Arts and Humanities Commons^™

When Grade Schools Stage Musicals, It’S Broadway Or Bust ..., Erin Degregorio

Capstones

St. Ephrem School, located in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, just introduced its drama program in Fall 2016. After much success with last year’s first-ever production of Disney’s “Aladdin JR.," the St. Ephrem students put on “Elf the Musical JR.” in time for the winter holiday season in December 2017. But it’s not your mediocre school drama club, putting on simple pageants. It’s more like Broadway Lite – and it’s part of a cross-country wave of professionalization hitting grade-school plays.

Project can be found at http://erindegregorio.com/grade-school-productions.html

Starting Over On Stage, Keydra Manns

Capstones

RTA is a non profit organization based out of New York that uses the arts as a way to rehabilitate inmates. Research shows that this type of rehabilitation strongly impacts an inmates behavior, self esteem and possibly reduces their likelihood to return to prison. This is one man’s story on how practicing theater during his prison sentence changed his life.

https://medium.com/@keydra.manns/starting-over-on-stage-3614e7bc0dd9

Booming Laughter: The New Era Of Experimental Comedy Shows, Oscar F. Gonzalez

Capstones

This project looks at the rise of experimental comedy shows in New York City. The comedy industry is in a second boom that caused an increase in variety shows that test performers 'writing and performance skills. I interview the producers of the shows, the comedians that perform in them to understand how they're challenged and the audience members who watched the show. I talk with historians and comedy experts on the history of the comedy industry and the neighborhood in New York City where it originated in.

https://oscarfgonzalez.com/2018/12/21/booming-laughter-the-new-era-of-experimental-comedy-shows/