SPARK Magazine Fall 2018

SPARK

Fall 2018

B L U M E N T H A L P E R F O R M I N G A R T S – I G N I T I N G C U LT U R E

Blumenthal Performing Arts’ 25th Anniversary Season November 2017-November 2018

After a year of celebration, we’re dreaming big about the future.

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CONTENTS

Twitter.com/BlumenthalArts Instagram.com/BlumenthalArts

Fall 2018

BlumenthalArts.org/News

Blumenthal provides transformational experiences for Freedom Schools' students by giving them a chance to see a Broadway musical.

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PHOTO BY DANIEL COSTON

5 MORE THAN JUST AN INTERN

Blumenthal Gives Students Real Work Experiences FEATURE:

In collaboration with Discovery Place Science, Blumenthal is bringing the National Geographic Live! series to Charlotte. Above, Nat Geo's David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes are on assignment.

PHOTO BY JIM ABERNATHY

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11 DIFFERENCE MAKERS

Couple Uses Arts to Combat Bullying

12 WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?

Blumenthal an Incubator for Community Collaborations

6 TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES 14 STUDENT PERFORMERS SHINE Blumenthal Brings All Walks of Life Together Blumey Awards and Jimmy® Awards Highlights

ON THE COVER. In the No. 2 graphic, from the top: 1. Andy Karl performs at the Gala Musical Tribute Honoring William Ivey Long; 2. Abby Corrigan, former Blumey Award winnner and cast member of the Fun Home national tour, performs at the event, Celebrating Big Dreams with Leslie Odom Jr.; 3. Leslie Odom Jr. performs at that same event – all above photos

by Daniel Coston; 4. Cast of the Something Rotten! national tour, photo by Jeremy Daniel; 5. Dashaun Young as Simba in The Lion King North American tour, ©Disney, photo by Joan Marcus; 6. Robert Earl Keen at Knight Theater, photo by Daniel Coston.

In the No. 5 graphic, from the top: 1. Jacquelin Harris in Alvin Ailey ® American Dance Theater, photo by Andrew Eccles; 2. Charles Randolph-Wright poses with William Ivey Long during the Gala Musical Tribute Honoring William Ivey Long; 3. Blumenthal President/CEO Tom Gabbard and donor Milt Berkman enjoy the Resident Company Celebration; 4. Dancers perform at Tablao Flamenco – all photos above, except the first, by Daniel Coston; 5. Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, photo by Matthew Murphy; 6. Diana Krall at Belk Theater, photo by Daniel Coston; 7. Hamilton company in the Hamilton national tour, photo by Joan Marcus.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Richard Battle Reginald Bean, marketing & community relations chair Riaz H. Bhamani Amy Rice Blumenthal Kristin Hills Bradberry Bobby Chesney, compensation chair Brian Cromwell Dena Diorio Bobby Drakeford J. Porter Durham Jr., governance chair Julie Eiselt Charlie Elberson 2 SPARK | FALL 2018

Jonathan Feit Erin Lavely Fisher David M. Goodman Jeffrey Hay, chair Renee Hobart, education chair Jerri Kallam Michelle Lee Barbara Meeks, development chair Gail Sharps Myers George A. Raftelis Matthew Salisbury, secretary Anjali Shah Scott Tozier Kevin White, finance & audit chair

SPARK SPARK is produced by the Blumenthal Performing Arts Marketing staff.

Vice President of Marketing Wendy Oglesby Editor, Graphic Designer Mark Wallace, creative services & publications manager Content Coordinator & Writer Rebecca Bereiter, communication & creative content producer Contributing writers: Liz Rothaus Kitty Janvrin Bertrand Ryan McKeel

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Editing support: Adam Rhew John Luebke Shameika Rhymes Tim Jonassen

PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS 2018

Elijah Malcomb, Joseph Morales, Kyle Scatliffe, Fergie L. Philippe and company in the Hamilton national tour.

FUSING HISTORY WITH THEATER

Hamilton Education Program Engages Young Students Onstage and in the Classroom

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By Shameika Rhymes

t’s the hottest ticket in town and on Broadway. Until recently, most students would not elect to learn about a former president or dive into United States history, but the musical Hamilton is is changing all of that. A program known as the Hamilton Education Program or EduHam, c­ reated by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, is affording public high school students from lower income areas in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina the opportunity to see and learn American history through the musical landscape of Hamilton.

Blumenthal Performing Arts partnered with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to administer the EduHam program in the Queen City.

Charlotte is the first city in the south to host an EduHam. “Blumenthal Performing Arts already has a strong Education Program, so it was a natural fit for us to work with them on

this special project,” said Amy DiChristina, Hamilton Education Program Manager with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. “Additionally, Charlotte and the surrounding suburbs have schools that encompass a diverse range of students from urban to rural, small schools to large, and so we are excited to bring the program to Charlotte in order to reach a wide swath of students and educators.”

DiChristina said the program’s goal is to open up access to the musical to students who might not otherwise be able to watch Hamilton or be familiar with theater.

Students participating in the education program are able to see the musical for only a “Hamilton,” which is $10 dollars. “The mission of the Hamilton Education Program is to reach 250,000 students in Title I eligible high schools across the country by the end of 2020,” said DiChristina. “The goal is to engage young students in the study of the founding era using primary source documents, so they can learn and be inspired by BLUMENTHALARTS.ORG

events that helped define the history of the United States.”

Blumenthal Performing Arts Education Manager Jenny Kabool said it’s a great way for students to fuse history with theater.

“Our hope is that students are able to see the performing arts as a lens with which to view the world and our shared history,” she said. “In following Lin-Manuel Miranda’s example, students study the lives of our Founding Fathers and Mothers and create performance pieces based on what piece of history intrigues them.

Not all of American history is pretty, so creating and writing performance art is a great way to process what their research uncovers.”

Blumenthal’s Hamilton season finale celebration helps support the EduHam program. “Fifty percent of proceeds from the Hamilton gala provide direct support for the program, including tickets for students and teachers, curriculum and Continued on Page 4

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more,” Kabool said.

DiChristina says the EduHam program provides schools with the tools needed to open the portal to American history. “The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History provides participating schools with access to an exclusive Hamilton Education Program website allowing them to access video interviews with original cast members, as well as with “Alexander Hamilton” author Ron Chernow, Lin-Manuel Miranda and director Thomas Kail, all discussing the creation of the musical, Hamilton. The website also serves as a research portal with over 200 primary source documents for students to explore and use to create their own original performance pieces. Teachers take anywhere from three days to two weeks to implement the program into their curriculum, depending on the needs of the students.”

