The Jazz Drama Program
Presents
Message From Saturn
An Original Jazz Musical For Children
By composers Eli Yamin & Clifford Carlson
Saturday, June 4th at 7 PM
The Louis Armstrong Middle School
"The hippest move in jazz education, ever." -- JazzTimes
The Jazz Drama Program proudly announces its eighth season at The Louis Armstrong Middle School in Queens. Over 70 middle school students, high school and college interns immerse themselves in all aspects of jazz and musical theatre production as they prepare to present Message From Saturn, the original jazz musical by jazz composer Eli Yamin and educator Clifford Carlson.
School day shows are June 1st, 2nd and 3rd
The public is invited to attend
Saturday, June 4th at 7 PM.
at
The Louis Armstrong Middle School, 32-02 Junction Blvd., East Elmhurst, NY 11369 (718)-335-7500
General Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children
Inspired by jazz greats Sun Ra and Mary Lou Williams, Message From Saturn is the story of three kids from Queens embarking on a critical mission to save the Milky Way Galaxy from imminent destruction. After visiting the elements Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, and discovering the healing power of the blues from the Zodiac constellations, the children make their way to The Night Sky. Singing the Healing Song Š "It's not just a song for me, take a breath and you will see why the blues has the power to be a healing song, a healing song," they bring the beat, the groove, the harmony and melody of the blues back to the galaxy and purge the pain that has been tearing it apart. The 50-member cast is accompanied by a 12-piece pit orchestra of middle school musicians playing alongside pros and conducted by
Eli Yamin. Dances range from Swing to South African Gum Boot and are choreographed by Shireen Dickson of the Dianne McIntyre Dance Company. Sets by Sarah Edkin.
The Jazz Drama Program, a non-profit jazz education company, uses the language of jazz to tell stories relevant to children's lives. The JDP has been featured on NPR's JazzSet with Branford Marsalis, WBAI Radio, The New York Daily News and the International Association of Jazz Education Newsletter. The JDP has created five jazz musicals since 1998 and supported fifteen residencies at five different New York City Public Schools and Lehman College, City University of New York.
Student violinist Cindy Kwan writes, "The JDP enhanced my skills and confidence in my own musical abilities."
Acting Intern Devin Sugameli writes, "The Jazz Drama Program taught me how to put all my energy into every aspect of everything I do and am passionate about."
"We embrace the infinite possibilities of using jazz to tell stories which are important to children," says Eli Yamin. "As a dynamic, engaging and challenging platform for creativity, jazz provides us with a forum for new directions in theatre for young people and an educational framework rooted firmly in America's most influential indigenous art form. The Jazz Drama Program provides an opportunity for children to experience for themselves the joy and richness of jazz. Each new show is suitable for young people to perform and yet maintains the integrity of being 'real music.'"
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