Paper Mill Playhouse has selected students to be a part of the theater’s prestigious Summer Musical Theater Conservatory for 2019. Members of the competitive Conservatory who earned coveted spots in the Senior (ages 15-18), Junior Plus (ages 13-14), and Junior companies (ages 10-12) are directed and choreographed by Paper Mill Playhouse’s professional artistic staff in a fully produced, original concert titled, New Voices of 2019: Learn Your Lessons Well. The concert is a culmination of the five-week conservatory program. Also appearing are numerous nominees of the 2019 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards presented by the Investors Foundation, who won scholarships to attend the Conservatory.

Find Tickets

Performances of New Voices of 2019: Learn Your Lessons Well will be held on August 2 at 7:30PM and August 3 at 1:30PM & 7:30PM at Paper Mill Playhouse. Tickets range in price from $25–$45.

The Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Musical Theater Conservatory is a program of rigorous study allowing students to enhance their individual performance potential while developing a broad base of theater experience and knowledge. Students participate in intensive classes including musical theater performance, acting, dance, private voice lessons, and improvisation, while also attending guest workshops led by professional actors, directors, and casting agents. The final weeks are devoted to rehearsals for the annual New Voices Concert. The Conservatory offers the unique opportunity for gifted and talented young performers to work at their own level and challenge themselves to achieve new goals and learn new skills. Key to the curriculum is the development of self-discipline, respect, and a commitment to excellence that will serve these young artists throughout their lives. The New Voices Concert is the culmination of the five-week program.

Many of the students from Paper Mill Playhouse’s Conservatory have gone on to appear on Broadway, in regional theater productions, in film and on television.  Click here to view Conservatory Alumni.

Conservatory alumna Julia Knitel, who played the role of Carole King on the national tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, states,

“Growing up, I was always in the ensemble. That was where I’d feel comfortable because I love being a team player. That’s one of the things that was so great about being at Paper Mill Playhouse, because in their Conservatory you had an equal amount of dancing, singing and acting training every day. I got a great foundation in being a team player and ensemble member, and serving a production. The producers and creatives of Beautiful saw in me something they couldn’t find elsewhere.”

Noted Broadway talent agents and casting directors flock to New Voices every summer. Victoria Kress, Abrams Artists Youth Theatrical Agent states,

“(I’m always) super excited to head to Paper Mill Playhouse for their New Voices show! Having trained some amazing performers, I know this night will prove to be no different! It’s one of my best scouting field trips of every summer.”

Nora Brennan, casting director for Matilda, Billy Elliot, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, agrees,

“The kids were great, the show was fun and entertaining, and the material was tailored so that each child shone. Well done!” Paper Mill’s professional casting partner, Telsey + Company, attends annually and often offers workshops to our advanced students.

Find Tickets

2019 CONSERVATORY STUDENTS BY TOWN

The Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and New Voices are supported by Investors Foundation. Paper Mill Playhouse Education & Outreach are proudly sponsored by The Goren Family & Harmony Helper.

The post New Voices of 2019: Learn Your Lessons Well appeared first on Paper Mill Playhouse.

Paper Mill Playhouse is proud to announce student auditions for the theater’s prestigious Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and August Musical Theater Intensive on Saturdays, Feb 2 and 9, at Montclair State University, College of the Arts/Life Hall, 1 Normal Ave., Montclair, NJ. Students who earn coveted spots in the July Conservatory in the Senior (ages 15–18), Junior Plus (ages 13–14), and Junior Companies (ages 10–12) are directed and choreographed by Paper Mill’s professional artistic staff in a fully produced, original concert at Paper Mill Playhouse on Aug 2 and 3, titled New Voices of 2019: Learn Your Lessons Well.

An audition appointment is required. To request more information or to schedule an audition appointment please email Summer@PaperMill.org. For audition guidelines and other important information click here.

As one of the nation’s leading theaters, Paper Mill Playhouse has a well-earned reputation for launching both performers and shows for the Broadway industry. Since its inception in 1996, the Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and the New Voices Concert have ignited the careers of many notable performers. Among the Conservatory alumni are Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables), Tony Award winners Laura Benanti (Gypsy) and Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon), Tony nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin), Jelani Remy (Disney’s The Lion King), Shanice Williams, star of NBC’s The Wiz Live!, and Olivier Award nominee Jared Gertner (The Book of Mormon). For the full list of notable alumni, click here.

