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About The Pied Piper Children's Theatre | |
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Welcome Honorary
Snoopy
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History After visiting several school productions in 1998, Reinaldo 'Rey-Rey' Martínez-Cubero was made aware of the serious void in arts education in Upper Manhattan caused by budget cuts. Drawing upon his ten years of experience performing and teaching, he designed a children's theatre curriculum that would incorporate the performing and visual arts and stimulate learning. The vicar, wardens, and vestry of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Inwood, welcomed the program and The Pied Piper Children's Theatre of NYC (PPCT) presented its first production, SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, in October, 1999. Since then, more than two hundred fifty children have gone through the program. This has created a strong community of families from different income levels and ethnic backgrounds. PPCT is currently in its fifth successful season. The productions have become a very important bi-monthly social and family event in the community. Since productions are usually double cast, as many as 50 families work to produce each theatrical event. The theatre also reaches out to the community by providing free performances of productions, ranging from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM to YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, at senior citizen and day care centers. Our Mission: to Explore, to Create, to Communicate The Pied Piper Children's Theatre of NYC is a non-denominational, non-sectarian outreach program at Holy Trinity Church, Inwood, located on 20 Cumming Street (one block north of Dyckman Street between Broadway and Seaman Avenues), in New York City. The hours of operation are Mondays and Thursdays, 5 to 7 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays, 2:30-7 pm. Office hours are Mondays and Thursdays, 9 am-4 pm, and Wednesdays and Fridays 9 am-1 pm. The program is offered to children and adolescents ages 5 to 17, regardless of race, color, religious belief, gender, or sexual orientation. PPCT is committed to creating a non-threatening environment where children and adolescents can explore their creativity, learn new theatrical and musical skills, and develop a sense of leadership, community, and service. Older and more advanced adolescents are encouraged not only to help those with less background, but also to learn their material with the aim of preparing themselves to teach the younger students, lead rehearsals, and even direct productions. Curriculum Six sessions are offered each season. A full-scale production is mounted during each session. Sessions last 9 to 12 weeks, depending on the complexity of the production and the age group of the cast. Cast members rehearse an average of two hours, three times a week. During the course of each production, participants are taught performance skills including acting, singing, and dance; and fine arts through set building and the technical aspects of theatre-craft. Participants are selected after a thorough audition that examines their interest and attitude as well as their aptitude in the Music/Theatre Arts. A child does not need to have any previous experience in order to audition for the program. Roles are assigned according to each participant's ability. Tuition and Scholarship Tuition for each session (an average of 60 hours) is $150. This fee in no way covers all the theatre's expenses. Nevertheless, no child is ever turned away or not cast for lack of to pay tuition. We offer $50, $75, and $100 scholarships. The Pied Piper Actor Society A group of adolescents who have been in two or more PPCT productions, and have demonstrated outstanding qualities of leadership, teamwork and service. Each participant is required to perform in at least one production, and serve as assistant director or stage manager in at least one production per season. The group also supports the theatre by spearheading activities such as fundraisers, and by maintaining the costume, prop and set storage areas. In addition, The Pied Piper Actor Society selects two of the six productions for each upcoming season. Society members receive a $100 scholarship for each production in which they participate. Reinaldo Martinez-Cubero - General and Artistic Director Reinaldo 'Rey-Rey' Martinez-Cubero's career in the arts encompasses the areas of performing, teaching, directing, conducting, composing and administration. He is the founder and current General and Artistic Director of The Pied Piper Children's Theatre of NYC and The Pied Piper Actor Society. His music education began in his native Puerto Rico where he was a chorister in the San Juan Children's Choir and a piano and music theory student at the Rensolli Conservatory of Music. After moving to the United States, he studied acting with Lloyd Norton, and harpsichord with Laura Rush at the University of Northern Colorado. He later received Bachelor of Arts and Master of Music degrees from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, where he studied acting with Barney Crockarell, conducting with George Mabry, and singing with Sharon Mabry. He has also studied singing with Amy Zorn, dance with Maria Laskaris and Ann Eagan, and stage combat with John Armour. Rey-Rey specializes in techniques for teaching young students and has been recognized for his ability to inspire children and adolescents to perform at a high level. From 1991 to 1994, he served as Director of the Youth Choir at Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis, TN, and in 1994 was the Interim Director of the Chancel Choir at the 6,000- member church. He began directing children's theatre in 1991 at the Morgan Woods Theatre in Germantown, TN. Since then, he has worked throughout the United States in children's outreach programs and conducting workshops on creativity and music theatre for children. He has stage directed and/or music directed musicals such as YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN, TINTYPES, ANNIE, and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and operas such as HANSEL AND GRETEL and AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS. Rey-Rey has written two music revues: CHILDREN ON PARADE and BROADWAY BABIES, and has composed music for original adaptations of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, BABES IN TOYLAND, and CINDERELLA. He teaches a private music studio for voice and piano students and has written a five-level music course for children and adolescents, which includes music theory, ear-training, sight-reading, and music appreciation. As a singer/actor, Rey-Rey has performed in opera and musical theatre with companies such as Portland Opera, Opera North, Opera Memphis, The Colorado Repertory Company, and The Stephen Foster Story Company. He received outstanding reviews for his interpretation of sacred music when he was featured recitalist for THE UNITED METHODIST HOUR on PBS, and for his interpretation of contemporary works, such as the title role in THE VISION OF JOHN BROWN by John Baur at the National Center for the Development of American Opera, and NINE EPIGRAMS FROM POOR RICHARD by Elizabeth Vercoe at the University of Memphis New Music Festival. He has most recently performed the roles of Frank in DIE FLEDERMAUS, Germont in LA TRAVIATA, Silvio in I PAGLIACCI, and El Gallo in THE FANTASTICKS, and has made numerous guest appearances at concert series, music festivals, cabaret shows, and with orchestras around the United States. Wish List
Router Cordless Drill Air Compressor with Staple/Nail Gun and Spray Gun Electric Mitre-saw Table-saw Band-saw Electric Planer Set Storage Unit Raisers Office Desk Filing Cabinet Bookshelves
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