Cherry Hill Composer Andrea Green Gains National Prominence With Awards And Performances Of Her Meaningful Broadway-Style Musicals For Children

In the past year, Cherry Hill's own award-winning composer Andrea Green has been applauded throughout the country for her original Broadway-style musicals, written with heartfelt messages for children and family audiences. Green’s work is produced throughout the United States and in Canada, and three of her original shows are distributed by the renowned theatrical publisher and licensing house Samuel French, Inc. She has written nine musicals for children and a total of 14 full-length musicals. Green is currently working on two more and an entertainment project with multi-media opportunities.

Looking at 2012, it’s clear that Andrea Green’s star is rising. Her recognitions this year range from a “Best Musical Score Award” for her musical SAME CITY, to an entire Midwestern community celebrating her show ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, to HOMEROOM THE MUSICAL being selected by competitive thespians in Florida for their entry in the National Performing Arts Festival at Walt Disney World next February, and for one of her songs being nominated for the prestigious Joe Raposo Children’s Music Award by the ASCAP Foundation of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. In addition, a one-hour documentary is in production about her work as a music therapist and composer, chronicling the 30-year history of ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, the most meaningful project of her career.

Here are highlights of this year, demonstrating the wide scope of recognition she has received in 2012:

•  “Best Musical Score” Award -- In August, 2012 the UU Children's Theater, a non-profit theater in Des Moines, Iowa comprised of all student performers and primarily focused on social awareness plays and musicals, awarded “Best Musical Score” to SAME CITY, in their inaugural Children’s Playwriting Competition.

•  Danville, Illinois Recognition -- The town of Danville, Illinois, feted Green and 40 youth performers at their local mall on July 21, when The Danville Light Opera Company presented Green as a guest-artist with highlights of her musical ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE. That show was their 2012 Summer Youth Musical and was staged over three days in July at the regional community college.

• SKIMMER AND BUDGE, a relatively new family musical co-written by Green and Janet Sclaroff, was produced in June, 2012 by The Ritz Theater in Haddon Township N.J.  That show was awarded a top musical award in New Hampshire in 2011.

In production and looking ahead for 2012-13:

• HOMEROOM THE MUSICAL, co-written by Green and Selma Tolins-Kaufman, was selected for the National Performing Arts Festival at Walt Disney World in February, 2013 by competitive student thespians from the award-winning Spotlight Kids Drama Club. They are currently preparing for their district and Florida state musical theater competitions with excerpts of this musical.

• BLUE LOU AND THE BULLYFISH is being presented on Oct. 21 in Cherry Hill, NJ to raise awareness about the dangers of bullying. The show is based on Green’s musical THE RAINBOW SEA, drawn from a book written by Stephanie Arasim Portnoy with music and lyrics by Andrea Green.    
• The Premier of THE SAME SKY, featuring a cast of over 40 six to nine year old child performers, will be presented by The Wolf Performing Arts Center and staged at the Bluett Theater at St. Joseph’s University in June, 2013.
• The Thomas Mifflin School in East Falls, Philadelphia, was awarded a $3500 grant from the The Picasso Project to stage ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE with fifth and sixth graders as a project promoting tolerance, diversity and peace-making in 2013.
• The one hour documentary “On the Other Side of the Fence“, produced by Henry Nevison and MIND T.V., is in the final stages. This film powerfully explores how Green’s musical ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE brings diverse groups of children together as partners and friends and uses her music to bring hearts together to take down the "fences" of prejudice and fear.  It also celebrates 30 years of this highly successful musical partnership project between Philadelphia’s HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy, where Andrea has been a music therapist, and Germantown Friends School. The documentary producers are now seeking completion funding.

As she continues her creative mission, Green feels energized and encouraged by the spate of recent recognitions. “So much of my time is spent working on new musicals with the goal of making a positive difference in the hearts and minds of children,” said Green recently, “and when I hear my goals are actually being realized, it is personally rewarding for me. I am honored to be receiving so much wonderful recognition today.”

There’s a unique signature to the success of Andrea Green’s Broadway-style musicals for children and family audiences. Mostly written to be performed by children and teens, Green’s songs all have wonderfully memorable tunes, a variety of easy-to-sing roles for groups that range in size from small ensembles to large casts, and themes that build social awareness of such important topics as tolerance, understanding, friendship and respect. Lessons are taught but children, while singing and dancing, are absorbing them through the magic of musical theater.

Green described her Broadway-style music for kids as “classic and timeless.” She added, “I want to write melodies that stick. It’s hard to describe in words, but I hope to always inspire a loving quality to the shows that is experienced by both the performers and the audience.” 

Kenneth Dingledine, Director of Operations, Samuel French, Inc. said this about Green’s music: “Andrea Green captures the heart and soul of theatre, seamlessly blending education and entertainment through words and music. She tackles the tough subjects and always delivers a fun experience for the performers. The response we get from groups performing her work is overwhelmingly positive.”

Elizabeth Nelson, the director of Spotlight Kids Drama Club from Gainesville, Florida., believes Green possesses a rare talent today. She wrote her and said, “Thank you for creating such great music for the middle school age. It's very hard to find literature for them to take seriously and they appreciate the maturity that you have brought to the musical theater community.”

And, locally, Bruce A. Curless, Producing Artistic Director of The Ritz Theater Company in Westmont, N.J. said, "Andrea's music and lyrics are timeless, beautiful and artistically created. You will find no more talented composer and lyricist in children's or adult's musicals! I highly recommend you look at her body of work and guarantee you will enjoy working with each and every script you select."

Other presenters over the years include the Yankton Children’s Theater in South Dakota, Playhouse on Park in Hartford Connecticut and at the historic Walnut Street Theater in her hometown of Philadelphia. In addition, her shows have been staged in California, Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts and in Kingston Ontario, Canada. 

More information about her work is available at her website www.andreagreenmusicals.com. “Homeroom the Musical” also has a website, www.homeroomthemusical.com or e-mail her at andreagreenmusic@gmail.com.