NYS Music 202​1

Category: Broadway/Musicals

  • “Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow” Opens New Capital Repertory Theatre Venue in August

    The musical biography, Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow, begins at the Capital Repertory Theatre’s new home at 251 N. Pearl St. on Tuesday, Aug 24 and will continue through to Sept 26.

    ethel waters

    Ethel Waters broke through the Jim Crow ceiling of recording studios, radio, musical theater and movies to become an inspirational legend. Written by Larry Parr, this show celebrates the life of Ethel Waters. The actress and recording star crossed racial barriers to win Grammy Awards, star in her own television show, and be nominated for Emmy and Academy awards. The title role of Ethel Waters will be portrayed by Broadway veteran and award-winning actress Jannie Jones.  

    Capital Region audiences will remember Jones’ acclaimed performances at theREP in Smokey Joe’s Café, Crowns, Black Pearl Sings, and most recently A Night With Janis Joplin, where she brought the house down as Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone. She won an Audelco Award for August Wilson’s Women as “Rose” in Fences and a Bay Area Theatre Critics Award as “Pearl” in Black Pearl Sings. 

    “I am very excited to be returning to Capital Rep; having done ‘Crowns’, ‘Black Pearl Sings’ and ‘A Night With Janis Joplin’ in past years,” says Jones. “I can’t wait to look into the eyes of the warm and inviting audiences in Albany once again. I’m simply delighted to work with the wonderful Maggie Cahill and I am very honored to be doing the first full production on the theatre’s brand-new stage.”  

    Playwright Larry Parr’s work has had hundreds of regional theatre productions. His trio of plays celebrating illustrious Black female artists, Hi-hatted Hattie, My Castle’s Rockin’ and Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow have each won numerous playwriting awards. 

    This show is the first fully produced show in theREP’s new theatre, which includes a 309-seat Main Stage and a smaller flexible studio theatre. A special opening night pre-show celebration will take place to light theREP’s marquee on Tuesday, Aug 24 at 6:30 pm under the awning of the theatre. Songs of celebration will be performed as part of the official “ribbon cutting” to usher in the first season at 251 N. Pearl St. Curtain time on opening night is 7:30 pm.  

    On Sept 19, a “Behind the Scenes” pre-show talk with Jones and Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill will take place before the Sunday matinee at 1-1:30 pm. Jones will discuss the life of Ethel Waters and her importance in musical history. The event is free to ticket holders of any performance of the show. 

    No concessions will be served for the run of ETHEL WATERS; patrons may bring personal bottled water into the auditorium. A link to safety protocols can be found at the Capital Repertory website.   The show runs 90 minutes without an intermission. 

    Regular Performances Weekly Schedule:

    Tues-Thurs: 7:30 pm 
    Fri: 8 pm 
    Sat: 3 pm 
    Sun: 2 pm 
    Sept 1: Wednesday Matinee at 2 pm 
    Sept 18: Saturday Evening Performance at 8 pm    

    As part of theREP’s opening celebration, specially discounted tickets will be available during the run of Ethel Waters for senior groups, residents of the Arbor Hill Neighborhood, and civic and church groups as part of the theatre’s Neighbors for Neighbors outreach programming. For more information about Neighbors for Neighbors discount tickets, please call the box office at (518) 346-6204. 

    Tickets range from $22 to $52. Reservations may be made online at the Capital Repertory website or by calling the box office from 10 am-2 pm weekdays at (518) 346-6204. $16 student discounts are available at all performances with valid student ID. Tickets may also be reserved in person at theREP box office two hours before show time Tuesdays through Sundays. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QbeNSatFFo

    The inaugural season at 251 N. Pearl St. consists of four titles on the 2020-21 announced season that was postponed due to the pandemic: the plays “The True” and “Fly” and the musicals “Jersey Boys” and “Wizard of Oz”. In addition, the subscription plan includes a play at Proctors, “To Kill a Mockingbird” starring Richard Thomas. Both theREP and Proctors are part of Proctors Collaborative.

