An elementary school in the Bronx got a real treat: an auditorium was transformed into a Broadway stage in honor of Women's History Month. NY1's Cheryl Wills has the story.
Students at P.S. 304 in Throggs Neck got a lesson in theater they won't soon forget, as some real pros turned their auditorium into a Broadway production.
For 34 years the not for profit Inside Broadway has been turning school auditoriums into live theater. In honor of Women's History Month, the group presented Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Ladies."
"The kids are so used to looking at things on YouTube and FaceBook, and I want them to see something live," Joseph Nobile, the principal, said. "So it's a great opportunity for them to see such talented performers on our stage."
"These children are so excited," said Michael Presser, the executive director of Inside Broadway. "They love actors. They're fascinated by actors. They're always asking, 'How do you do this?' 'How could I do this? What kind of training do you need to do this?'"
"It was amazing how the person on the music kept on playing and playing and playing for who knows how long," 10-year-old student Abbie Kreiner said.
"The older children react differently than the younger children, so we as entertainers and also as teachers — because we're also teaching students production — it's important for us to maybe adjust how we say our lines," said actress Valerie Lynn Williams.
Inside Broadway's goal is to introduce New York City children to a little taste of Broadway. Nearly one million students have seen this one-of-a-kind theatre arts and education program.
"It's really sad that a lot of kids out here…don't get the opportunity to go see Broadway shows," actor Michael Everett said.
"It was really cool for them to come to us instead of us going to them, because I figure that going to Broadway might cost a lot of money," student Chelsea Jones, 9, said.
But this magical experience was free of charge and left memories that may last a lifetime.