This weekend, students and directors from a local theater company will trade places for a special production at the Auditorium Theater.
While directors John Barthelmes, Holly Hessel, and Amanda Meldrum will lead a group of performers in a presentation of classic Broadway tunes, their students will oversee lighting, music, sound, and set design for the production.
A Magical Journey Through Stages, or Stages, for short, is a Rochester-based theater company that provides theater camps and workshops for students in the surrounding region.
Amanda Meldrum, of East Rochester, has served as the musical director for several Stages plays. This time, she’s handing the reigns to 16-year-old musician Martijn Appelo.
“I’m going to be most proud of seeing what Martijn has accomplished with his orchestra,” said Meldrum. “He always has kind of gone beyond what we’ve expected, so I’m really excited to see what he puts together.”
In addition to acting and vocal performance, students at Stages are trained in the technical aspects of theater production. Meldrum said this is a chance for them to showcase these skills as well.
On stage, the grown-ups will present songs from classic musicals like “Chorus Line,” “Les Miserables,” and some modern ones, like “Wicked” and “Legally Blonde.” The show is open to the public, and all proceeds will help fund ongoing educational programs offered by Stages, a nonprofit.
Meldrum said she hopes the unique format of Saturday’s show will help showcase the abilities of the students as they work behind the scenes.
“I think that collaboration is very important for kids, and they don’t always get that everywhere else,” she said. “Here, we really value their input and what they bring to the table, and not just the stage.”
This weekend, students and directors from a local theater company will trade places for a special production at the Auditorium Theater.
While directors John Barthelmes, Holly Hessel, and Amanda Meldrum will lead a group of performers in a presentation of classic Broadway tunes, their students will oversee lighting, music, sound, and set design for the production.
A Magical Journey Through Stages, or Stages, for short, is a Rochester-based theater company that provides theater camps and workshops for students in the surrounding region.
Amanda Meldrum, of East Rochester, has served as the musical director for several Stages plays. This time, she’s handing the reigns to 16-year-old musician Martijn Appelo.
“I’m going to be most proud of seeing what Martijn has accomplished with his orchestra,” said Meldrum. “He always has kind of gone beyond what we’ve expected, so I’m really excited to see what he puts together.”
In addition to acting and vocal performance, students at Stages are trained in the technical aspects of theater production. Meldrum said this is a chance for them to showcase these skills as well.
On stage, the grown-ups will present songs from classic musicals like “Chorus Line,” “Les Miserables,” and some modern ones, like “Wicked” and “Legally Blonde.” The show is open to the public, and all proceeds will help fund ongoing educational programs offered by Stages, a nonprofit.
Meldrum said she hopes the unique format of Saturday’s show will help showcase the abilities of the students as they work behind the scenes.
“I think that collaboration is very important for kids, and they don’t always get that everywhere else,” she said. “Here, we really value their input and what they bring to the table, and not just the stage.”