    The subscription series pricing starts at $153. Contact the box office 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling (518) 346-6204 or visit capitalrep.org to subscribe.

    In addition to “Ethel Waters: His Eye is on the Sparrow”, there is one additional previously announced show at theREP that is being presented later this year for 2019-20 subscribers and the general public:

    “The Irish and How They Got That Way” is being presented Nov. 19-Dec. 19. Tickets for this show are also currently on sale.

    The subscription season line-up:

    Fly

    Jan. 28 – Feb. 27, 2022

    Experience the thrill of flight commandeered by WWII flying aces, the Tuskegee Airmen. Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan’s soaring play takes us on a breathtaking journey with the first African-American Army Air Corp fighters. Based on true events, FLY takes you through the trials and tribulations of four recruits who transform from a collection of motley individuals into a true brotherhood of fighter pilots. Using tap dancing and spoken word, this ingenious play will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, as you experience the magnitude of this emotional ride t first hand.

    The True

    April 1-May 1, 2022

    Albany. Peek behind the curtains in Sharr White’s drama about the blunt, profane, decades-long defender of Albany’s Democratic Party machine, Dorothea “Polly” Noonan. Politics is personal for Noonan, especially now that her hero, “mayor for life” Erastus Corning II, is battling for party control, while at the same time fighting the fiercest primary challenge of his life. THE TRUE is an intimate portrait of the bounds of love, loyalty and female power in the male-dominated world of 1977 patronage politics.

    Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird

    June 14-19, 2022 – at Proctors

    All rise for Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prizewinning masterwork. The New York Times Critic’s Pick HARPER LEE’S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is “the most successful American play in Broadway history. It has not played to a single empty seat” (60 Minutes). Rolling Stone gives it 5 stars, calling it “an emotionally shattering landmark production of an American classic,” and New York Magazine calls it “a real phenomenon. Majestic and incandescent, it’s filled with breath, nuance, and soul.” With direction by Tony Award® winner Bartlett Sher, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD — “the greatest novel of all time” (Chicago Tribune) — has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR).

    Jersey Boys

    July 15 – Aug 21, 2022

    “O, What A Night!” and you’ll want to dance it away to this tune-filled journey with the Four Seasons! Follow the four boys from New Jersey, from their first stumbles and fumbles to their rise to become international icons of their generation. See how the group was almost ripped apart by personal problems and professional differences yet managed to climb to the top of the pop charts repeatedly with big hits, including “Sherry,” “Walk Like A Man, “ “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” and many more. Travel with the boys to “late December back in 63,” and relive the music hits of Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio and Nick Massi.

    The Wizard of Oz

    Dates to be announced

    Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Revisit your childhood in Frank Baum’s beloved classic story, with all the songs we love from the award-winning movie. You’ll meet all your favorite characters from Kansas and the wonderful land of Oz. Follow Dorothy and Toto as they travel the yellow brick road in search of the Wizard, while encountering new friends as well as dangers caused by the Wicked Witch of the West.

    Sing along with the Munchkins to timeless classics such as “Over the Rainbow,” “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” and “Yellow Brick Road”. The show gets the special theREP treatment with actor-musicians, delightful new arrangements and an imaginative setting in the intimate environment of our new theatre. You’ll leave the show feeling braver, smarter with your heart wide open!

  • The Egg Announces Reopening with the Performance of Swan Lake

    The Egg Performing Arts Center announced its plans of reopening with the performance of Swan Lake. The performance will be done by the Ajkun Ballet Theatre on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 7:30 PM EST.  

    The Egg center for the performing arts.

    The Egg Center for the Performing Arts is located in Albany New York and is known for its performances as much as it is for it’s architecture. It’s as much of a sculpture as it is a building. It’s construction took twelve years and finally came into being in 1978. “The Egg” itself is owned by the State of New York and managed by the not-for-profit Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center Corporation. Ajkun Ballet Theatre has been a resident every summer since 2000 at The Egg.

