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Teenage Musicals Inc. (TMI) is a non-profit organization based in Midland that strives to provide free, equitable opportunities for young adults (ages 13-23) from the tri-city area to perform spectacular theater each summer.
TMI is happy to announce they will produce a summer theatre festival in Midland this August. The theme for the festival is Diversity = Strength. Shows will include:
• “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin; directed by Jeanne Gilbert and Judy Harper. An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box. The show will perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 4-7 at Creative 360.
• “Polkadots: the Cool Kids Musical,” written by Douglas Lyons, Greg Borowski, and Melvin Tunstall, III, directed by Tracey Kempsell. Polkadots follows 8-year-old Lily Polkadot who just moved to the “Squares Only” small town of Rockaway. As the first Polkadot in an all Square school, Lily faces an almost impossible task of gaining acceptance from her peers. From daily bullying, to segregated drinking fountains, Lily’s quest seems hopeless until she meets Sky, a shy Square boy whose curiosity for her unique polkadot skin blooms into an unexpected pal-ship. Inspired by civil rights pioneers Ruby Bridges and the Little Rock Nine, Polkadots serves as a colorful history lesson for the world, reminding us that our differences make us awesome, not outcasts. The show will perform at 6 p.m. Aug. 4-7 at Creative 360.
• The festival will also mark the debut of TMI’s new subsidiary, The Hath Summer Players, named for TMI founders Gerry and Betty Hath. The HSP will produce non-musical plays each summer. Their premiere production will be “Nathan the Wise,” by GE Lessing, directed by Larry and Cheryl Levy. “Nathan the Wise” is the Western classic on religious tolerance. It offers a vision of Jews, Christian and Muslims as People of the Book, united by a shared and revered text, mutually respectful, giving one another rich gifts of understanding and friendship. The show will perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 11-14 at Creative 360.
In addition, TMI will be hosting two Broadway professionals to work with our students and provide community outreach: James T. Lane, whose Broadway credits include “Kiss Me Kate,” “A Chorus Line,” “Chicago” and “Scottsboro Boys,” and Melvin Tunstall, III who has appeared in “Rock of Ages” and “Beautiful, The Carole King Musical” — and who counts “Polkadots” as only one of many shows he has written. More information about public events will be released closer to the dates, and will be available on TMI’s website and Facebook page.
Auditions for the shows will be held by appointment June 4-6 in person or via Zoom. Volunteers are also needed for all aspects of production: lights, sound, stage management, costuming, props, etc. TMI requires that all participants and volunteers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Information, registration and audition materials can be found at TeenageMusicals.org. For more information, email TeenageMusicals@gmail.com
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