Stories that Need to be Told
Maya Meschi
March 24, 2024
ICA student Maya Meschi discusses the changing scene on Broadway with Casting Director Patrick Maravilla.
ICA student Maya Meschi discusses the changing scene on Broadway with Casting Director Patrick Maravilla.
As 14-year-old Joshua Sanchez prepares to start high school, he took time out to interview one of his biggest idols, Samantha Pauly. The Naperville student is a massive fan of the hit show Six the Musical, so was thrilled to speak to her majesty Katherine Howard via Zoom.
Our Studio classes give students a taste of what’s to come when we open our Academy, but in an after school setting. They enjoy dance, acting, improvisation and writing. In our Exploring a Career in the Arts through Writing course, students practiced interview techniques before getting the opportunity to interview some of their idols over Zoom.
Thirteen-year-old Maya Meschi from Naperville was thrilled to interview triple threat James T. Lane just before he opened in his own one man show off-Broadway. Like James Maya loves to dance, act and write, so who knows, one day she may be a triple threat herself!
Why two-time Tony nominee Rob McClure says Broadway should be a stop on the journey, not the final destination.
A masterclass with Mean Girls actress Erika Henningsen was one of the highlights of our July Impact Musical Theater camp. Now Erika’s preparing to star as entrepreneur Joy Mangano in a new musical which we hope is Broadway bound.
Two Academy of the Arts students were not only chosen to take part in the recent Broadway in Chicago performance of Children of Eden, but they also got to meet its creator, the legendary Stephen Schwartz.
A performing arts education may build a good foundation for a career in the limelight, but the act of learning never stops. From singing in
As if Halloween weren’t scary enough, Academy of the Arts students found themselves in the middle of a unique situation when they were asked to perform just inches away from an ever-changing audience. Naper Settlement’s All Hallows Eve turned out to be the perfect place to blend their acting and improv skills as they brought to life Hansel and Gretel: A Twisted Fairytale.
When 10-year-old Layla Cummings took part in a mock audition with renowned Broadway casting director Merri Sugarman at our Impact Musical Theater Camp in July,
Actor and writer Galen Williams has always been a big believer in education. “I’ve always loved it and being in a position to further educational
Chaz Wolcott is an actor, director and choreographer based in New York City, and is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association. He earned his BFA in Dance from Oklahoma City University.
As a performer, Chaz has been seen as Buttons on the First National Tour of Disney’s Newsies. You can also catch Chaz’s performance in Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical, available for digital download on iTunes and Amazon. Chaz also starred in the 30th Anniversary Tour of Cats as the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees. Chaz was featured on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance. Favorite regional credits include: 42nd Street (Andy Lee), Mary Poppins, Gypsy, Legally Blonde and productions at Music Theatre of Wichita, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, The Gateway, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Fulton Theatre, The Fireside, Casa Mañana, Westchester Broadway Theatre, Gretna Theatre and more.
Emily Kristen Morris is an NYC-based actor, singer, dancer, certified vocal instructor, and popular online content creator (1.7 Million followers on TikTok). Emily has performed across the nation and internationally, and was most recently the Elphaba standby on the Broadway national tour of WICKED. Currently, Emily is starring as Elsa in Paramount Theatre’s production of Frozen. Her past theatre credits include: Bea in the national tour of Something Rotten, White Plains Performing Arts Center (Daisy in Side Show), The Rev (Sophie in Mamma Mia), Cape Playhouse, the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra (Nellie in South Pacific in concert), Gateway Playhouse, Weston Playhouse, and New York Musical Theatre Festival. Emily has also performed as a solo vocalist with symphony orchestras, including the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China, and the Norwalk Symphony. Her voice is also featured on Joey Contreras’ new album “In Pieces.” On social media Emily is popular for her voice-teaching videos, her singing covers, and her vocal-coach-reacts videos. When she’s not performing, Emily runs her highly sought-after voice studio, EKM Vocal Studio, where she teaches lessons, masterclasses and workshops to passionate singers both virtually and in-person in NYC. Emily is certified through the Institute For Vocal Advancement (IVA), and received her BFA in musical theatre from the University of Cincinnati; College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).
SALISHA Thomas is a Broadway performer, author, former Miss California, a commercial and voiceover artist, a producer and director, vlogger, blogger, and media personality. She performed in the 1st National Touring and Broadway companies of Beautiful the Carole King Musical, and the Britney Spears Musical: Once Upon a One More Time. She’s the host of Black Hair in the Big Leagues and The Salisha Show podcasts and the red carpet correspondent for The Broadway Podcast Network. @theSalishashow www.thesalishashow.com
Born and raised in California, Patrick started as a performer but quickly fell in love with casting. As a Pisces with a Taurus moon, he aims to bring joy and light to the table while cultivating an inclusive and equitable space. Some of his favorite casting credits include Chicago, A Wonderful World, Peter Pan (National Tour), Gatsby, Life of Pi, Destiny of Desire, and Come Fall in Love!
