for Curtain Call 2012 Honor the Children in the Year of the Dragon benefitting Dallas Summer Musicals

and their Education and Outreach Programs

Sandy and Steve Watson, Chairs | Ellen Terry, Honorary Chair

The Crow Collection of Asian Art was the perfect setting for the Curtain Call 2012 Announcement Party, themed Honor the Children in the Year of the Dragon, benefitting Dallas Summer Musicals (DSM) and its education and outreach programs.

          Inspired by Dallas Summer Musicals’ massive inventory of silken hand-beaded costumes and enormous elaborate sets from FLOWER DRUM SONG, event chairs Sandy and Steve Watson dressed greeters in authentic costumes and served gourmet Asian hors d’oeuvres and desserts on elaborate themed presentation platters.

DSM Chairman of the Board, Michael Steindorf, welcomed guests and introduced Michael A. Jenkins, President and Managing Director, DSM, who brought up some very compelling numbers for DSM’s educational and outreach programs, which benefit from the proceeds of Curtain Call: In 2011, Seats for Kids brought in 3,481 children who had never seen a live theatre performance before and the Stage Right program has over 230 participants. The DSM Academy of Performing Arts’ production of 101 DALMATIONS is on December 11 at The Hall of State Theatre in Fair Park featuring the Teen Broadway Mash Up Touring Troupe and Kids Club has over 1,020 members.

Jenkins also mentioned the newest addition to DSM’s roster, the 1st Annual DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards, which culminates in an awards ceremony show at The Music Hall at Fair Park Saturday, May 5, 2012.

Resounding applause filled the room when Michael announced this year’s featured entertainer will be Multiple Grammy-nominated singer, Broadway, television, and film star - Vanessa Williams.  Vanessa Williams is one of the most respected and multi-faceted performers in entertainment today.  She has sold millions of albums worldwide and she has achieved critical acclaim as an actress on stage, in film and on television.  Her albums "The Right Stuff," "The Comfort Zone" and "The Sweetest Days" have yielded such classic hits as "Save the Best For Last," "Dreamin," "Work To Do" and "Love Is," and the Academy Award-winning single "Colors of the Wind," from Disney’s "Pocahontas," among many others.

Slated for Saturday, March 31, 2012 at The Music Hall at Fair Park, Curtain Call 2012 promises to rock the night, beginning with a cocktail reception, live and silent auctions, gourmet seated dinner followed by the show featuring Vanessa Williams, then dessert, cocktails and dancing at the Curtain Call Cabaret late night party.

Proceeds from Curtain Call support Dallas Summer Musicals' mission to bring the Best of Broadway to Dallas and provide for children's education and outreach programs.  Sponsors’ support will bring the magic of musical theater to so many children who otherwise would never experience it — magic created through programs such as DSM High School Musial Theatre Awards, Seats for Kids, DSM Academy of Performing Arts, Kid’s Club, and Stage Right.

Ellen Terry is honorary chair.

Sponsorships and underwriting available starting at $2,500. Individual tickets are $500 each.  All gala underwriting opportunities and benefits are available through the web site at: http://www.curtaincallgala.org    
           
Sponsors:                  Dallas Summer Musicals season sponsors are American Airlines, Dallas Morning News, Metro PCS, WFAA Channel 8, and Texas Instruments.  Curtain Call 2012 media sponsors are Modern Luxury Dallas and Park Cities News/The Waters Family.

Contact:                 Melissa Ogden, Director of Development at DSM, 214-413-3961 and email at mogden@dallassummermusicals.org

About Dallas Summer Musicals
Dallas Summer Musicals (DSM) is the preeminent nonprofit presenter of Broadway theatre in North Texas.  DSM produces, presents and promotes excellence in live musical theatre with year-round performances for diverse audiences of all ages, impacting the lives of children and families through community outreach and education and enriching the cultural landscape of Dallas/Fort Worth, North Texas and the Southwest Region. Visit the website at www.dallassummermusicals.org

• DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards:

Patterned after Broadway’s Tony Awards®, the event celebrates the power of the Arts to significantly improve all areas of education. Show business veterans and community celebrities come together to spotlight the achievements of high school students and their school’s musical theatre programs. DSM awards scholarships to a number of outstanding and deserving participants. Students are nominated by their teachers and judged by a separate scholarship committee.  The first annual awards ceremony will be held in May 2012.

• DSM Academy of Performing Arts:

The first component of Dallas Summer Musicals’ outreach initiatives, DSM Academy of Performing Arts, extends the legacy of former DSM Managing Director Tom Hughes’ vision, to create the broadest possible avenue for dramatic expression within our community.  In 1999, the DSM Academy of Performing Arts was established to provide training for students ages 7 – adult, as well as continuing education for adults in theater arts.  Professional instruction helps students integrate the disciplines of singing, dancing, and acting into the unique genre of musical theater.  To ensure access and availability, the school offers limited scholarships to promising students with limited financial resources. Instruction includes classes, workshops and performance. When possible, workshops are provided by cast members of productions playing at Dallas Summer Musicals.

• Seats for Kids: Created in 2003 to provide a meaningful theater arts experience to low-income, at-risk and special needs children, Seats for Kids serves approximately 2,000 children each year.  Nonprofit youth agencies and Title 1 schools are eligible to participate in the program. DSM provides children, their teachers and chaperones with free tickets as well as a professionally drafted study guide to support attending the performance.  In 2011 DSM provided this program to coincide with productions of STOMP and .

• Kids Club: This free membership program for kids was created to develop tomorrow’s musical theater audience.  Through exciting activities, special events, backstage tours and informational        exchanges about shows included in the Kids Club membership, children gain an interest, knowledge and appreciation of the performing arts.

• Stage Right: In 2005, the Stage Right program to introduce at-risk youth ages 12-15 to arts and cultural events, was created in partnership with the Dallas Police Department.   Together, DSM and DPD are “Raising the curtain for education and spotlighting the appreciation of the arts through experience and positive quality lifestyles.” The students entering the program are recommended by Dallas area teachers and counselors and other youth programs including Boys & Girls Clubs, Girls Inc. and Dallas Recreation Centers as part of their ongoing efforts to keep students from joining gangs, getting involved in drugs and crime, or engaging in other activities that prevent their enjoying success in school.  Stage Right, with educational support from the Phoenix House, seeks to raise awareness of the arts, increase appreciation for different lifestyles and also increase self esteem.

• Discover Theatre:  In 2007 Dallas Summer Musicals added a program specifically for children in grades K-6.  The inaugural year included DISNEY’S CINDERELLA KIDS and THE JUNGLE BOOK KIDS.  Building on its year’s initial success, DSM brought in FRANKLY BEN, FROG AND TOAD and FLAT STANLEY to entertain, educate and empower young people in elementary school. Nearly 6,000 students participated in this program in 2010.

The public can play a part in bringing the Best of Broadway
to the young people in our community!

Charitable contributions are vital to the sustainability of these initiatives at Dallas Summer Musicals.  Please assist DSM in its mission to build awareness for the enjoyment and educational values of musical theater as it does so through its ongoing outreach programs.