Broadway comes to Ivy League

After months of hard work and preparation, students of Ivy League School will be presenting a Broadway Revue on May 15th.   The cast consisting of students Grades K-8 were rehearsed and trained by renowned vocalists and musicians.

D. Michael Heath will accompany the children on vocals.  Michael has worked with many of Broadway's greatest composers & lyricists including John Kander and Fred Ebb, Cy Coleman, Marvin Hamlisch, Stephen Sondheim, Alan Menken, Tim Rice, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. His Broadway, Off-B'way, and touring performance credits include: Starlight Express, The Most Happy Fella, They're Playing Our Song, Peg, A Tribute To Agnes Demille, Nunsense, Street Scene, The Pirates Of Penzance, Shenandoah, A Little Night Music, and Les Misérables In Concert where he served as stage director and played the leading role of Jean ValJean.  D. Michael was handpicked by Andrew Lloyd Webber to sing the music of the Phantom opposite Sarah Brightman in Lord Webber's original international touring concert venture, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber in Concert.  Michael has given numerous vocal master classes and workshops across the United States and in Hong Kong.  D. Michael runs a vibrant teaching studio in Manhattan with his students that have performed in Broadway, Off-B'way and National Touring productions.

Former school parent, Lorraine Velez will be accompanying the cast on vocals as well.  In addition to starring in the debut production of Fame in London’s West End Lorraine was Rent’s longest running Mimi on Broadway.  She also starred in Trevor Nunn’s production of Porgy and Bess in London’s West End as well as Broadway’s Dream Girls and Miss Saigon.  Most recently, Lorraine starred as Vera Clemente in the Off-Broadway production of the Roberto Clemente Story.

The children will be accompanied by Whitney Ann Pizza on piano. Whitney ‘s diverse performance career includes orchestral appearances with the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra conducted by Gerard Schwarz, the Utah Philharmonic Orchestra, the Utah Summer Arts Festival Orchestra, and the Oquirrh Mountain Symphony.  She appeared as a soloist on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, Steinway Hall in New York City, Libby Gardner Hall in Salt Lake City, Benaroya Hall in Seattle, and the Liszt Academy in Budapest.

A recipient of numerous awards, Ms. Pizza won first prize in the Utah Symphony Guild Competition, the Concerto Competition at the Eastern Music Festival, the University of Utah Concerto Competition, the Utah State Fair Music Competition, the state and western region competitions at the National Federation Student Auditions, second prize in the Lee Biennial Piano Competition in South Dakota, honorable mention in the Coeur d’Alene Concerto Competition in Spokane, Washington.  She was a finalist in both the Seattle International Piano Competition and the Federation Young Artist Biennial Audition in Florida, and was one of four piano finalists in the 2010 International Web Concert Hall Competition.

If there are any questions, please contact Ivy League at 631-265-4177.