West Charlotte High School theater teacher Franchone Bey is no stranger to exposing students to the works of Miranda.

Recently the school breathed new life into its theater program by kicking things off with Miranda’s play, In the Heights. She said students connected with his works and they are ready for the incorporation of EduHam into the school program.

“This is such an excellent ­opportunity for students at WCHS. The EduHam program will enhance their understanding of the founding era as well as give them an opportunity to be creative in the process,” said Bey. “This blend of theater and history is a great way to get students excited and interested in history.”

Teachers at schools that have participated around the country have said that once students listen to the music and watch clips of the original Broadway cast, it fuels their excitement to learn more about history. “Once they begin to explore the curriculum that includes famous Founding Fathers such as Alexander Hamilton, George Washington and John Adams – but also discover lesser knowns like Paul Cuffe, an African-American business man and abolitionist; Phillis Wheatley, an AfricanAmerican writer; and Lucy Knox, wife of Henry Knox and an influential Founding Mother – they begin to see themselves and their stories reflected in history in a way that they have never experienced before,” DiChristina said. “When the students begin to study the founding era in depth and realize Hamilton was an immigrant who came 4 SPARK | FALL 2018

PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS 2018

Shoba Narayan, Ta'Rea Campbell and Nyla Sostre in the Hamilton national tour.

here to further his education and never threw away his shot, they see their own families’ stories and realize the people of the founding era and the time period itself aren't that different from what we are experiencing today.”

Dr. Patrick Graham, creator of Careers4All and architect of talent development, said it’s important to expose students in Title I schools to the arts that give insight to history to help with upward mobility.

“If we are going to truly develop our new creative class, we must spend more time exposing young people in economically disadvantaged and segregated communities to technology and the arts,” he said. “Our new entrepreneurs and leaders need the ability to think across and make connections between various disciplines in a more diverse, fast-paced world. Exposure to the arts provides some of that ability. The key is, can we expose and develop innovators who will also take their new gifts and participate in the communities they are from?”

Kabool echoed those sentiments by adding that Blumenthal’s goal is to instill a love for the arts despite one’s background.

“We believe that every student has a right to explore their own creative potential, and we try to provide as many pathways for doing so. We want to educate students on the transformative power of the arts, whether it is a hobby or a career path they wish to explore.”

Part of EduHam’s curriculum includes a website that incorporates interviews of original cast members talking about how BLUMENTHALARTS.ORG

they felt being people of color portraying the white Founding Fathers, such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

It’s something DiChristina said impacts students profoundly. “When they see a man of color portraying Thomas Jefferson, who they know also owned slaves, the students begin to see the complexity of these people who started a new nation. When young women watch Angelica Schuyler rap about including women in the sequel, they see themselves and their strength in what they are watching onstage,” said DiChristina.

Bey hopes the students aren’t the only ones that take away a great lesson. “As an educator, I’m excited about the opportunity to expand my own knowledge of the founding era and provide students a unique experience.”

Blumenthal Performing Arts and educators alike can agree that the arts can spark inspiration for a lifetime. “I hope that students will see that they can use nonfiction to inspire creativity,” said Bey. DiChristina adds that once the students take part in EduHam, they take on a new perspective.

“The students leave the theater with a sense that one person can have a huge impact on what happens in this country. They feel empowered to be a part of the conversation and make sure that moving forward, more history is reflective of all those who have made a difference. They see the Founding Fathers and Mothers weren't that different from them and walk away with a new appreciation for history and the arts.” T

MORE THAN JUST AN INTERN

Blumenthal Performing Arts Gives Students Real Work Experiences

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By Ryan McKeel

uring My freshman year of college, I was mesmerized by a performance of Wicked at Belk Theater.

The acting and singing coupled with the stellar set could easily excite any patron, but it was the theater employees’ kindness and enthusiasm that put Blumenthal Performing Arts in my sights for internship McKeel opportunities.

Each summer – with the additional option to apply for the fall or spring semester – students interested in fields like arts administration, nonprofit management, arts education and technical support send in their cover letters and resumes for a chance to spend 10 weeks learning about the operations of a performing arts center.

From the time I started my application to the moment I received the offer, the staff provided support and critique that would become my personal sounding board. I would come to find, as would other members of my intern class, that this sort of beneficial feedback and appreciation continued throughout our time at Blumenthal.

“I’ve been so lucky to work for this organization. The arts are vital to maintaining cultural integrity,” says Education intern Sarah Hay. “These are more than just shows … we constantly ask: how can we, as a staff, give the community the best experience?”

Bini Maharjan agrees. “Blumenthal is a place where you can learn and grow. This internship has helped me decide what I’d like to do with my career,” she says of her past two summers as part of Blumenthal’s Human Resources team.

Several departments including Front of House, Education, Programming, Finance and Marketing all welcomed interns this summer, giving all of us real work beyond the coffee runs so often presented as the norm for college internships.

“Everyone has been so open and welcoming,” says Education and Programming intern Caroline Allen. “I have been treated with

PHOTO BY BECKY BEREITER

Blumenthal celebrates its interns with a welcome party.

Interns Sarah Hay, left, and Caroline Allen appreciated the real-world tasks they were given.

so much respect and have been given real-world tasks.”

Danny Knaub, a 2008 marketing intern, now works at Broadway Booking Office NYC. “I chose to learn from all tasks given to me,” he says. “I learned that no task is too small or beneath me … That education has taken me far and (is) a big reason I’m now in NYC working as a Tour Marketing and Press Agent.”

Like Knaub, many former interns continued their foray into the entertainment industry post-graduation. Several others have returned to Blumenthal to work in full-time positions.

For example, after completing his summer 2016 internship and senior year of college, Eric Figueroa was offered a job as an Education administrative assistant. He now helps to oversee the internship program.

“The cohesiveness of this organization creates a sense of family,” he says. “There was a lot of fluidity to go into different fields … but I just knew from my experience that I wanted to work in a company that was as close-knit as the Blumenthal.”

This sense of workplace community lends to the larger meaningfulness of Blumenthal’s internship program. Beyond the opportunity to surround ourselves with the performing arts, we have the chance to closely interact with the people who dedicate their work to the community day after day.

“Before my internship, I was lost,” Knaub says. “I already had an inkling this was going to be a world I was going to love. Blumenthal cemented in me that I’m meant to work in the arts. Ever since stepping foot in Spirit Square, I have never looked back.”