The New Voices Concert is the culmination of the five-week program. Also appearing will be numerous winners and nominees of the 2019 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards presented by Investors Foundation, who win scholarships to attend the Conservatory. Paper Mill Playhouse Education and Outreach programs are generously supported by the Goren Family and Harmony Helper.

Conservatory alumna Julia Knitel, who played the role of Carole King on the national tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, states,

“Growing up, I was always in the ensemble. That was where I’d feel comfortable because I love being a team player. That’s one of the things that was so great about being at Paper Mill Playhouse, because in their Conservatory you had an equal amount of dancing, singing, and acting training every day. I got a great foundation in being a team player and ensemble member, and serving a production. The producers and creatives of Beautiful saw in me something they couldn’t find elsewhere.”

Noted Broadway talent agents and casting directors flock to New Voices every summer. Victoria Kress, Abrams Artists Youth Theatrical Agent states,

“(I’m always) super excited to head to Paper Mill Playhouse for their New Voices show! Having trained some amazing performers, I know this night will prove to be no different! It’s one of my best scouting field trips of every summer.”

Nora Brennan, casting director for Matilda, Billy Elliot, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, agrees,

“The kids were great, the show was fun and entertaining, and the material was tailored so that each child shone. Well done!”

Paper Mill’s professional casting partner, Telsey + Company, attends annually and often offers workshops to our advanced students.

The Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Musical Theater Conservatory is a program of rigorous study allowing students to enhance their individual performance potential while developing a broad base of theater experience and knowledge. Students participate in intensive classes including musical theater performance, acting, dance, private voice lessons, and improvisation, while also attending guest workshops led by professional actors, directors, and casting agents. The final weeks are devoted to rehearsals for the annual New Voices Concert. The Conservatory offers the unique opportunity for gifted and talented young performers to work at their own level and challenge themselves to achieve new goals and learn new skills. Key to the curriculum is the development of self-discipline, respect, and a commitment to excellence that will serve these young artists throughout their lives.

Students can also audition for the theater’s August Musical Theater Intensive Program. This three-week program allows performers between the ages of 10 and 16 to build individual technique and learn about themselves as performers, explore their own abilities, and refine their skills. Like the July Conservatory, admission to the August Intensive is by audition only. Intensive students do not perform in the New Voices Concert; rather, the Intensive classes prepare a musical theater showcase for family and friends. The focus of this program is on strengthening skills and building self confidence in a non-competitive environment. Accepted students are placed in one of two sessions according to age. The small class size in each session allows for individual attention and instruction from the faculty.

Paper Mill Playhouse Director of Education, Lisa Cooney stated ,

“From the first day of class all the way through opening night of New Voices, we require our students to rise to the demands of this rigorous program. We ask them to work harder than they ever have before as young performers, and we strive to build an incredible ensemble company, while each student hones their own individual performance skills. Our faculty pushes the students to believe in themselves as professional artists and treats them as such. We find summer after summer that our students meet our expectations and more. When they move on to college or the professional world, they are ready for the challenges they’ll face, and time and again they thrive and ultimately live their dream of being a professional performer. It’s gratifying when they make a name or themselves on Broadway or in Hollywood, but even if they do not, the skills they learn and the work ethic they develop will serve them in any field.”

Stated Mark S. Hoebee, Paper Mill’s Producing Artistic Director,

“Paper Mill Playhouse’s Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and August Intensive are some of the finest programs for musical theater in the United States. It is amazing to see these young performers learn and grow into professional artists with a culminating performance produced by leading industry professionals.”

The post Auditions Coming Up appeared first on Paper Mill Playhouse.

Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, Jan 9, 2019 by 5:00PM

As one of the nation’s leading theaters, Paper Mill Playhouse has a well-earned reputation for launching both performers and shows for the Great White Way. The theater was the recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award. Since their inception in 1996, the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater presented by the Investors Foundation have ignited the careers of many notable performers, all of whom attended high school in New Jersey.  Among the early nominees and winners are Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables), Tony Award winners Laura Benanti (Gypsy) and Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon), Tony nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin), Shanice Williams, star of NBC’s The Wiz Live! and Olivier Award nominee Jared Gertner (The Book of Mormon).

Any New Jersey school that produces a legally-licensed musical between Jan 17 and Apr 14, 2019, is eligible to participate. The application for schools to participate is now available online at by clicking here.  Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and only the first 100 schools to apply will be able to participate in the program. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, Jan 9, 2019 at 5PM.

The Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards Presented by the Investors Foundation are modeled after the Tony Awards, and Paper Mill Playhouse’s program serves the entire state of New Jersey, with 100 entered productions from public, private and parochial high schools. Paper Mill Playhouse conceived and created the awards in 1996 to give schools the opportunity to showcase their musical arts programs on a statewide level. The musicals are adjudicated by Paper Mill Playhouse throughout the spring by a group of 70 evaluators, with each school receiving four independent evaluations.  Schools nominated for Outstanding Overall Musical and Leading Actor/Actress nominees perform at the event, and award recipients are presented with an engraved crystal award from Tiffany & Co. The 2019 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards Presented by the Investors Foundation ceremony will take place at Paper Mill Playhouse on Tuesday, Jun 4, at 7:30PM, featuring presenters from Broadway and beyond. The awards ceremony is broadcast live on television and online through Paper Mill Playhouse’s video partners, Hometowne Television (HTTV).

Paper Mill Playhouse also awards $5,000 in scholarships at the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards Presented by the Investors Foundation. Five $1,000 cash scholarships are given to outstanding individual students who plan to continue studying theater performance or technical theater in college. Beginning in 2019, students seeking to become arts educators can apply for the Mickey McNany Arts Education Scholarship, named for the late founding director of the Paper Mill Playhouse Theater School. Paper Mill Playhouse is pleased to award a prize of $500 to a school receiving the 2019 Educational Impact Award, which acknowledges a school that successfully connects the musical to the district’s curriculum, using the production as a teaching tool for the greater student body and local community. Through the Rising Star “Theater for Everyone” Inclusion and Access Award and a partnership with the New Jersey Theatre Alliance and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Paper Mill Playhouse will present a cash award of $1,000 to a school to recognize excellence in the promotion and practice of creative inclusion of students and adults with disabilities as performers, designers, musicians, and production staff. Additionally, this award seeks to recognize and reward a school that takes steps to ensure their performances are accessible to audiences with disabilities.

Lastly, students receiving final nominations in the lead and supporting acting categories receive a scholarship to Paper Mill Playhouse’s competitive Summer Musical Theater Conservatory, a professional training program, which, along with advanced classes in singing, acting and dance, offers the nominees an opportunity to perform onstage at Paper Mill Playhouse in the season finale concert, “New Voices of 2019, Learn Your Lessons Well”.

Rising Star scholarships are made possible by Ruth Bedford in memory of Jane Burgio, Walt Santner in honor of Janet Sovey, and the Douglas Michael Krueger Scholarship Fund Trust. The Theater for Everyone Inclusion and Access Award is supported by the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Paper Mill Playhouse Education & Outreach are proudly sponsored by The Goren Family and Harmony Helper.

The post Statewide High School Musical Competition Now Accepting Applications appeared first on Paper Mill Playhouse.

Paper Mill Playhouse donors, patrons and stakeholders have the opportunity to dedicate a seat in the newly renovated theater, a visible and lasting way to show your support for Paper Mill Playhouse. Your inspiration for inscribing a seat plaque can come from anywhere, for any reason meaningful to you. You can dedicate a seat as an individual, couple, or family for your children, grandchildren, parents, in memory of a loved one or with the name of your business or organization. Pricing for seat locations is as follows: Orchestra seats $3,000; Mezzanine Box seats $1,500; Mezzanine seats $750. We will honor all seat requests on a first-come, first-served basis, with preference given to those who have a current seat named. You can call 973.315.1659 or click here to order a seat or for more information. Seat name recognition does not guarantee any seat location for future performances.

The summer theater renovation is being funded by the Ferolito family.

“We have been staunch supporters of Paper Mill Playhouse for more than two decades,”

said Paper Mill Playhouse Trustee Carolyn Ferolito.

“Paper Mill Playhouse is a New Jersey gem that contributes greatly to the quality of life in our state. We are proud of the many education programs Paper Mill provides that extend beyond our campus and impacts our communities. We are happy to provide the resources for the needed renovation of the theater.”

“This very generous gift from the Ferolito family will be transformational for the theater and our ability to serve the community,”

remarked Paper Mill Playhouse Board Chair James Fakult.

“The philanthropic support of individuals like the Ferolito’s is greatly appreciated and of vital importance to arts organizations like Paper Mill Playhouse. This gift will allow our theater to continue its legacy for many years to come.”

