Vero Voce Students Honored

(St Charles, IL) Vero Voce students Grace Etzkorn of Lisle (Benet Academy) and Katelyn Jassoy of St Charles (Rosary HS) have been named as finalists in Broadway In Chicago’s Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards. Broadway in Chicago invited high schools across the state of Illinois to participate in the fourth annual Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards.

The finalists (12 young actors and 12 young actresses) have been invited to participate in the Awards program, which will be held at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) on Monday, June 1, 2015. Sponsored by PIPPIN, Grosh Backdrops & Drapery and The Mash, the Illinois chapter of the National High School Musical Theater Awards serves as an annual national celebration of outstanding achievement in musical theater performance by high school students.

Broadway In Chicago has crafted a full day of workshops with theatre professionals for these twenty-four finalists that culminates in a performance on stage at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. During the day, finalists will audition for a panel of casting agents and theater professionals who will choose the recipients of performance awards, as well as the newly-established honor for High School Musical Scenic Design (The Grosh Scenic Design Award). The top two Illinois performers (one actor and one actress) will be invited to attend the National High School Musical Theater Awards with an all-expense paid trip to New York City.

In addition to the day of workshops featuring Brad Musgrove, Associate Choreographer of PIPPIN, finalists will receive tickets to see PIPPIN in Chicago, playing the Cadillac Palace Theatre July 29 through August 9.

Vero Voce student Sarah Heylmun (Batavia HS) has advanced to the National Semi-Final round of the Category II High School Musical Theater Women competition of the National Association of Teachers of Singing to be held at Greensboro, NC on July 7. Sarah is one of only 2 students representing the Central Region of NATS (Illinois, Iowa and Missouri) in Greensboro. Only 14 singers in her category, out of all that entered, are chosen to compete at the national level.

Other noteable students of late include Lauren Freas, St Charles East HS sophomore and 3rd place winner of the Central Region of NATS and Colin Callahan and Maisey Sweeney of Batavia were selected by audition to participate in the National Middle School Honors Choir Performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City, June 24-28, 2015.

Vero Voce was established in 2001 specializing in private voice, piano lessons and musical theatre coaching. It expanded into a 7,000 square foot facility with multiple studios, classrooms, and a theatre at 951 State Avenue, Suite F, in St Charles. Vero Voce is known for its unique theater teaching style, with elements of improvisation, actor input, characterization, scene study, tech awareness and confidence building. Vero Voce also offers classes specifically in improv, audition, scene study, character analysis and college preparation for the performing arts.

More information about the productions and the many other offerings at Vero Voce can be obtained by visiting the website: verovoce.com, or calling (630) 584-0139.