For information on Blumenthal’s internship program, visit BlumenthalArts.org/internship. T — Kitty Janvrin contributed to this article

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TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES

FEATURE STORY

BY ADAM RHEW

Anna Hertel performs as the lead in Chicago during The Blumey Awards in 2017.

PHOTO BY DANIEL COSTON

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PHOTO BY DANIEL COSTON

Belk Theater

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Blumenthal Brings All Walks of Life Together

tacy Hertel was standing still atop a carpeted platform at a popular south Charlotte alterations shop as a young woman pinned the hems of her pants when her daughter, Anna, hopped up on an adjacent platform in front of a wall of mirrors.

“To her, that was like a stage,” Hertel recalls. “Anna steps up on that thing, looked at herself in the mirror, and started singing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’”

Hertel laughs at the memory.

Anna, just three years old at the time, was unafraid.

“I realized then that Anna had something special.”

Hertel has told this story plenty of times in the decade and a half since then. She’s recounted how that experience eventually led Anna to voice lessons and acting coaches, to summer theater performances and to high school drama classes that boosted her performance in school. “It transformed Anna’s grades,” Hertel says.

“Her academic experience was good – and it could have been the other way around.”

Anna’s talent eventually led her to a stage in uptown Charlotte in 2017

when she won the Blumey Award for best actress. “The arts really gave her a path and a channel,” Hertel says. “It transformed her.”

So, too, has Charlotte been transformed by the performing arts in Blumenthal’s 25-year history. The organization – and the arts scene it has fostered in this city – have forever altered not only individuals, but an entire community.

“The emotional experience that these performances frequently bring about is quite unique,” says Tom Gabbard, the CEO of Blumenthal Performing Arts. “The arts, when done correctly, really move us in an emotional way.”

Gabbard recalls the first time the arts had such an effect on him.

In the fourth grade, he went with his class on a field trip to hear the United States Marine Corps Band perform at a California auditorium. “I heard these great musicians playing the Souza marches, the precision, the artistry of it all. And I said, ‘I want to do that,’” he says. “I do look at that experience as what began to put me on my life’s passion.”

Now, as the leader of Charlotte’s most prominent performing arts BLUMENTHALARTS.ORG

A 10-year-old Anna Hertel plays Amaryllis in The Music Man. Her mother, Stacy Hertel, says theater and the arts not only boosted Anna's performance in school, but gave her a pathway.

organization, Gabbard spends a lot of time thinking about the transformational experience others have as they attend shows in the heart of the city. “There’s some kind of alchemy that happens when people have those experiences together,” he says. “They hear the sounds of other people through their laughter, their gasps, their tears.”

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Since today’s society is so isolating (it’s easy to scroll your way through a day), Charlotteans seek out the kind of lasting effect the performing arts can have. “We’re entrusted with these great facilities, so all of our creative thinking and the way we transform people need to key off those facilities,” Gabbard says. “We need to do things that are unique that only we can do.”

Blumenthal is inimitably positioned to offer experiences that have a tremendous impact beyond the individual.

“People come into these buildings with an extra level of hunger for those collective experiences,” Gabbard says. “We’re this convener, this welcoming place that allows these things to happen.”

AN EXTENDED WELCOME MAT

On the windowsill behind Mary Nell McPherson’s desk are five or six pieces of paper – important mementos from her three decades of work for Charlotte nonprofits.

McPherson, who has been the executive director of Freedom School Partners since 2000, turns to one of the pieces of paper. It’s a thankyou note from a young girl who was a Freedom School scholar – part of the organization’s cadre of students who benefit from programming designed to reduce summer learning loss and spark a love for reading.

Through a partnership with Blumenthal Performing Arts, and thanks to the generosity of many donors, Freedom School scholars

Velvet Caravan performs as part of The Living Room Sessions at Stage Door Theater. Blumenthal introduced the sessions during its anniversary season to bring people together in a more intimate, at-home setting.

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PHOTO BY DANIEL COSTON

Freedom Schools students get the chance for a transformational experience at the theater.

PHOTO BY BECKY BEREITER

Crowds come together in beautiful McGlohon Theater several times a year for Open Mic – another way Blumenthal puts out the welcome mat for the community.

have been able to attend performances of popular Broadway shows such as The Lion King and Annie.

The thank-you note, from a girl named Gloria, is written alongside a picture of a red-haired girl and a bald man at Christmastime.

“Dear Annie, I really enjoyed the play. Thank you so much for letting us go see your play. My favorite part was when you had your friends come for Christmas and they adopted you and now you have a family.”

The note struck a chord with McPherson because it illustrates the arts’ transformative power on individuals – and, collectively, on a city.

“Our city is filled with people who can see tall towers and who have never been in them,” she says. “Blumenthal gives kids access to what so many people take for granted. It makes their world bigger and lets them dream new things.”

The partnership began in 2013 with an idea that Freedom School scholars should have an opportunity to see The Lion King. With Blumenthal’s support, hundreds of children were able to pack into the Belk Theater for a performance. McPherson remembers the opening number, with Simba and the giraffes and the circle of life – and rows of children enthralled with the show.

“A little girl watched from the edge of her seat, and then she leaned back and said, ‘We can do this,’” McPherson recalls. “That was sort of a moment for me about the way performing arts is inspirational for all sorts of people. I really believe it inspires dreamers and creates possibility for children.”

But children aren’t the only ones who find themselves inspired and transformed by the performing arts.

“Having that experience shoulder-to shoulder is very ­different Continued on Page 10

PHOTO BY DANIEL COSTON

“People come into these buildings with an extra level of hunger for those collective experiences. We’re this convener, this welcoming place that allows these things to happen.”

TOM GABBARD

BLUMENTHAL PRESIDENT & CEO

PHOTO BY DANIEL COSTON

Freedom Schools students make their way into Belk Theater. For some, it might be their first experience at a theater.

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from being solo, reading it in a book, watching it on television,” Gabbard says. That’s why the Blumenthal staff spends so much time thinking about the evolution of the organization’s programming. “We have to continue to look at the stories, look at the art forms and make sure that we’re continually reinventing ourselves so that the stories and the art matter to people.”

The recognition that those stories and art forms should be accessible to all is also foundational to Blumenthal’s founding mission.

“We’ve put the welcome mat out there and said, ‘Please, come. Join us,’” Gabbard says. “Particularly in this world of having portions of our community growing up feeling like they’re not welcome, that they’re not invited, that they’re not equal stakeholders – a performance at Blumenthal is one of those ways to convey to them that they are welcome, there is a place for them.”

