Bloomfield's Andrea D’Arco Performs in Off-Broadway Play

Theater keeps sixteen-year-old Bloomfield native Andrea D’Arco very busy.

The Immaculate Heart Academy sophomore D’Arco stars as mean girl “Niki” in an Off-Broadway musical production by Bo Larson. Teen Angel, produced by Michael Bowen Horn of Young Stars on the Rise and the Michael Chekhov Theater Company, was directed by Sheree Rainbolt Kren.  Playing at The 45th Street Theatre in New York City until January 8, the show premieres tonight with cast members aged 12-22.  

The premise of the story is that teenager Peggy, played by Lily Helen, dies in a car accident. She attempts to crossover to Heaven but cannot gain entry until she earns her angel wings.  Returning to earth as a ghost in human form, Peggy tries to help Kate (Michelle Cutolo), who is being bullied by Niki (D'Arco) and Heather (Juliana Pillets), to win the heart of Peggy’s surviving boyfriend (Ryan Raffloer).

The show is set in the 1950s, complete with high-energy, poodle skirt dance routines. D’Arco has nothing but good things to say about her cast mates. “The cast is hilarious. We just blend together so great.”

She has the same sentiments for her director. “Sheree is an amazing director. She helps us learn about the business. For any production I am in I will take the lessons I learned from her.”

D’Arco’s is no stranger to the stage. Past roles include school productions (A Christmas Carol, The Wiz, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. ) at Lacordaire Academy in Montclair.  Local and regional theter credits include Frenchie in Grease, Sarah in The Audition, Flapper Girl Loretta, and Lena Marelli in Bugsy Malone.  

D'Arco's favorite role was performing in "Don’t Tell Mamas" in New York with the Maplewood theater group, Performers Theatre Workshop (PTW). She sang a solo called “The Story of Lucy and Jessie” from Follies.

“It was a fun number because [the character] has a split personality so she is venting to the audience about herself but making it seem like she is venting about other people,” laughed D’Arco.

The Bloomfield teen looks forward to a career in the performing arts but is realistic about the challenge that presents.

“I hope I can do it as a career. I haven’t really thought about anything else," she admits.  "It’s work, a lot of hard work. You have to be really serious about it. You can be serious but you can have fun doing something you love, so it’s the best of both worlds.”

Teen Angel runs January 4-8 at the 45th Street Theater between 8^th and 9^th Avenues.

7:00 performances Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. 

3:00 and 7:00 performances Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets: $25 general admission.

For more information, check out Young Stars on the Rise on Facebook: http://youngstarsontherisenews.ning.com/

For tickets to the show: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/215031