    The Ajkun Ballet Theatre (AjkunBT) is a professional company that presents classical and contemporary ballets in the Greater New York area, throughout the USA and internationally. Chiara Ajkun the artistic director of Ajkun Ballet Theatre is restaging Swan Lake to Tchaikovsky’s iconic music. The production is currently being rehearsed at The Egg in preparation for the upcoming performance. 

    Chiara Ajkun spoke on the upcoming performance saying, “We could not be more excited to be in the theater everyday. This long pause has forced us to reflect on the importance of the Arts and the way they shape us as People. I, for one, strongly believe the magic of ballet does not rest in the opulence of sceneries and large ensembles, rather on pure emotion, beauty and magic it creates”.

    The performance is taking place on Saturday, August 7, 2021 from 7:30PM – 8:45PM. Tickets are on sale now for $35 and can be purchased buy by phone at (518) 473-1845 or online here.

    For more information on the Egg visit their website. For more information on The Ajkun Ballet Theatre visit their website.

  • Sackets Harbor Announces Summer Concert Series

    The Sackets Harbor Historical Society has released their schedule for the 2021 summer concert series. Located near Lake Ontario, Sackets Harbor’s theme represents anticipation for live concerts to come back.

    Sackets Harbor

    The name of the concert series for 2021 is “Happy To Be Together Again.” This concert series is held every summer Sunday, 3:00 to 5:00 in the Grove at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site. There will be bands and musicians from musical genres of country, Latin, pop and dance, jazz, Broadway, blues and bluegrass.

    Sackets Harbor Summer concert series

    7/11 – Bryan Brundige and His Piggly Wigglies (Swing)
    7/18 – Atlas (80’s Party)
    7/25 – Jess Novak Band (Country Rock)
    8/1 Son BoriKua (Caribbean)
    8/8 – The Bad Husband’s Band (Vintage Rock)
    8/15 – The Gibson Brothers (Bluegrass)
    8/22 – Ruby Shooz (50’s – 60’s)
    8/29 – Double Barrel Blues Band (Rock)
    9/5 – Maria DeSantis Orchestra (Big Band)

  • Opera Saratoga Celebrates 60th Anniversary with Summer Festival

    This summer marks the 60th anniversary of the Opera Saratoga Summer Festival. Initially dubbed the Lake George Opera playing to a crowd of 230 people, Opera Saratoga regularly performs for over 25,000 a year. Having performed over 90 works by 52 composers, this summer’s festival commemorates the history and continued success of those who have put on these critically acclaimed productions. The festival features three concerts inspired by the literature of Miguel de Cervantes: Quixotic Opera, Man of La Mancha, and Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding. 

    Working with a team of those dedicated to ensuring safety in the time of COVID, Opera Saratoga has committed to bringing audiences back safety for this summer’s festival for an outdoor experience during the months of June and July. These performances, produced in partnership with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Spa State Park, and Pitney Meadows Community Farm, provide different performance spaces for a safe and enjoyable concert. 

    opera saratoga summer festival
    Via Opera Saratoga Official Site

    “Quixotic Opera”

    June 24th and 25th saw the kickoff of the festival with an 80 minute “Quixotic Opera” at Pitney Meadows Community Farm. Following a series of scenes from operas inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote, the concert brought the audience on the adventures of nobleman Alonso Quizano who became a knight to serve his nation under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. Lead by musical director Laurie Rogers, it featured scenes from Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse (Boismortier / Favart), Die Hochzeit des Camacho (Mendelssohn / Voigts), Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo (Donizetti / Ferretti),  Don Quixote (Kienzl) and more.

    “Man of La Mancha”

    opera saratoga summer festival
    Via Opera Saratoga Official Site

    July 8th, 9th, and 10th will feature the 120 minute musical “Man of La Mancha” at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Amphitheater. Written by Dale Wasserman, the Tony Award winning musical, which features Broadway and Opera star Zachary James in the lead role as Cervantes/Don Quixote, tells the story of Don Quixote with music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. 

    “A universal tale of love, hope, and adventure, Man of La Mancha celebrates the perseverance of one man who refuses to relinquish his ideals, and who is determined to see life not as it is, but as it ought to be.” 

