CCCEPA Alumni "Bring It On" to Summer Community Theatre 5230 in Johns Creek

Recent alumni from the The Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts (CCCEPA) have traveled to Johns Creek Georgia this summer to participate in community Theatre 5230's production of Bring It On: The Musical. Lily Kren, plays Campbell, a cheerleader at Truman High School who has prepared her whole life to take her high school cheer team to nationals competition, but just when she’s ready to live the dream, she finds herself re-districted to a school with dance crew instead of a cheer team. Austin Branks plays La Cienega, a transgender female who is part of the dance crew.

Kren will be a freshman this fall at Texas State University in San Marcos Texas pursuing her BFA in musical theatre. She finds community theatre has given her a chance to work with diverse people from all over the region. Branks is now a sophomore at University of Central Florida and is pursuing a BFA in musical theatre. He is especially excited by the challenge of playing a complex transgender role, especially since there is little backstory for the audience to know. Branks explains that as an artist, he feels it is important that he be able to portray the role realistically and gain the audience's acceptance literally. The show is cited as the first Broadway musical to feature a transgender high school character.

Both Kren and Branks believe audience members will find the production thrilling to watch, but important also in that the story teaches the important lessons of acceptance, friendship, and not judging people on the surface. Branks added that with his role, he recognizes the while there is “increasing acceptance for the LGBT community, there is often still ignorance and hate; this show helps to show that people are people no matter what race, gender or sexuality they are; love is love!” Kren agrees, saying she was struck by just how “relatable” she found her character, and she “hopes the audience will see that too.”

For theatre buffs, Lin-Manuel Miranda was co-composer and lyricist for the 2012 Broadway production which originally premiered at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in January 2011. This musical brings the thrill of extreme competition to the stage, as two high school cheer squads journey through friendship, jealousy, betrayal and forgiveness on their mission to claim the title at the National Cheerleading Championships. With a colorful assortment of characters, an exciting fresh sound and explosive choreography, this hilarious, universal story is sure to be the perfect answer for the summer doldrums.
Theatre 5230 is very excited to take on challenging productions for emerging artists. Last year's lead for its production of Rock of Ages, Dustin Harris Smith, is currently on tour with the national Farewell Mamma Mia! Tour.

The show will be performed July 20-22 at 7:00 PM and July 22 at 2:00 PM in Johns Creek at the theatre located at Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek. Tickets may be bought online at http://www.theatre5230.com/tic... for $15.

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