COMING UP:

The annual New Voices concert, the culmination of Paper Mill Playhouse’s Summer Musical Theater Conservatory, will take place at Memorial Auditorium at Montclair State University during the renovation period. This year’s concert, entitled New Voices of 2018: From Sea to Shining Sea will take place Friday, July 27 at 7:30PM and Saturday, July 28 at 1:30PM and 7:30PM. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, click here, or at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn.

Paper Mill Playhouse’s 80^th Anniversary 2018—2019 season will open with the Tony Award-winning musical, The Color Purple (September 26–October 21). Next, a family musical just in time for the season, Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn (November 21–December 30), comes to Paper Mill Playhouse, based on the beloved Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire film. This heartwarming, toe-tapping production features more than 20 classic songs from the Berlin catalog, including “Easter Parade,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Steppin’ Out with My Baby,” and “White Christmas.” Next winter, Paper Mill Playhouse presents the world-premiere musical My Very Own British Invasion (January 31–March 3), directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. The 1960s British music scene comes to life with songs from Herman’s Hermits, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Petula Clark, The Moody Blues, and other legendary bands of the era. The spring brings the East Coast premiere of Benny & Joon (April 4–May 5). Based on the 1993 film that starred Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson, this new musical is a smart, funny, tender-hearted celebration of love: between children and parents; romantic partners; friends; and, most of all, siblings. The final production of the season, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (May 29–June 30), an international sensation that has played to more than 35 million people in 13 countries. Based on the Academy Award–winning animated feature, the stage production includes all of the original songs from the movie by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, plus additional gems by Menken and Tim Rice.

Paper Mill Playhouse will produce eight performances a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Three, four, and five-show subscription packages are available now starting at just $111. Each subscription package includes a different level of special benefits. Youth subscriptions are available for children ages 4–18 with the purchase of an adult subscription with accessible discount pricing. Single tickets will go on sale August 20 starting at just $35. Tickets and subscriptions may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, or at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online by clicking here.  Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted.  Groups of ten or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680. Titles, casting and dates subject to change.

The post Paper Mill Playhouse Announces Seat Dedication Campaign appeared first on Paper Mill Playhouse.

What – Auditions for Paper Mill Playhouse’s competitive Summer Musical Theater Conservatory
When – Saturday, January 27, 2018 & Saturday, February 3, 2018
Where – Montclair State University, College of the Arts/Life Hall, 1 Normal Ave., Montclair, NJ 07043

Paper Mill Playhouse, recipient of the 2016 Tony Award for Regional Theatre, will be holding auditions for students to be a part of the theater’s prestigious Summer Musical Theater Conservatory for 2018. Students who earn coveted spots in the Senior (ages 15–18), Junior Plus (ages 13–14), and Junior companies (ages 10–12) are directed and choreographed by Paper Mill Playhouse’s professional artistic staff in a fully produced, original concert at Montclair State University titled New Voices of 2018: Sea to Shining Sea! The concert is the culmination of the five-week program. Also appearing will be numerous winners and nominees of the 2018 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards presented by the Investors Foundation, who win scholarships to attend the Conservatory. The Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and New Voices are generously supported by the Investors Foundation.

The Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Musical Theater Conservatory is a program of rigorous study allowing students to enhance their individual performance potential while developing a broad base of theater experience and knowledge. Students participate in intensive classes including musical theater performance, acting, dance, private voice lessons, and improvisation, while also attending guest workshops led by professional actors, directors, and casting agents. The final weeks are devoted to rehearsals for the annual New Voices Concert. The Conservatory offers the unique opportunity for gifted and talented young performers to work at their own level and challenge themselves to achieve new goals and learn new skills. Key to the curriculum is the development of self-discipline, respect, and a commitment to excellence that will serve these young artists throughout their lives.

Students can also audition for the theater’s August Intensive Program. This four-week program allows performers between the ages of 10 and 16 to build individual technique and learn about themselves as performers, explore their own abilities, and refine their skills. Like the July Conservatory, admission to the August Intensive is by audition only. Intensive students do not perform in the New Voices Concert; rather, the Intensive classes prepare a musical theater showcase for family and friends. The focus of this program is on strengthening skills and building self confidence in a non-competitive environment. Accepted students are placed in one of two sessions according to age. The small class size in each session allows for individual attention and instruction from the faculty.

“From the first day of class all the way through opening night of New Voices, we require our students to rise to the demands of this rigorous program,”

stated Lisa Cooney, Paper Mill Playhouse Director of Education.

