New York City is known for its fabulous production of Broadway shows and musicals. Aside from the enjoyment of this entertainment, observing these professionals proves to be a beneficial activity for aspiring musical theatre students.
The King’s Academy’s high school choirs and dance troupes recently returned from a four-day fine arts trip to New York City. Jacquie Lopez, Dance Instructor, explained the purpose of the trip, “We believe that an important component of fine arts instruction is real world experience. New York City is home to our nation’s best theater talent, so our students get to see the level of vocal, acting, and dance excellence that is possible.”
Highlights of the trip included a concert performance by The King’s Academy’s choirs at St. John the Divine Church, the largest cathedral in the world, as well as choir and dance classroom workshops taught by Broadway professionals.
Students also toured Lincoln Center having a chance to observe a combined rehearsal by The New York Philharmonic Orchestra, The Metropolitan Opera, and The New York City Ballet. The group also took in two Broadway performances, “In the Heights” and “Mary Poppins.” Nick Savarese, TKA Senior and a professional stage veteran at Jupiter’s Maltz Theatre, was particularly fond of the trip, as he has been invited to enroll in New York University’s theatre program in the fall. “Training in New York City is one of the best ways to try to break into the business,” he said.
In addition to fine arts instruction, students also took time to see the sights including: Rockefeller Center, Greenwich Village, Times Square, the new World Trade Center construction, and the Statue of Liberty via the Staten Island Ferry. Due to recent winter storms, students were also able to participate in a faculty vs. students snowball fight in Central Park.
The King’s Academy is a nationally recognized private Christian school serving approximately 1,200 students from preschool through twelfth grade and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Association of Christian Schools International, and the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. The King’s Academy serves students and their families across Palm Beach and Hendry Counties at its main campus at Belvedere Road and Sansbury’s Way in West Palm Beach, Florida, its Clewiston, Florida campus on Caribbean Avenue, and its satellite preschool campuses in Greenacres, Palm Beach Gardens, and Royal Palm Beach, Florida. The King’s Academy also provides remote learning at TKAOnline.net. More information about The King’s Academy is available online at www.TKA.net and www.TKAClewiston.net.
