BROADWAY CASTS PERFORM AT USDAN JULY 7

PHOTO: From left to right: Cody Williams, Alysha Umphress, Bernard Dotson, Nathan Lee Graham in “Voices of Broadway” at Usdan Center. Photo: Courtesy of Usdan Center

Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts (www.usdan.com), the renowned Long Island summer arts day camp which has just begun its 48th season, presented its annual “Voices of Broadway” musical performance today. This is a special revue by Broadway performers, part of Usdan’s special “Festival Concerts” series, exposing students to the best of the arts.

Featured this year were Alysha Umphress (Hildy in “On the Town”), Cody Williams (“On the Town”), Bernard Dotson (recently in “Chicago,” also in “Finian’s Rainbow” and “Ragtime”) and Nathan Lee Graham (most recently in “Priscilla” and also the films Zoolander and the upcoming Zoolander 2). The Musical Director was Nate Buccieri. The show featured many songs from classic musicals.

In recent years, “Voices of Broadway” artists have included Heidi Blickenstaff (“Something’s Rotten”), Seth Rudetsky (national Sirius Radio host and Usdan alumnus) and Tony Award-winner Cady Huffman.

These private performances are special educational experiences running through the first weeks of the season. After that, student classes take over, and every day features a different music, dance or theatre student ensemble in Usdan’s 1,000-seat McKinley Ampitheater.
 


The 2015 series features jazz star/Usdan alumna Jane Monheit, the Limon Dance Company, the Chameleons Mime Theater, cellist Edward Arron and pianist Jeewon Park, Metropolitan Opera soprano Monica Yunus, jazz singer/instrumentalist Camille Thurman with her quartet, and many more.

Usdan Center offers more than 40 programs in music, dance, theater, visual arts, creative writing, nature and ecology and chess, annually hosting more than 1,600 students from towns throughout the Tri-State New York area. No audition is needed for most courses, and transportation is provided in air- conditioned buses that depart from most New York-area neighborhoods. One- third of Usdan’s students receive scholarship assistance based on family need. Video from many of Usdan’s programs and special events, may now be viewed on the Center’s website, http://www.usdan.com as well as on YouTube. Also, families can check out Usdan’s Facebook site, where additional information and late-breaking news is featured.
 
One recent special event has been free art exhibits at the lobby gallery of 430 Park Avenue and at the UJA on East 59th Street in Manhattan, showcasing the work of almost two dozen Usdan students. ###