    Opera Saratoga Official Website

    “Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding”

    opera saratoga summer festival
    Via Opera Saratoga’s Official Site

    For lovers of more traditional classical music, Opera Saratoga will be presenting the 50 minute “Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding” with twelve performances scheduled between July 14th and 18th. A one-act comic serenata, the performances will feature artists from Opera Saratoga’s Young Artist Program. Written by Georg Philipp Telemann with a libretto by Daniel Schiebeler, the concert incorporates an episode from Part Two of Don Quixote where the knight and his squire stumble upon unusual weddings while exploring the world.  

    Tickets for both the musical Man of La Mancha and the serenata Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding on Opera Saratoga’s website. Ensured audience safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic has limited tickets this season and Opera Saratoga anticipates that performances will sell out in advance of the show date. Advance ticket purchases are required for Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding and while not required for Man of La Mancha, they are strongly advised to ensure a spot at the special 60th anniversary performance.

  • Proctors Theatre Announces the World Premiere of the musical “The Right Girl”

    Proctors Theatre has announced the world premiere of the musical based on true stories, The Right Girl, opening October 13th with performances through Wednesday, November 10th.

    The musical features music by 12-time Academy Award nominee and Grammy®, Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren, lyrics by Ms. Warren, Louisette Geiss and Howard Kagan, and a book by Ms. Geiss and Mr. Kagan, The Right Girl is directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award® winner Susan Stroman.

    The cast of The Right Girl includes Alysha Umphress (On The Town, Bring It On, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, American Idiot), Ramin Karimloo (Anastasia, Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera), Paige Faure (Cinderella), Adam Jacobs (Aladdin, Les Mis, The Lion King), J. Elaine Marcos (Annie, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, A Chorus Line), Steve Rosen (Guys and Dolls, Spamalot), and Syndee Winters (Hamilton, Pippin, The Lion King).  Additional casting will be announced at a later date. The Right Girl features set design by Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Jason Lyons, sound design by Kai Harada and orchestrations and arrangements by Santino Paladino and Assaf Gleizner.

    One of the dreams of the Proctors Collaborative was that the mix of theatrical and musical facilities and capabilities would attract new and different opportunities within the world of the theater. Howard Kagan and Tom Smedes are first-class producers who found just what they needed as they worked with us: a great building, a welcoming community and an audience based both at Proctors and at the Rep interested and anxious to support new work. We are excited to host this world premiere. We hope to do so well that we can leverage continuing new relationships with the industry’s major players.

    -Phillip Morris, CEO, Proctors Collaborative

    Performances will begin at 7:30pm Tuesdays through Saturdays, 2pm on Sundays. Proctors will follow all C.D.C. and New York State safety guidelines for these performances. Check the Proctors website at proctors.org to subscribe and obtain additional information.

  • Love at First Write: A Conversation with “Central Park” songwriters Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson

    The power duo Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson are the songwriters behind all of the hilarious and character-revealing songs from the hit Apple TV series Central Park. With the first two episodes of the second season premiering on June 25th, they have had to overcome challenges that are brought about by making a TV show during COVID-19. The pair however are used to overcoming adversity by being two successful women in the entertainment business.

    central park songwriters

    The show is a musical about a family who lives in Central Park because the father (Owen) is the park manager. It follows their untraditional NYC life and their attempt in saving Central Park from getting turned into condos.  

    Making the show during COVID-19 presented obvious challenges not being able to work together in person or in a studio. But as Kate Anderson explained “the music team really pulled off a miracle and got everybody set up at home. All the actors were sent mics and equipment and walked through how exactly to set it up. They would drop off music and all kinds of stuff at their homes. It just became this real team effort to get it going and to keep it going and to keep everybody employed and to keep the show on track.” Anderson then continued how “there were additional challenges after that, It took an incredible amount of patience on the actor’s side and also on the music team side.” 

    When Samsel and Anderson were writing songs, they are given the script and would “find these little gems,” Elyssa Samsel was saying, “and for example, Elwood had a pet worm named Diane and we were so tickled by that, that we sort of took that and ran with it and it made it into more than one song. And it’s so fun. Now we see fans of the show and they mentioned Diana the worm. And I’m like damn.” 

