Children's ensemble will dance and sing summer away

Being a part of the Children's Musical Theatre Ensemble has been a life-changing experience for P.J. Pirkle.

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Charmain Z. Brackett/Correspondent

Nathan Lubeck and P.J. Pirkle, of the Children's Musical Theatre Ensemble, perform a song from Way Out West in a Dress at the Jessye Norman Amphitheatre on Independence Day.

"I was shy when I first started," said P.J., a rising junior at Lakeside High School who has been part of the ensemble for seven years. "I'm not now."

Members of the ensemble gave audiences a taste of two upcoming productions at the Jessye Norman Amphitheater on July 4. The Big Bad Musical and Willabella Witch's Last Spell will be performed at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, and at 3 p.m. Aug. 3 at Augusta Preparatory Day School's Hull Fine Arts Center. Also, the group will perform Way Out West in a Dress at the Westobou Festival in Augusta in September.

Started a decade ago by Mickey Lubeck, who performed in the National Broadway Tour of Cats for several years, the Children's Musical Theatre Ensemble performs three musicals a year.

In the fall, Ms. Lubeck will expand her theater offerings. "I get parents who ask, 'Where can they take voice? Where can they take acting?" said Ms. Lubeck, who lives in Martinez.

While she does teach some singing and acting in her ensemble productions, there will be more in-depth offerings in the fall.

"I cannot teach voice technique, so I'm going to hire a teacher who will work with them in small groups and teach breathing and other techniques so they don't hurt their voice," she said.

Also, the acting classes will delve into subjects such as character study.

She will also provide additional classes in dance for musical theater beginning in late August in her studio on Shartom Drive off Washington Road.

Tickets for The Big Bad Musical are $5 for students and $10 for adults, with ages 4 and younger admitted free. For more information, call (706) 869-0089 or (706) 231-1759.

Reach Charmain Brackett at czbrackett@hotmail.com.