In each of the past five years, Freedom School Partners has brought between 750 and 1,200 children to Blumenthal performances. Most of the children who

“All the boundaries that we put up and all the walls that we put up come down with the arts.”

STACY HERTEL

MOM TO BLUMEY WINNER ANNA HERTEL

attend – and even some of Freedom School’s collegeage volunteers – have never experienced performing arts in this way. “First of all, you’re in this gorgeous theater with glittering lights, and it’s just awe-inspiring to get a glimpse of all that,” McPherson says.

Collectively, these experiences can be transformational for an entire community.

“It’s kind of like watching the Milky Way in the dark part of the world,” McPherson says. “You didn’t know what it was; you didn’t know the magic could happen.

“It would be easy for this to be fancy people stuff, but we bring 20 busloads of children in there and they get fancy seats just like everybody else.”

TEARING DOWN WALLS

Anna Hertel accepts her Best Actress award at the 2017 Blumey Awards.

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PHOTO BY DANIEL COSTON

After Anna Hertel’s best actress win at The Blumeys, she picked up a best dancer honor at the Jimmy Awards – the National High School Musical Theatre Awards – and auditioned for a Broadway play. She was accepted into Elon University’s theater program.

“Directors and talent agents and casting directors saw Anna perform,” her mother, Stacy, says. “They were just tremendous experiences that we never, ever, ever, ever would have had without Blumenthal.”

There have been other unexpected transformations, too. The Hertels own an insurance business, a family-owned company that has been a part of their lives for decades. Through their patronage of the performing arts, they’ve been able to connect with other business leaders who share a passion for the arts. “That’s been refreshing and rewarding,” Hertel says.

But most fulfilling, she says, is the way the family’s connection to the arts transformed Anna’s outlook on the world, and the relationships she was able to build with other Charlotteans, kids from neighborhoods far different from the Hertels’.

“She started not seeing money or color or anything else,” Stacy Hertel says. “These kids were joined together by what they had in common, not separated by what was different.

“All the boundaries that we put up and all the walls that we put up come down with the arts.” T

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DIFFERENCE MAKERS

REACHING KIDS WITH LESSONS ON RESPECT Arlene and Milt Berkman Use the Arts to Combat Bullying

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By Liz Rothaus Bertrand

oving to Cornelius was supposed to be the beginning of a quiet retirement for Blumenthal Performing Arts Producers Circle members Arlene and Milt Berkman. But instead of savoring the view of Lake Norman from their kitchen window, the two lifelong New Yorkers found themselves drawn to a high-energy project combining their passion for the arts and helping others. Together, they created an anti-bullying organization that uses the arts as a tool for social and emotional learning.

Shortly after arriving in 2009, Arlene Berkman, a former physical education and health teacher, kept hearing about bullying problems in news reports and from friends with school-age kids.

When she also observed a group of children acting disrespectfully at their new synagogue, she decided it was time to do something about it.

This wasn’t just an abstract interest for the Berkmans; they had personally experienced the traumatizing effects of bullying years earlier when their own son was targeted as a middle school student.

That had been a difficult and painful time for the family as they struggled to resolve the problem in their small and well-regarded school district in Westchester, New York. “I’ll never forget that experience and what that felt like,” says Arlene Berkman, “and that my son didn’t want to talk about it.”

That’s why years later, when Arlene Berkman saw an opportunity to make a difference for other Arlene and Milt Berkman families in her new home state of North Carolina, she was ready for the challenge.

Initially, she worked with the principal of the Beth Shalom Hebrew school to develop a character education program revolving around music and the arts. They based their curriculum on Operation Respect, an anti-bullying organization started by Peter Yarrow of the famous folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary.

This little seed of an idea quickly blossomed into a full-fledged foundation with a much bigger mission.

Since 2011, the Respect Ability Foundation has worked with educators, students and families to create more caring communities. The organization has partnered with many area schools, including 18 in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. This school year, RAF will work with three elementary schools in the Mooresville

The Berkmans' anti-bullying program uses puppets and other activites, like role playing, to connect with children.

Graded School District. Each partner school participates in a comprehensive program focused on four areas of social and emotional development: expressing feelings; caring and building community; resolving conflict; and celebrating diversity.

Through songs, creative writing, drawing, role play activities and more, kids learn how to treat others with respect, resolve problems when they arise and deal with strong emotions. They learn the difference between conflict – a normal part of life – and bullying, a recurring, intentional, aggressive act where there is a real or perceived difference in power. Above all, they develop skills to transform themselves from bystanders into upstanders, whether that’s on the playground or on social media.

“All it takes is one child to intercede in a bullying situation and say ‘we don’t do this here’ and pull the other child away,” says Arlene. “When the kids speak, other kids listen.”

Throughout the school year, one of the program's stars, a green puppet with purple hair, called Raf, and puppeteer Susan Vaseleniuck, an educator who has worked extensively with children and adolescents, visited classrooms and asked for help resolving problems the puppet experienced at school. The children wrote the puppet letters or drew pictures with advice and placed them in a special mailbox near the library. Students with the best answers received awards and recognition throughout the year.

“Respect Ability is by far the best program against (bullying),” says Long Creek Elementary School Assistant Principal Sony Anderson, “and the students really enjoy it.”

The Berkmans, lifelong supporters of the performing arts, know that the creative aspects of the program are essential to connecting with kids and tapping into their empathy. “If you lecture to kids, they don’t hear you,” says Arlene Berkman. “But if you catch their interest, they say, ‘oh!’ -- they listen.”

“It takes the arts to get them to engage,” says Milt Berkman, who spent his career as an orthodontist specialized in treating children and adults with craniofacial anomalies.

In the current divisive political climate, the Berkmans say their work is more important than ever. Ultimately, helping kids realize the role they play in either putting others down or picking them up is at the heart of it all. T

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WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? Beyond Broadway, Blumenthal is an Idea Incubator for Community Collaborations of All Sizes

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By Page Leggett

lumenthal Performing Arts regularly brings to Charlotte big names, from Bob Dylan to Joe Biden, and razzledazzle’em productions, such as Hamilton and Hello, Dolly! From the famous falling chandelier scene in The Phantom of the Opera to the helicopter that takes off from the stage in Miss Saigon, Blumenthal delivers “How’d-they-do-that?” thrills.

But that doesn’t mean Blumenthal has a “go-big-or-go-home” philosophy. Thinking on a more intimate scale is part of the organization’s mission. In fact, it’s the smaller, home-grown ideas that can have the greatest impact.

Blumenthal helps ignite big ideas that don’t always take place on a big stage. Events like the Charlotte Jazz Festival, the Queen City Comedy Experience and the National Geographic Live! series sponsored by CompuCom, do more than entertain and enlighten.

