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Entertainment

Theater to burst with fresh-faced talent

A Ticket to Broadway will feature top high school performers and celebrate the education of their ilk.

By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN
Published January 28, 2005

Richey Suncoast Theatre and the Pasco Education Foundation are doing a two-for-the-price-of-one event. Sort of.

For one $10 ticket, a theater patron gets two things: 1) a 29-act show, Ticket to Broadway, featuring many of the area's top high school performers, and 2) the warm feeling of making a donation toward college scholarships for students planning to major in the performing arts.

All of the proceeds from the second annual talent and variety show are going to the scholarship fund.

"We did this last year and raised enough money for three $500 scholarships," said Charlie Skelton, president of the theater board. It was so much fun - and so lucrative for the foundation - that Skelton and foundation director Chip Wichmanowski decided to make it an annual affair.

They held auditions in December and had a remarkable turnout of singers, dancers, actors and musicians from six Pasco County high schools: Renaissance Academy, River Ridge, Gulf, Hudson, Mitchell and Ridgewood.

Wichmanowski and frequent Richey Suncoast director-choreographer Marie Skelton agreed to direct the show, while Charlie Skelton became producer. Jami Walls, 13, will monitor the lights, while Chaz Bender is doing sound.

On Feb. 4, 5 and 6, the students will put on the show for the public. There is a wide array of talent.

"One of the kids, Craig Fountain, from Gulf High, is playing an original composition on the piano," Skelton said. River Ridge's Jesslyn Kostopoulos will reprise the role of Dorothy in Wizard of Oz she did at Richey Suncoast last season and sing Over the Rainbow, he said.

Then she'll be joined by fellow River Ridge student Jonathan Tietz to sing People Will Say We're in Love from Oklahoma!. Award-winning Mitchell student Ereka Passarella, who was featured in the 2002 Christmas show at the theater, will do two monologs.

Chris Stein, 16, of River Ridge, a Richey Suncoast veteran, will sing Superstar from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. This is a prelude for his performance in the theater's musical High Society, playing Feb. 24 to March 13.

"He is a very talented young man and a good kid," Skelton said.

Several of the young performers will be in costume; others will be in formal dress, and a few will dress casually, Skelton said. Accompaniment will be recorded compact discs.

WHAT: Ticket to Broadway, a variety show

WHERE: Richey Suncoast Theatre, 6237 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey

WHEN: 8 p.m. Feb. 4 and 5; 2:30 p.m. Feb. 6

TICKETS: $10 for adults; $5 for children 12 and younger. Box office is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and an hour before each show. Call 842-6777.

[Last modified January 28, 2005, 00:21:17]