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What do American Idol’s Katharine McPhee; Radio City Rockette
Kelly King; and Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony-nominated actor Patrick Wilson have
in common? They all studied at the Broadway Theatre Project at the University
of South Florida, Tampa.
Founded in 1991, Broadway Theatre Project (BTP) is the world’s
most prestigious musical theatre arts education program for high school and
college students. Under the Artistic Direction of Debra McWaters, the nonprofit
BTP is an intensive three-week training program focused on the key disciplines
of musical theatre including acting, dancing, and singing, as well as the
critical life skills necessary to work in the professional world of
entertainment.
Past BTP guest artists have included Julie Andrews, Paige
Davis, Savion Glover, Jeff Goldblum, Joel Grey, Marilu Henner, Gregory Hines,
John Kander, Patti LuPone, Terence Mann, James Naughton, Bebe Neuwirth,
Phylicia Rashad, Roy Scheider, Tommy Tune, Ben Vereen and Gwen Verdon.
BTP has successfully prepared and trained more than 30 students
who are currently actively performing in Broadway shows. Other former BTP
apprentices are working in the entertainment industry in films, television, and
national tours and at regional theatres around the country. This year’s
American Idol contestant Katherine McPhee attended BTP, as did Emmy, Golden
Globe and Tony-nominated actor (and Bay-area native) Patrick Wilson and
television actor Josh Cooke, best known for his roles on the NBC sitcoms Four
Kings and Committed.
Other Broadway Theatre Project alumni success stories include
Katie Clarke, currently playing the role of Clara in the Tony award-winning
Broadway production of Light in the Piazza; Tyler Hanes and Bay-area native Ken
Allen, who will be appearing in the upcoming Broadway revival of A Chorus Line;
and Bay-area native Kelly King, Dance Captain of the Radio City Rockettes. A
full list of BTP Alumni Successes is available upon request.
Students are chosen from around the country by audition only. In
residence at the University of South Florida, BTP pursues a mission of
providing educational excellence to mold a creative, well-rounded, professional
musical theatre arts performer. Each July, a faculty of approximately 50
working artists teaches classes in Acting, Ballet, Ballroom, Clowning, Jazz,
Modern, Stage Combat, Tap, Vocal Technique and Writing. The curriculum also
includes master classes on a diverse range of topics including Auditioning,
Collaboration, Life on the Road, Getting Started in the Business, College
Selection and general Question and Answer sessions.
This year 175 students from 28 states, as well as Puerto Rico,
Canada and England, will attend. Classes will be held July 9-30 at the
University of South Florida. This summer renowned guest artists include Pierre
Dulaine (the subject of Take the Lead, starring Antonio Banderas, and Mad Hot
Ballroom), Patrick Wilson, Frank Wildhorn and Ben Vereen to name only a few.
The July 2006 session culminates in a performance, BTP Presents
“The Movie Musical,” that showcases the talents of the BTP apprentices and
consists of original works created by the BTP faculty and the apprentices
themselves. This year’s performance will be held at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday,
July 29 in Ferguson Hall at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and will
feature a guest performance by world champion ballroom dancers Andre and Natale
Paramonov. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased through the TBPAC box office, 813-229-7827,
or through Ticketmaster.
{quote}Limited tickets are available for performances on July 29{/quote}
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