“We ask them to work harder than they ever have before as young performers, and we strive to build an incredible ensemble company, while each student hones their own individual performance skills. Our faculty pushes the students to believe in themselves as professional artists and treats them as such. We find summer after summer that our students meet our expectations and more. When they move on to college or the professional world, they are ready for the challenges they’ll face, and time and again they thrive and ultimately live their dream of being a professional performer. It’s gratifying when they make a name or themselves on Broadway or in Hollywood, but even if they do not, the skills they learn and the work ethic they develop will serve them in any field.”

“Paper Mill Playhouse’s Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory and August Intensive are some of the finest programs for musical theater in the United States,”

stated Mark S. Hoebee, Paper Mill’s Producing Artistic Director.

“It is amazing to see these young performers learn and grow into professional artists with a culminating performance produced by leading industry professionals.”

 

Noted Broadway talent agents and casting director flock to New Voices every summer. Victoria Kress, Abrams Artists Youth Theatrical Agent states,

“(I’m always) super excited to head to Paper Mill Playhouse for their New Voices show! Having trained some amazing performers, I know this night will prove to be no different! It’s one of my best scouting fields trips of every summer.”

Nora Brennan, casting director for Matilda and Billy Elliot, agrees,

“The kids were great, the show was fun and entertaining, and the material was tailored so that each child shone. Well done!”

Paper Mill’s professional casting partner, Telsey + Company, attends annually and often offers workshops to our advanced students. Andrew Femenella of the Telsey + Co. Musical Theatre Department shared,

“Congratulations on the amazing success of this concert. We attended and were blown away by all the young talent up on the stage.”

Dozens of students from Paper Mill Playhouse’s Conservatory have gone on to appear in numerous Broadway productions, film, television, and regional theater. Notable Conservatory Alumni include:

Anne Hathaway – Twelfth Night, Film: Les Misérables (2013 Academy Award Winner), Rachel Getting Married (2009 Academy Award & Golden Globe nominee), Get Smart, Brokeback Mountain, The Devil Wears Prada, & Disney’s The Princess Diaries

Laura Benanti – Broadway: She Loves Me, Gypsy (2008 Tony Award winner), Into the Woods, The Wedding Singer, Swing!

Jelani Remy – Broadway: Disney’s The Lion King (Simba)

Julia Knitel – Broadway: Beautiful: the Carole King Musical (u/s Carole King); Bye Bye Birdie

Robert McClure – Broadway: Something Rotten, Honeymoon in Vegas, Chaplin, Avenue Q

Shanice Williams– NBC’s The Wiz Live!

Joshua Dela Cruz – Broadway’s Disney’s Aladdin (Aladdin Understudy)

Ali Stroker – Broadway: Spring Awakening, Oxygen’s The Glee Project: Season 2; Paper Mill’s 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive Ostrovsky)

Nikki M. James – Broadway: Les Misérables, Book of Mormon (2011 Tony Award winner), All Shook Up

Hunter Kovacs – Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Avery Espiritu – Broadway: The King and I

James Ignacio – Broadway: The King and I

Alex Drier – Broadway: Finding Neverland, Assembled Parties

Daisy Hobbs – Broadway: Disney’s Aladdin

Matthew Scott – Broadway: Jersey Boys, A Catered Affair (Ralph), Sondheim on Sondheim

Collin Kelly-Sordelet – Broadway: The Last Ship (Young Gideon)

Jared Gertner – 2014 Olivier Award nominee West End, Broadway & National Tour of The Book Of Mormon (Elder Cunningham)

Veronica J. Kuehn – Broadway: Mamma Mia!, Xanadu; Off Broadway: Avenue Q

Neil McCaffrey – Broadway: Mary Poppins (Michael Banks), Bye, Bye Birdie (Randolph Macafee), Billy Elliot (Michael)

Monette McKay – Broadway: Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, Memphis, Mamma Mia!

Constantine Rousouli – Broadway: Hairspray (Link), Ghost the Musical, Wicked

Jonathan Schwartz – Broadway’s Disney’s Aladdin (Omar)

Elizabeth Egan Gillies – Nickelodeon’s Victorious; Broadway: 13! The Musical

Lael Van Keuran – Broadway: Sister Act

Matt Ban – Broadway: Rock of Ages (Dennis)

To request more information or to schedule an audition appointment send an email to Summer@PaperMill.org

The post Auditions Announced for the 2018 Summer Musical Theater Conservatory & August Intensive appeared first on Paper Mill Playhouse.