a high-rolling gambler and a puritanical missionary, and a showgirl dreaming of the straight-and-narrow and a card game manager who is anything but. Guys and Dolls takes us from bustle of Times Square to the dance clubs of Havana to the sewers of New York City as it demonstrates the great lengths to which a guy will go when he truly falls in love with a “doll.”

For nearly 20 years, Jared Rosenblum, the director of both productions, has taught music privately and in schools while also serving as director and musical director to over 400 productions. Whether in a classroom or one-to-one, Jared Rosenblum’s passions for music, theater, and teaching drive him to create great programs where students can flourish.

“At the Lower Hudson Valley Youth Theatre, all kids are treated with kindness and respect,” says Rosenblum. “Whether you are a beginner or have been studying for years, there is a role and home for you at the Lower Hudson Valley Youth Theatre”.

Auditions for “Bring It On” and “Guys and Dolls” will be held on Sunday, October 7 at the Green Meadow Waldorf School from 2:00-6:00pm. To register for auditions, visit www.lohudyouthchorus.com. Please contact lohudyouthchorus@aol.com with any questions.

Founded in 2007 by Jared Rosenblum, the Lower Hudson Valley Youth Theatre and Chorus is made up of hundreds of local young artists. It has grown steady to include performances in Radio City Music Hall’s “Christmas Spectacular” and Neil Berg’s “100 Years of Broadway,” and at New York Knicks, Mets, and Harlem Globetrotters games. The Lower Hudson Valley Youth Theatre and Chorus not only exposes youth to a wide repertoire of choral and musical theatre material, but also fosters a community where they can learn, make friends, and have fun.