STEP KIDS is second play in First Stage's fall Amplify series

The second play in First Stage’s fall 2021 Amplify –BIPOC Short Play Series will be STEP KIDS, a new one-act musical by Tyrone L. Robinson and Postell Pringle with orchestrations by Wilkie Ferguson and drums by Deonte Malique Ellis. The production will be directed and choreographed by Christopher Gilbert, a popular Milwaukee dancer, choreographer and First Stage Theater Academy Teaching Artist. Christopher will be making his directorial debut with this production. In STEP KIDS, a group of seemingly unconnected high school students find common ground in the most unlikely of places – the audition for their school’s competitive step dance team. As the students become unified through the power of rhythm and dance, they experience the joy of finding their tribe in this energetic performance. The Amplify series is sponsored by Children’s Wisconsin. This project is also supported in part by a grant from the Milwaukee Arts Board and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin. Suggested for families with young people ages 10+.

Director/Choreographer Christopher Gilbert had this to say about the Amplify production he is directing: “STEP KIDS is about a group of kids who represent different pockets of the city, but in general society – some LGBT, some disabled. It’s their moment to be seen – they’ve always felt that they have been stepped over, so now it’s their time to step up and be seen. It’s about highlighting their greatness, which is just as unique as anyone else’s. Nobody can be you on their best day and even you on your worst day!”

STEP KIDS is free to stream on demand on First Stage’s YouTube channel and can be found here:

It streams now through December 5, 2021 for free.

The Amplify series first launched in the spring of 2021 and begins its second season this fall. In this new series, three short plays have been created by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) playwrights that center on the young person’s point of view, amplifying the voices of these artists and young people throughout the Milwaukee community.

To learn more, please go to: https://www.firststage.org/eve...

or call (414) 267-2961.

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About First Stage

First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families. First Stage touches hearts, engages minds and transforms lives by creating extraordinary theater experiences through professional theater productions that inspire, enlighten and entertain. Its Theater Academy, the nation’s largest high-impact theater training program for young people, fosters life skills through stage skills and serves nearly 2,000 students each year. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education programs promote literacy, character building and experiential learning throughout the curriculum, serving over 20,000 students each year. First Stage was selected to participate in the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2012), and was the recipient of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Eureka Award, recognizing creativity and innovation in business, education and the arts for its Next Steps program for students on the autism spectrum (2013, 2015). First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). firststage.org