They enhance quality of life, attract visitors and boost economic development.

“The community has reason to rely on us to bring them performing arts on a grand and small scale,” said Tom Gabbard, Blumenthal’s CEO since 2003. “We have the expertise on staff, the physical assets and the financial strength” to hatch ideas for unexpected programs and performances.

Take, for instance, Breakin’ Convention, an international festival of hip-hop culture – from B-Boys to breakdancing – that took uptown by storm for one long weekend from 2015 to 2017.

“The board thought I was going through a midlife crisis when I first shared the idea with them,” Gabbard said. “Blumenthal, the purveyor of big Broadway shows, was going to cultivate relationships with graffiti artists and rappers? It was a stretch for us.

“But it was so healthy for the community,” he continued. “We

PHOTOS BY DANIEL COSTON

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PHOTO BY BECKY HALE

Above, astronaut Terry Virts speaks as part of the National Geographic Live! series.

At right is a scene from the Big Cats program, also part of the series.

helped showcase fresh, new performance ideas embedded in a multiethnic, multigenerational festival.”

Not all the seeds Blumenthal plants grow quite that big. Some are designed for more intimate audiences.

START SMALL. DREAM BIG

For the past two years, Blumenthal support has made a difference at Newell Elementary, a Title I school. Thanks to Scott McLaughlin, the school’s music teacher, and Blumenthal’s Broadway Junior® program, students have staged elaborate musicals on an elementary-school scale.

A majority of Newell Elementary students live in high-poverty areas. Of its 743 students, 51.3 percent are Hispanic, 39 percent are African-American and 4 percent are white. Nearly all are on free or reduced lunch.

Yet principal Lydia Fergison doesn’t consider the arts “an extra.” She threw her support behind McLaughlin’s efforts to produce The Lion King KIDS – a musical that requires extravagant staging and costuming – in the school gym. Professional dancers were brought in to choreograph.

More than 100 students participated in the sold-out show.

“They acted, danced, sang in the chorus, helped backstage,” McLaughlin said. “This was a major production. It did more than teach skills in the arts. There was a lot of pride in ownership, and social and emotional growth.

“So much in school is test-driven,” McLaughlin said. “Art takes kids beyond classroom learning and teaches them compassion, empathy, teamwork and self-confidence.”

“You have no idea the impact this will have on shaping the lives and experiences of our children,” Fergison said in a letter to Blumenthal.

At left, students partipate in Blumenthal's Broadway Junior program. Above, Newell Elementary students are recognized for their work on The Lion King KIDS for Broadway Junior. The school leaders see the importance of the arts and have made musical theater a tradition at the school.

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the big-time talent in town to mentor theater kids who came from all over the country in pursuit of a dream.

CREATING OPPORTUNITY

“Everyone associates Blumenthal with big Broadway shows,” said Chase Law. “But there’s so much more to us. Tom (Gabbard) is dedicated to taking what’s inside our four walls out into the community. He is committed to creating and providing rich and meaningful opportunities.” A few examples: • Joe Hunsaker, a Blumenthal staffer involved in the local improv scene, brought Gabbard his idea of staging a comedy festival.

Gabbard liked it. In partnership with The Comedy Zone, The Queen City Comedy Experience brought together local comedians and national acts such as Brian Regan, Jay Pharoah, Randy Rainbow, Janeane Garofalo and Rob Schneider.

• Blumenthal and Discovery Place Science had been looking for a way to collaborate. They hit on National Geographic Live! a threepart series that brings National Geographic (the magazine) to life. In addition to compelling speakers, such as astronaut Terry Virts of the International Space Station, there’s a pre-show party at Discovery Place before what Gabbard describes as “an edgier version of a TED Talk.”

PHOTO BY STEVE WINTER

Producing a musical is now a Newell tradition. Aladdin KIDS was another sellout last year. This year, the school will put on Annie KIDS. And Blumenthal has allowed the school to take the show on the road, in a manner of speaking. They’ve performed at the Broadway Junior Theater Celebration uptown.

BROADWAY BOUND

For 11 years, Blumenthal has sponsored Broadway Junior. This April, 2,000 elementary and middle school kids from 45 schools came to the Knight Theater for the big hurrah. The three-day ­celebration allows students from each school to perform a ­segment of their musical for their fellow aspiring thespians.

“It’s not a competition,” said Chase Law, Blumenthal’s vice president of Development. “These kids really support each other.”

Broadway Junior is the entry point for kids interested in pursuing musical theater. Gabbard said teachers and parents have told him about kids who were struggling in school and discovered a new path when they discovered theater through Broadway Junior.

Blumenthal also puts on the annual Blumey Awards for high school actors. “Broadway Junior kids often graduate to the Blumeys,” Gabbard said. “We’re providing young people a multiyear path.” Last year’s Blumey Award-winning best actress, Ardrey Kell High School’s Anna Hertel, went on to win Best Dancer at the national Jimmy® Awards in New York.

Broadway Dreams is yet another program for aspiring young actors. The international program held a weeklong theater intensive in Charlotte this summer. About 150 kids took part in a program that culminates in a showcase for an audience of industry professionals including talent agents and casting directors. Robert Fairchild, (An American in Paris, New York City Ballet) was among

• The Charlotte Jazz Festival – another Blumenthal “big idea” – does more than entertain. It’s also designed to educate. Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis asked to go to a school where the need was greatest so he could teach a master class. For two years in a row, he went to West Mecklenburg High School to instruct student band members on playing music with confidence. Band Director William McLeod called the experience “truly remarkable and astounding” and said some students were speechless.

• Blumenthal helps launch careers in music, too. Charlotte Latin student and saxophonist Veronica Leahy, 17, won first place in the 2016 Loonis McGlohon Young Jazz Artists Competition. She and the second-place winner, Ariel Meijia of South Mecklenburg High, got to play with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra under Marsalis’ direction during the 2016 event. Veronica has also appeared on the “Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

“The … competition allowed me to make a direct connection with Ted Nash, a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra,” said Leahy. “That alone changed my entire life."

One day soon, Charlotteans can say they saw Leahy before she hit the big time! And that’s as satisfying to Blumenthal staff as bringing Hamilton to town. T

Veonica Leahy performs on the "Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

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WHERE STUDENT PERFORMERS SHINE Blumenthal Announces the 7th Annual Blumey Award Winners

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By Becky Bereiter

he seventh annual Blumenthal Performing Arts High School Musical Theater Awards culminated Sunday, May 20, at a gala award celebration where winners in 15 categories were announced and nominees for Best Actor, Best Actress and Wells Fargo Best Musical performed live onstage at Belk Theater. The Blumey Awards program was presented by Wells Fargo.

