The Center Receives Santa Ana Commendation

Terry Dwyer receiving special commendation from Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido.

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido presented Center President Terry Dwyer with a special Award of Recognition at the May 7 City Council meeting. In his remarks, Mayor Pulido expressed thanks on behalf of the city for the Center’s contributions to the schools, students, educators and residents of Santa Ana. Many schools and students in Santa Ana have benefited from a range of programs offered by the Center, including Arts Teach, Summer at the Center and special events conducted by the casts of the Trey McIntyre Project, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, In the Heights and STOMP. 

In the Heights Singer Brings Good Luck to the Angels!

That’s our story and we’re sticking to it. In the Heights star Genny Lis Padilla sang the national anthem Monday night, August 9 for the Angels before a crowd of 40,000-plus fans. The Angels, by the way, routed the Kansas City Royals. She also performed “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” for the 7th inning stretch. (In the Heights runs through August 15 – so you can see Genny there too.)

Photo credit: Oscar Cheda

Zippity Zumba

More than 20 people left sweaty and happy after In the Heights cast member Sandy Alvarez taught a Zumba-inspired dance class today at The Sports Club/LA in Irvine. During the hour, the class learned a variety of Latin dance rhythms like the salsa, samba, merenge along with hip-hop and other fun moves thrown in. Sandy gets a major workout every night performing in the touring production of In the Heights which won one of its four Grammy Awards for Best Choreography. Catch Sandy in the show while its here through August 15.

Photo above: Sandy with Mark and Angie Gaeta

Soaring to New "Heights"

The Center's Summer at the Center program for at-risk and underserved high school aged youth culminated with the students performing free Broadway revue-style shows in Samueli Theater last weekend. The public performances included the title song from the Tony® and Grammy® Award winning musical In the Heights, which is currently playing the Center through August 15. The students will return next week to see the show - for many it will be their first experience seeing a musical. Click on the video to watch the students' performance.

For two weeks, 38 Summer at the Center students were immersed in intensive music and theater workshops. The program utilizes the performing arts to engage the participants and empower them to overcome adversity in their lives, build self esteem, develop social skills and become peer role models. During the program's 19 years, it has continually been praised for helping to change and improve the lives of young people.

Way to go Summer at the Center 2010!

Be My Baby

Fifty lucky people (out of a crowd of 3,700) got the chance to play “Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner” shower contest last night before the Center’s showing of Dirty Dancing at free Movie Mondays. Contestants played traditional baby shower games such as pass the pacifier with a straw relay, draw a picture of baby on a paper plate placed on your head, drink juice the fastest from a baby bottle, blow up a balloon and stick it under your shirt the fastest and scoop up as many cotton balls into a bowl while blindfolded.

Winners of each game won prizes from Corner Bakery, the OC Fair and Gelson’s. The baby shower contest was based on the main character played by Jennifer Grey and a line said by leading man Patrick Swayze in the film. Guests also got a special treat before the screening – In the Heights cast member Rayanne Gonzales performed a number from the musical which opens tonight and runs through August 15. Click here to see the performance. And Banana Republic gave away a $500 gift certificate to celebrate the opening of the remodeled women’s store at South Coast Plaza. Thanks to the OC Fair and the retailers for providing all the great giveaways!

Free Movie Mondays concludes this summer with the showing of Mad Hot Ballroom on August 9.

Century and Valley View High School Kids Take Broadway to the "Heights"

The Center has taken its ongoing partnership with the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) to a whole new height – In the Heights, that is. Students from Century High School and Valley View High School participated in a summer enrichment program organized by THINK Together for the SAUSD in collaboration with the Center and funded in part by the Broadway League. Seventy students worked with theater pros Ruben Garfias and Cynthia McGarity on vocal performance and interpretation using songs from Broadway’s Tony Award-winning show, In the Heights, which comes to the Center August 3 – 15.

The students will also attend the Thursday, August 12th performance of In the Heights at the Center and participate in a special post-performance Talk Back with artists from the show.

(Instructor discusses lines with Century High School students.)

(Century High School kids study their lines)

Heights is a Hit in the ATL

The Tony-winning best musical In the Heights paid a visit to Atlanta's Fox 5 during its run at the Fox Theater. The musical continues its acclaimed National Tour and makes its way to the Center August 3 - 15.

In the Heights Hits a High Note as it hits the road

Tampa Bay Tribune gives In the Heights a rave review for the opening of the tour at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center!

In the Heights Hits the Road

The touring production of the Tony®-winning musical In the Heights opened last night in Tampa, Florida. Before the first performance in Tampa, the cast was photographed during their final rehearsal. Scroll down to see more behind-the scenes photos of the show's creative team and cast perfecting every line and move for the national tour. In the Heights comes to the Center August 3 - 15 to take audiences on an exhilarating journey into a vibrant Manhattan community. Click here to watch a video of the reheasal.

In the Heights casting news

Casting has been announced for the national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights which comes to the Center August 3 - 15. The cast includes performers from the Broadway production as well as performers who will be new to the 'hood. Check out Playbill for more information.

In the Heights’ Lin-Manuel Miranda on House

Tony® Award-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda will appear on the two-hour season premiere of House this coming Monday, September 21 on FOX. Miranda wrote and starred in the blockbuster musical, In the Heights. For Miranda’s turn on the small screen, he will play Alvie, Dr. House’s (Hugh Laurie) neurotic roommate in a psychiatric facility. Sources who’ve seen the episode say Miranda gets to sing a little because his character has a habit of bursting into song.

In the Heights visits the Center August 3 – 15, 2010. The musical’s story about chasing your dreams and finding your true home in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood won Tonys for Best Musical, Best Music and Lyrics, Best Choreography and Best Orchestrations, and the original cast recording won a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.

Catch In the Heights on PBS's Great Performances

In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams, a behind-the-scenes story of the 2008 Tony Award-winning musical, will air on PBS's Great Performances on local stations KCET May 27 at 9 p.m. and KOCEHD June 4 at 8 p.m.

The documentary follows the stories of In the Heights composer/lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda and the young and diverse cast who knew that a new musical set in a Latino neighborhood in New York City was going to be a tough sell. After eight long years, In the Heights finally made it to Broadway and succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams, winning four Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score for a Musical. The documentary features performances with the orginal cast, interviews backstage and off-stage with the artists and performers in the months leading up to opening night. Click here to see a trailer: http://www.intheheightsthemusical.com/tour/pbs.html

The touring production of In The Heights comes to the Center during the 09-10 season (August 3 -15, 2010).