Save perhaps for the Broadway touring shows that hit the Roanoke Civic Center several times a year, believe it or not the best chance to hear musical numbers comparable to the “Great White Way” in New York City may come from local high school kids.
For the 11th year, The Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio (KJPAS) will offer a free show featuring high school students from Jones’ private program for would-be actors/singer/dancers. Just about all of them will go on to study theater in college and some will aspire to a professional career; others hope to pursue their craft as a sideline.
Jones, who ran the performing arts program at the Arnold R. Burton technical school in Roanoke County for a time, is a veteran piano player/actor/performer in his own right, who has taken his own turns on New York stages.
Now his troupe of high schoolers (his younger daughter Miranda is also in the cast) present Broadway Jukebox Musicals on Saturday, October 27th at the Jefferson Center. Show times are 2pm and 7pm. The musical revue features songs from Rock of Ages, Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys and many more shows. Free tickets will be available through the Jefferson Center box office starting next Thursday, October 4th, beginning at 8:30am. (Warning: these tickets have gone quickly in the past!)
Baby Boomers and those a bit younger, with teens still in school perhaps, will appreciate tunes by Journey, Queen and ABBA; other older standards will include My Boyfriend’s Back and Mr. Sandman.
Jones’ past annual shows have all featured Broadway musical numbers and other tunes staged with elaborate choreography, fine singing performances and a polish beyond what one might expect at a high school production.
Cave Spring High School Jessie Dwyer has now been in four KJPAS Broadway –style productions at the Jefferson Center. “We practice for about two months, which is shorter than it used to be,” said Dwyer on a short break from practice at an empty space inside Tanglewood Mall, where Jones has set up shop to rehearse his Broadway show for the past few years. “We try so hard [and] have to be off-book after the first week.” (Jones said they really had about ten days.)
That means students are expected to know the songs by then; the choreography will come later. “If its taught, its learned,” is the mantra Jones preaches to his aspiring musical theater troupe, many of whom have appeared locally in plays at Mill Mountain, Showtimers, etc.
“He teaches us what we need to know – I wouldn’t say he’s mean or anything,” said Miranda Jones, who will be featured in songs like Chicago’s Color My World and also has a solo on Its My Party. She likes being up on stage, “free to do whatever you want.” As long as its in the show script or choreography, of course.
“Its so professional,’ said Dwyer about the annual performances held at the Jefferson Center. “You have to be like a professional actor, there’s so much responsibility [to the audience]. Its all up to you.” Acting will always be part of her life, Dwyer hopes. She’s looking at a double major in college: theater and “something my parents believe I can get a job in.” She said that with a chuckle but can’t imagine life without the stage being part of it in some way.
The 25 students in this year’s show “is the most ever [and] they had to audition,” said Kevin Jones. Every number in the show will be rehearsed for about four hours before they get to “Tech Week,” the final rehearsals before the two shows on October 4. Jones will rehearse his students three days a week; three other days they still come to his home studio in Southwest Roanoke County to study at the performing arts studio.
He promises a good time for those that attend Broadway Jukebox Musicals. “People who have never been [to a previous production] have no idea what kids are capable of. We’ve really raised the bar – we take it up a notch.” The proof will be evident October 27, on stage at Jefferson Center once again.
By Gene Marrano