Nation Ford High School won the Tier 1 Wells Fargo Best Musical Award for its production of Seussical. Ardrey Kell High School won the Tier 2 Wells Fargo Holtzman Best Musical Award for Rapp its production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Reneé Rapp of Northwest School of the Arts won Best Actress for her portrayal of Sandra in Big Fish.

Ethan Holtzman of Charlotte Latin School won Best Actor for his portrayal of The Baker in Into the Woods.

“We’re so proud of all the students, faculty and staff from the 46 schools who participated in the 2018 Blumey Awards,” said Blumenthal President/CEO Tom Gabbard. “Mounting a musical is one of the most collaborative activities imaginable, combining the talents of performers, tech crews, marketers and others.

Every one of these schools has reason to celebrate their achievements, as well as the friendships made and the personal growth that each student has experienced.” T

2018 BLUMEY AWARD WINNERS: BEST MUSICAL—TIER 1 (BUDGET OF UNDER $10,000)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY EXECUTION

BEST MUSICAL—TIER 2 (BUDGET OF $10,000 AND GREATER)

BEST STUDENT ORCHESTRA

Nation Ford High School, Seussical

Ardrey Kell High School, The Hunchback of Notre Dame

BEST ACTOR

Ethan Holtzman, Charlotte Latin School, Into The Woods as The Baker

BEST ACTRESS

Reneé Rapp, Northwest School of the Arts, Big Fish as Sandra

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Rixey Terry, Northwest School of the Arts, Big Fish as Will

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Brittany Schell, cfa Academy, Into The Woods as Cinderella

BEST FEATURED PERFORMER

John Parker Demos, Ardrey Kell High School, The Hunchback of Notre Dame as Clopin

BEST OVERALL DIRECTION

Nation Ford High School, Seussical

BEST ENSEMBLE/CHORUS

Nation Ford High School, Seussical

Nation Ford High School, Seussical Providence High School, Cinderella

BEST COSTUME CREATION Piedmont Community Charter School, Into The Woods

BEST SET CONSTRUCTION

Nation Ford High School, Seussical

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Emily Harris, Stuart W. Cramer High School

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER STUDENT CRITIC AWARD Trevor Moore, Weddington High School

MARY DOCTOR PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS Kahlil Cabble, Central Academy of Technology & Arts Hannah-Kathryn Wall, Northwest School of the Arts

GORDAN HAY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Sophie Feher, Ardrey Kell High School

Top right and here, students perform at the seventh annual Blumey Awards at Belk Theater.

PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE BY DANIEL COSTON

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PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE BY HENRY MCGEE/NHSMTA

NATIONAL SUCCESS Best Actress at The Blumeys Takes Home a Jimmy Award

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By Becky Bereiter

Top, The Jimmy® Awards participants pose with their medals. Second photo, Blumey Awards Best Actress Reneé Rapp, right, accepts the top female award at the Jimmy Awards, alongside the winner of the top male award. Above, guest speakers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul talk with Jimmy Award participants in Burrows Theater at NYU Tisch School of The Arts in New York City on June 19, 2018.

eneé Rapp, named best actress at the seventh annual Blumey Awards presented by Wells Fargo in May, also took home the top female honor and a $10,000 college scholarship at the 10th annual National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City.

Rapp is a recent graduate of Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte.

She played Sandra Bloom in the school’s production of Big Fish.

The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as The Jimmy® Awards, is a weeklong Broadway “boot camp” and competition for the winners of high school musical theater award programs from across the United States. Eighty students competed in the ceremony, making it the largest pool of talent the program has seen to date. The national competition, hosted by Tony winner Laura Benanti, was held on Broadway at the Minskoff Theater, home to Disney’s The Lion King.

The students participated in intensive professional training at NYU Tisch School of the Arts in the week leading up to the ceremony and received mentorship from a variety of industry professionals, including Adam Kantor, currently on Broadway in the Tony-winning The Band’s Visit; Tony nominee Howard McGillin; Lisa Brescia; Maryann Hu; Natalie Weiss; and Schele Williams.

“It is such an incredible honor to be on this incredible stage with these incredible performers. This is absolutely unreal,” said Rapp during her acceptance speech in New York City. “I want to thank my teachers back home who have inspired me to dream bigger than anything in the world.”

This year marked the fourth time one of Charlotte’s winners made it to the finals at The Jimmy Awards. Rapp is the second area performer to take top honors. Amina Faye, a graduate of Central Academy of Technology and Arts in Monroe, currently studying musical theater at Penn State, took home the Best Actress award in 2016. T BLUMENTHALARTS.ORG

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BLUMENTHAL

in Pictures

Guests enjoy the Resident Company Celebration at Belk Theater, part of Blumenthal's 25th anniversary observance.

Charlotte resident Ramon Reed, 13, who plays Young Simba in The Lion King, is interviewed on press day.

PHOTO BY DANIEL COSTON

PHOTO BY JOY WEST

A crowd gets on their feet for the sounds of LRM Export during Blumenthal's Sounds on the Square at Spirit Square.

PHOTO BY CAROLINE ALLEN

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Excited fans wait on Aug. 1 for the Hamilton ticket sale to begin on the plaza in front of Belk Theater.

PHOTO BY KITTY JANVRIN

PHOTO BY CATHERINE MUCCIGROSSO

WBTV anchor Kristen Miranda, right, emcees at Blumenthal's annual Tony Awards Viewing Party in June.

Donors Muri and Harvey Corzin, center, pose with with members of The Color Purple cast when the show made its stop in Charlotte.

Andrew Pippin proposes to Amanda Bledsoe while taking his turn during a Hamiltunes event at Spirit Square over the summer.

Blumenthal announces the switch to biodegradable cups and paper straws.

Noah Altritt plays the harp guitar at the Best of Open Mic night in August.

PHOTO BY CAROLINE ALLEN

PHOTO BY BECKY BEREITER

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THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS Contributions received from Oct. 7, 2017-Oct. 7, 2018

PRODUCER’S CIRCLE $25,000+

Peg and Jay Adamczyk Jacquie and Gary Bechtel Barbara and David Goodman* Laura and Jeff Hay* Julianne Marley Mr. and Mrs. William B. McGuire, Jr.

