Derek Klena Makes a WICKED Debut on Broadway Tonight!

Congratulations to Tomorrow’s Stars at the Center’s 2008 winner Derek Klena who makes his much-anticipated Broadway debut tonight! He will be playing Fiyero in WICKED, following successful roles and recordings in Marin Mazzie’s Carrie and the off-Broadway show, Dogfight. 

When Derek was interviewed for the scholarship competition, he was a junior at South Hills High School in West Covina. He shared with us how one of the first performances he saw at the Center was The Phantom of the Opera, and how much he loved the show. He also participated in the Center’s John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey master class. 

The Center's education and community engagement programs strive to make an impact on young artists' paths toward a professional career in the arts. We offer our heartfelt congratulations to Derek Klena and hope to see him back on our stages in the future! To learn more about Segerstrom Center’s Education programs, please visit www.SCFTA.org/Education.

Center Partners with CSUF in Teacher Training Program

 © Joesan Diche

Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ education department is partnering with Cal State University, Fullerton’s Department of Education. This program, “Arts: Avenues to Learning,” is training 80 student teachers and 30 classroom teachers in the arts and how to connect them with other subjects.

This is one way to be sure that the arts will continue to be taught in elementary public schools and in more integrated and creative ways as part of the regular curriculum. This program is part of the CSUF student teachers’ coursework requirements.  More than 2,400 enthusiastic students are expected to benefit from this program next year alone.