More than 2,000 students are gathering in the Belk Theater in uptown Charlotte over three days for performances and reviews that give them a taste of Broadway.
Dozens of students dance on stage as part of the annual Junior Theater Celebration. They stomped their feet, waved their hands and crawled on stage as part of the event that aims to draw students closer to the arts.
William Sato, 12, from Charlotte, is one of the students performing. Sato had a huge smile on his face while talking about the three-day event.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to meet new people and build relationships other than people at school,” Sato said. "You get to see more people perform. It's always great to watch other people be themselves."
The annual Junior Theater Celebration consists of students from elementary and middle schools. This year, 46 schools are participating. They receive tips from directors like Jiana Odland. Odland is with iTheatrics, an education-focused musical theater group based in New York City, and with the group Music Theatre International, they help adapt Broadway musicals for students.
"The feedback that we give students versus the feedback that I'd give adults is really similar,” Odland said. "Maybe the tone shifts or maybe the intensity and the timing is different, but a lot of it is the foundational stuff that, you know, either we haven't had the opportunity to learn, or we've maybe forgotten in the hopes of, you know, nailing that one note."
Andie Maloney is with Blumenthal Arts, the other group behind the event. Maloney says the event is tailored to provide exposure to the arts.
“It's just an excellent opportunity for us to really engage in our broader community and to have so many students put their feet on a Broadway stage and have that confidence and be celebrated,” Maloney said.
As part of the event, the students are accompanied by their teachers. Amanda Lane is the Musical Theater Teacher at First Ward Creative Arts.
"It's so wonderful for them because we have kids that you know, their dream is to perform professionally on this stage, ”Lane said. "So it's really great to get a chance for them to have a peak of what their future can hold.”
As part of the three-day event, a secret performance is expected to occur for students by their teachers.