$10,000+

Dr. Milton and Arlene Berkman Philanthropic Fund Victoria and Porter Durham Beth and Jonathan Feit Vickie and Tom Gabbard Bob and Jena Gallagher Sandra and Stephen Godofsky Nancy and David Hauser Rebecca S. Henderson and J. Michael Booe Renee and Chris Hobart Michelle Lee Michael, Jaime and Allie Monday Linda and Tony Pace Carolyn and Robert Shaw Joan Zimmerman

$7,500+

Betsy and Alfred Brand Robin and Lea Burt Dorlisa and Peter Flur The Hertel Family Barbara and Josh Meeks Jean and Matthew Salisbury Ann and Michael Tarwater Tracey and Scott Tozier

$5,000+

Anonymous Cathy and Jim Baily Mr. William M. Barnhardt and Mrs. Nancy B. Thomas* Christine and Arthur Becker The Blumenthal Foundation Amy and Philip Blumenthal Hona Childers and Daniel Browne Mrs. Mary Anne Dickson Elizabeth and James Faulkner Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Gibbs Belinda and Timothy Gunter Dale Halton and Fred Wagner Beverly and Jim Hance Charles and Diane Harrington Janet and Neil Kaplan Julie and Howard Levine Kate and Mike McDermott Courtney and Jared Mobley Robert H. Norville, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. George Raftelis Rose and Tom Sherard Shana and Christopher Shivel Lori and Eric Sklut Anja and David Zimmerman

$2,500+

Anonymous Becky and Michael Alcione Randy and Nancy Baker Kelly and Richard Battle Shavonda and Reginald Bean Jeremy and Connie Blaney Doug and Shelly Bose Ben Bourne Crandall C. Bowles Chris and Steve Brace

Bernstein Family Foundation Julie and Riaz Bhamani Lakana and Tony Bikhazi Mr. and Mrs. Alan Blumenthal Andrew Blumenthal and Stephanie Baumann Sam Blumenthal Peggy and Ray Bouley Pat and Tim Brier Kathleen Britton Susan and Greg Brouse James Bullock Dr. Chris Burkett Sarah and Bret Busby Joy and Chris Butler Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Case, Jr. Karmen Cassell Delane and Walter Clark Ofelia and Philip Claxton Brent Clevenger Steve and Martha Clifford Dr. Elaine and Steve Coats Edward Cook Lori and Derek Copeland Catherine Cordle Harvey and Muri Corzin Craig and Sara Cummings Gloria and Peter De Arcangelis Donna and Al de Molina Dan and Gena DeChant Pamela and Greg Dills Claude Duet Marcia and Bob Dynko Sidney and Andres Echevarria Kelli Enos Windy and Jef Fullagar Kelly and Doug Gardner Todd E. Gardner, MD Michael and Connie George Joseph and Carol Gigler Todd Glenham Jessica and William Griesser Randy Griffin Sharon and Benjamin Hager Randy P. and Donna Helton Mr. George and Dr. Koh Herlong James Hill Juliet and Brian Hirsch Carol and Chris Horn Larissa and Ken Huber Peggy and Jim Hynes Beth and Hytham Imseis Beth Ipock Kathy and Charlie Izard David S. Jacobson Lynn Jeffrey Juanita and Lloyd Johnson Michelle Johnson The Julliard Family Lyndon W. Kennedy Linda and Kerry Kenner Virginia A. Kern Sandy and John Kindbom Patty and Chris Lambert $1,500+ Eleanor Ehrhart and Anonymous (2) Dominick Landi Keith Alyea and Fidel Montoya Beverly and John Lassiter Holly and Jeff Atkins Margie and Victor Lisciani Elizabeth Austin Joseph Marko Bryan and Kristen Barboza Ashley and Scott Mattei Cheryl Barringer and Mike Sherman Jill Maxwell Anne and John Barry Betsy and T. Bragg McLeod Joanne and Steve Beam Karen and Robert Micklash Ralph Beck, in memory of Linda Anne and William Newcomb The Donald H. and Barbara K. Kristin and Buck Bradberry George Brooks Nathalie and Daniel Carrizosa Nan and Hal Clarke Lorin, Erica, and Lydia Crenshaw Morgan and Brian Cromwell Rose and Bill Cummings Karin and Sean Davies Amy and Alfred Dawson Jim Donahue Michele Durkin Dr. Bryan Edmiston and Mr. Felipe G. Edmiston Julie and Tom Eiselt Lou and Charlie Elberson Carolyn B. Faison Michele and Walter Fisher Karen Griffin and John Galloway Douglas R. and Elizabeth G. Goldstein Mrs. Gail Grim Debby and Mike Groenhout Robin and Blaine Hawkins Patti and Mark Hawley* Sarah Hollar and Peter Macon Mr. and Mrs. William T. Houser Nora and Thomas Hughes Susan and David Jamison Ronald Kahn Mary Jean and Howard L. Kushner Meghan Daigle and Troy Leo Charlotte and Arthur Mott Anna and Tom Nelson Janet and Peter Nixon Rene and Brian Noonan Jacob Palillo Kathleen C. Richardson Carla and Ed Rose Wendy and Frank Rosen Brenda and Bill Ryan Mr. and Mrs. Jason C. Schmidly Vesime and Marty Schroering Gail Sharps Myers Lisa and Glenn Sherrill Norma and Rodney Short Deanna and Norman Shue The Marc and Mattye Silverman Foundation Dr. Matthew Wheelock and Dr. Jill Smith-Wheelock Dia and Paul Steiger Patricia and John Stewart Jennifer and David Teifer Carrie and Jeff Teixeira Jacqueline A. Tucker Rita and Bill Vandiver Ellen and Ron Vilas Ed Weisiger, Jr. and Betsy Fleming Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. White Karen and Ed Whitener Dara and Bob Whiting Lisa and Kenny Wilson Amy Wooden and Joe Kolodziej

Marian M. Nisbet Paul Norris Dr. Valerie and Mr. Barton O'Kelley Andrew Olah Drs. Elaine and Thomas Pacicco Peggy Peterson Susan and Dale Pond Jim Putnam Mary and Dave Pylipow Nadine and Leif Rauer Sally and Russell Robinson Lisa and Robert Rollins Ken Rothmel Mikel and Diane Ryan Chryll and Wayne Salow Anne and Steve Schmitt Anjali Shah Emilie and Gene Sharbaugh Peggy and Pope Shuford Skinkle Tona Family Judith Smith Dr. Ramada Smith and Mr. Kevin Smith Tom E. Smith Cindy and David Soliday Jeri Dianne Stancil Sheri and Kelly Straub Suzanne and Michael Stritch Dr. and Mrs. Robert Sullivan Joseph and Christine Thomas David Thomason Sandy and Greg Vlahos Abby and James Warren Lisa Whitney Mary Ellen and Reid Wilkerson Teresa and Stick Williams Elechia Wimbish Johnnie Willis and Michael Green In loving memory of my Rip Cathey Winfield Jennifer and John Wozniak Velva and Tom Woollen

