Children Will Listen...And Learn
Marilyn and Alan Bergman hosted a benefit reception at their home for The ASCAP Foundation Children Will Listen (CWL) program, which was established in 2005 in honor of Stephen Sondheim. Mr. Sondheim was in attendance, helping to raise $30,000 for the program.
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| Pictured at the Benefit are Reprise Artistic Director Jason Alexander, student Rosie Vasquez and Stephen Sondheim |
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In keeping with the mission of CWL, to bring the musical theater experience to young students nationwide, The ASCAP Foundation brought 500 eleventh grade students from various Los Angeles innercity schools to the Reprise! Broadway’s Best production of Stephen Sondheim’s
Sunday in the Park with George. One of those students, Rosie Vasquez, from San Fernando High School, attended the evening at the Bergmans’ and made the following remarks:
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| ASCAP Foundation Director Colleen McDonough, P.S. 115 Asst. Principal Miriam Borges, ASCAP’s Michael Kerker, In the Heights star, Lin-Manuel Miranda and ASCAP’s Alexandra Lioutikoff with 6th grade students from P.S. 115, The Alexander Humboldt School, at a post performance visit. |
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“I grew up and go to school in the communities of Arleta and San Fernando, where kids are forced to grow up fast in order to get a job to help provide for their families. In a community like this, where there is hardly any extramoney to spend after basic necessities, few families are able to enjoy great things like theater. So my classmates and I jumped at the opportunity to see a free production of
Sunday in the Park with George put on by Reprise. I was excited because I’d never seen a live musical before…Prior to our field trip, our English teacher, Mrs. Uebersax, showed us a few minutes from a video of an old Broadway version of
Sunday in the Park. Also a representative fromReprise came to our class and gave us a brief introduction to some of its themes and background. . . . Then came the day of our trip to UCLA to see the show. We had great seats in the center of the theater, extremely close to all of the action. . . . And the story was so moving! I distinctly remember crying during the entire first act. Sitting so close, I was able to feel all the actors’ intensity and emotion. All of a sudden I totally understood George’s character. I could relate to all of the dedication, pressure, sacrifice and struggle he endured to achieve his goals.
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| Miranda encourages and inspires P.S. 115 sixth graders at the post performance assembly. |
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“After seeing Sunday in the Park with George, I definitely walked away with a newfound respect for art and theater. It was just a great experience, especially for young adults like myself who don’t necessarily get the opportunity to experience proximity to the arts that often. Thank you for changing the world, one musical at a time.” Other recent beneficiaries of our Children Will Listen program were students from P.S. 115, which is located in Washington Heights, New York. Over 100 sixth-graders enjoyed a matinee performance of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical,
In the Heights. Free orchestra level seats, transportation and CD’s of the cast recording were also provided. Prior to and after the show, Miranda, the lyricist, composer and star of the show, visited P.S. 115 to discuss his creative process and teach the students how to connect themes and issues of the show to their own lives. Miranda grew up in the vibrant Washington Heights/Inwood neighborhood, and his background in a close-knit Puerto Rican family inspired his work as a writer, composer and performer and as someone who is more than willing to give back to his community.
In the Heights won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical and Miranda won for Best Original Score.
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| P.S. 115 sixth grader Emely Garcia expresses thanks after seeing In the Heights. |
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