    Making these songs was a lot more than just a job during COVID-19, “it was still all over zoom and a lot of times it was the highlight of our day because it was a way to be connecting with people. Working hard on something and having fun and making each other laugh during such a dark time was really a lifeline for us” Kate Anderson said. 

    “It was love at first write”

    Kate Anderson remembering on the first time they had met.

    The pair who are now living on the West Coast wasn’t always the prominent team they are now. They had met at a New York City writers’ workshop, being part of the women minority of the class that first day, they were paired together and were wearing the same outfit. They had also figured out that they were practically neighbors “It was just the beginning of the best collaboration and the best friendship that we’ve ever could have hoped for,” Elyssa Samsel recalled.

    central park songwriters
    Elyssa Samsel on left and Kate Anderson on right

    But even with all of their success and projects throughout the years “there’s definitely times where we feel not trusted or underestimated because of maybe our gender or our age or both,” Anderson said. But regardless of that, she continued that they “figured out that the best way to collaborate is to be extremely respectful and treat others the way that you want to be treated, so we always try to enter the room and treat everybody like they know what they’re doing, and we are so grateful to be working with them, and I think in that situation it’s helped us to get through some murky water.” 

    “We want to be that for other women you know and maybe we’re not there yet, but hopefully we will be someday. “

    Elyssa Samsel on wanting to be a role model for other women after reflecting on women who have helped them.

    Elyssa Samsel then talked about how they’re “so lucky because we had other women to look up to who were crushing it in their field. Women like Jodi Picoult was such a guide for us and always encouraged us in those situations where we might have felt that we were outnumbered or not being taken seriously.”

  • “Springsteen On Broadway” Returns For Limited Summer Run At The St. James Theatre

    Bruce Springsteen will return to Broadway this summer for a limited run of “Springsteen on Broadway” performances at Jujamcyn’s St. James Theatre (246 W 44th Street). Shows begin Saturday June 26, with additional performances taking place through September 4.

    Springsteen on broadway
    Credit: Rob DeMartin

    Based on his worldwide best-selling autobiography ‘Born to Run,’ “Springsteen on Broadway” is a unique evening with Bruce, his guitar, a piano, and his very personal stories. The show’s original run included 236 sold-out performances at Jujamcyn’s Walter Kerr Theatre, beginning in October 2017 and concluding in December 2018. Springsteen earned a Special Tony Award for the performances, which were later adapted into a film and a soundtrack album.

    Proceeds from Opening Night of the show at the St. James Theatre will be donated to a group of local New York and New Jersey charities including the Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Food Bank for New York City, Fulfill (Monmouth & Ocean Counties Foodbank), Long Island Cares, NJ Pandemic Relief Fund and The Actor’s Fund.

    Anyone planning on seeing this show will be required to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter the theater. Tickets for “Springsteen on Broadway” will go on sale Thursday, June 10 at 12 pm ET through the show’s official ticketing provider SeatGeek.

  • Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jimmy Fallon anticipate Broadway’s return with ‘Hamilton’ parody

    On Tuesday’s The Tonight Show, Lin-Manuel Miranda joined Jimmy Fallon for a musical tribute to all the Broadway shows they’ve missed in the last 16 months, and were joined by stage veterans during their song.

    jimmy fallon lin-manuel miranda

    Filmed before a fully vaccinated audience in Studio 6B,”Broadway’s Back” paid homage to more than a dozen musicals, including Aladdin, Book of Mormon, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Come From Away, Company, Dear Evan Hansen, Hadestown, The Lion King, Moulin Rouge, Phantom of the Opera, Six, West Side Story and Wicked.