$1,000+

Anonymous Scott Bengel Laura and Sam Bowles Rachel E. Brackett Susan and Ralph Brackett Mona Brandon Mary and Frank Brown Rich and Beth Buchanan Peter and Cynthia Buck Jesica Bullrich Caroline and Matt Chambers Karen and Kevin Chapman Melissa M. and Howard R. Cohen Linda and Richard Cook William Cooper Brooke and Steve Cornwell Lori and Roger Cuddy Bill Dantos Meg and Jay Dees Tara DellaVecchia and Ryan Zepp Dena R. Diorio Mrs. Roddey Dowd Sr. Ms. Chris Downie Christine and James Drost Marcy and Fred Dumas Lorine and Ray Edwards Sandra and Eddie Edwards Elaine and Jeffrey Fagan Kayla Freeman Mr. Michael Garcia Darcy and Steven Garfinkel

Glenn and Krissa Gaston John R. Georgius Robin Gershen Robert W. Graf Family Fund Kathy R. Hairston Neil and Sharyn Handelsman Fred Handsel and Ben Bellante Pamela Hanna, M.D. Eric Hauser and Phillip Butts Leland Helms Jennifer Henry Kathy and Ben Hill Carol Hitselberger Arlene and Randy Hobart Jim and Frankie Honeycutt Michelle and Brian Howell Cathy and Michael Hyzy Katina Cole Jakubowski Karen and Newmoon Jung Jerri Kallam Charity Kates Edward and Florence Kim Joan Kirschner Tricia and Ryan Knatz David and Amy Kulbok Janice S. Ladley Zack Lansat Chase and Ron Law Laney and Wood Lay James Ledbetter Tara and Matt Livingston Richard and Anna Marriott Marie-Claire Marroum-Kardous Leslie and Michael Marsicano Jane and Hugh McColl Laurie and Kevin McCormick Dr. and Mrs. Alden Milam Shelley and Andy Misiaveg James and Koh Morrisey Amy and Jason Murphy Donna Nellis Jill and Ed Newman Keith Oberkfell Wendy Oglesby and David Higbe Jack Page and Robert Myers James Parker Anne Patefield Donna and Steve Pernotto Fidel and Laura Prieto Cynthia and Steve Reese Irena and Lee Rimler William R. Rollins Carol and James Salisbury Beth and John Schleck Dr. Marvin Shapiro and Mrs. Anita Shapiro Charles Shelton Chip and Jennifer Shelton Jan and Scott Smith Wayne B. Smith, Jr. and Indun Patrick Wendy and Brian Smith Sara and Morgan Spencer Ken Spielfogel and Richard Withem Rochelle and Peter Stewart Claire and Jim Talley Mr. and Mrs. Jack H. Thomas Sandi and Ben Thorman Debi and Bill Timmerman Jacqueline and Rusty Wasco Drs. James and Jackie Wheeler Pat and Bill Williamson

* Members of The Legacy Society at Blumenthal

Membership gifts make inspiration possible in our community. JOIN TODAY! BlumenthalArts.org/givenow or call 704.379.1288 18 SPARK | FALL 2018

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CATALYST PARTNERS The Arts & Science Council supports Blumenthal Performing Arts’ 2019 fiscal year budget with operating and programmatic grants.

THE DOCTOR FAMILY FOUNDATION

LEADERSHIP PARTNERS

Blumenthal Performing Arts receives support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

STATEGIC PARTNERS

SIGNATURE PARTNERS

$15,000+

$10,000+

HOSPITALITY PARTNERS

$5,000+

$7,500+ Publix Super Markets Charities

British American Business Council C design Inc. Collier Law

Grove Engineering InterCon Building Corporation Keatley Wealth Management, LLC KPMG

McKenney’s, Inc Moore & Van Allen PLLC Rodgers Builders Inc. SteelFab, Inc.

Troutman Sanders LLP UTC Aerospace Systems

$2,500+ Adams Electric Company Adsworth Media Baird Private Wealth Management BDO Bradley LLP Bryan Cave Leighton and Paisner LLP Carolina CAT Charlotte Insurance Charlotte Paint Co. Inc.

Chicago Title Insurance Company Deloitte Foundry Commercial Gray Dog Investments, Inc. Hood Hargett & Associates Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP King & Spalding LLP McCracken & Lopez, PA McGuireWoods LLP

McIlveen Family Law NARENCO PAGE Powersystems Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP PMMC Premier Golf, Inc. Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson P.A. Rogers Unloading Service RSM US LLP

Sentinel Risk Advisors South State Bank The Dowd Foundation, Inc. Tippens & Zurosky LLP Walbridge Southeast White Knight Engineered Products, Inc.

$1,000+ BB&T Cabarrus Glass Company Inc. Charlotte Labor Source Carousel Capital Charlotte Business Journal Crosland Southeast Curvature

Donald Haack Diamonds & Fine Gems Galvan Industries, Inc. Garmon & Company, Inc. Commercial Flooring High Performance Technologies Hoopaugh Grading Company, LLC

Howard Brothers Electric Jenkins Peer Architects Lil and Associates McGrann Paper Corporation McVeigh & Mangum Mechanical Contractors, Inc. NC Interiors Contracting, Inc.

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Odell Associates Piedmont Properties Preferred Electric Co., Inc. Robert E. Mason & Associates, Inc. Savills Studley Schindler Elevator Corp.

Ty Hardee Financial

Velligan Medical Services, PC Waterstone Multi-Family Group

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Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Charlotte, NC Permit No. 3036

130 N. Tryon St. | Charlotte, NC 28202

WE INSPIRE BIG DREAMS Abby Corrigan, named best actress in Blumenthal Performing Arts’ 2014 Blumey Awards, is a 2016 graduate of Musical Theatre and Drama at Northwest School of the Arts. She landed the role of Medium Allison on the National Tour of Fun Home just out of high school.

Blumenthal Performing Arts has been entertaining and inspiring our community since 1992.

Your gifts make inspiration possible.

Abby Corrigan performs at Blumenthal Performing Arts' 25th anniversary celebration.

PHOTO BY DANIEL COSTON

130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202 704.372.1000 • BlumenthalArts.org