<p>A large group of University of Michigan MT’s are combining with Ann Arbor Pioneer High School (the school that recently did the first school production of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL) to present a concert version of Frank Wildhorn’s CIVIL WAR this coming weekend. For those of you who don’t know the piece, it’s a great score of pop-contemporary songs featuring male ensemble vocal pyrotechnics! There are many amazing soloists as well, including students who have recently played lead roles in UM’S PAJAMA GAME and PURSUIT OF PERSEPHONE, students who have performed featured roles at Pittsburgh CLO, the MUNY, and many other professional companies, and Andrew Arrington, one of the 2 winners of last year’s CBS My Broadway Debut contest. The director/music director and assistant director of the piece are both former students of mine, so I have gotten to hear rehearsal clips - and I promise, this show is going to be a truly incredible musical experience! I know this is kind of last-minute notice, but for anyone who can get to Ann Arbor this weekend, it will really be worth it!</p>
<p>The details:</p>
<p>Show times:
Saturday, December 9, 2006 at 7:30pm
Sunday, December 10 at 2:00pm </p>
<p>Venue:
Pioneer High School Little Theatre
601 W. Stadium Blvd
Ann Arbor, MI </p>
<p>Tickets are $8 for Students and $10 for Adults and will be available at the door. All proceeds will benefit the UM MT Department and the Pioneer High School Theatre Guild. </p>
<p>I am pouting here. Unfortunately, we live far too far away to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to see so many talented kids. But thanks to Coach C for letting us know about this; I am sure there are some Michiganders out there who will fill those seats quickly. :)</p>
<p>"the school that recently did the first school production of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL"</p>
<p>LOL this is not true. There are so many schools that have said this.</p>
<p>The school that first did High School Musical was Bradford High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They presented it as a "sneak peek" at the International Thespian Festival a few weeks before the rights were released. (I know this because I work with the Educational Theatre Association).</p>
<p>It's really funny how many schools claim to have this honor. I've talked to students from at least 10 states that say THEIR school was the first ;)</p>
<p>Ok, guys, this is getting ridiculous - I should have clarified, since HSM makes people so (crazily) argumentative :) - Ann Arbor Pioneer High School was, according to MTI, the first high school to do a fully-staged production of the show AT THEIR SCHOOL. Which is all Pioneer claimed - the misspeaking was (unintentionally) mine. And if THAT is inaccurate, that is the "fault" of MTI, who informed Pioneer of this. All other "workshop" and "preview" productions were considered just that (including Stagedoor's - again, according to MTI). So please don't rip on Pioneer, a wonderful high school with a wonderful theatre program, for my misstatement. </p>
<p>Most importantly, that was not the point of my post - it was about a concert that's been over for 2 months (but which was GREAT show)! ;)</p>