    Fallon and Miranda were joined by Kristin Chenoweth, Christopher Jackson, Phylicia Rashad, and Laura Benanti were on hand to join in for a reinterpretation of Hamilton‘s “You’ll Be Back.” Also joining the performance were Jimmy Smits and Olga Merediz who star in the film adaptation of Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights, which releases in theaters and on HBO Max on Thursday, June 10.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x54643iF-Ts

  • Celebrate Puerto Rican Culture Week in The Bronx

    To celebrate Puerto Rican Culture Week, NY PopsUp festival will be having its annual celebration at 52 Amphitheater in The Bronx. The free event will be held on June 6th with live music at 2:30 and 4:30 pm. This is after last year’s Puerto Rican Culture Week celebration was held online.

    puerto rican culture week

    The music talent will include GRAMMY nominated Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band who will be saluting Puerto Rican composers like Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Rafael Hernández, and more at 2:30 pm. Then at 4:30 pm, they play the complete score from the Grammy-nominated, Jazz Journalists Association Record of the Year, “West Side Story Reimagined”

    NY PopsUp is an expansive festival consisting of hundreds of pop-up performances that regularly permeate the daily lives of New Yorkers. It is intended to revitalize the spirit and emotional well-being of New York citizens through the energy of live performance. The programming for NY PopsUp will be led by the interdisciplinary artist Zack Winokur, in partnership with a hand-selected council of artistic advisors who represent the diversity of New York’s dynamic performing arts scenes and artistic communities.

    You can attend this event at 52 Amphitheater 681 Kelly St. Bronx, NY. COVID-19 Protocols will be followed so bring a mask.

  • Samuel E. Wright, Tony Nominee and Founder of Hudson Valley Conservatory, dies at 72

    Samuel E Wright, found of the Hudson Valley Conservatory, voice of Sebastian the crab in 1989’s The Little Mermaid, and Tony Award nominated actor has died at age 72. A longtime resident of Walden, NY, Wright passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with prostate cancer.

    samuel wright

    Born on November 20, 1948 in Camden, SC, Wright moved to New York City in 1968 to begin his acting career. After a few years in London, Wright returned to perform in 18 Broadway productions, beginning with Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971. He later landed the role of Pippin in 1972, replacing Ben Vereen as the lead.

    In 1983, Samuel Wright received his first Tony Award nomination for The Tap Dance Kid, which found Wright as the unsympathetic father of a young boy (Alfonso Riberio). More recently, he originated the role of Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King, which garnered him his second Tony nomination, and a Drama Desk Award.

    Wright acted in several films, including Clint Eastwood’s 1988 Bird, playing the role of Dizzy Gillespie to Forest Whitaker’s Charlie “Bird” Parker. In the 1995 Apollo Theater revival of The Wiz, he played the Scarecrow in alongside Whitney Houston, Keith David and Cedric the Entertainer.

    In 1989, he earned Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song for “Under the Sea,” from The Little Mermaid. The song would achieve RIAA certification and double platinum status, leading to parodies from Saturday Night Live to The Simpsons. With his new success, he moved north from New York City to Walden in Orange County. Here, he would continue to commute for the role of Mufasa, while creating a legacy in support of the arts.

    Founded in 1994, the Hudson Valley Conservatory (HVC) is the first performing arts school in the Hudson Valley offering classes in acting, music and dance, to ages 3 and up. Started by Samuel E. Wright, Amanda A. Wright and Pamela A. Murphy in 1994, HVC is a place for children to learn and grow in the arts.

    Per their mission statement, HVC pride themselves on offering a well-rounded arts education and helping children develop not just as artists, but confident, competent young adults. Students at HVC have the opportunity to take part in productions throughout the year in HVC’s black box theatre, The New Rose Theatre.

    Notable fans of Samuel Wright include Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who named his oldest son after Sebastian.

    Wright is survived by his wife, Amanda, and their three children, Keely, Dee and Sam. 

    To honor the life of Samuel E. Wright and continue their mission, the New Rose Theatre Group will be starting The Samuel E Wright Scholarship Fund. This fund will be used to support the children, school and community of young artists he created at the Hudson Valley Conservatory. If you would like to make a contribution to the fund, checks can be mailed to:

    Samuel E Wright Scholarship Fund
    Via New Rose Theatre Group 
    PO Box 702 
    Walden NY 12586
    or donate directly to New Rose Theatre Group by Venmo @Rose-Group