The musical, Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, will kick off the new season of Broadway Dallas, formerly known as Dallas Summer Musicals. One of the performances in September will be exclusively attended by 3.400 Dallas ISD students.
"There's nothing like that anticipation that happens when you're in the theater waiting for your Broadway show to start," Ken Novice, Broadway Dallas president and CEO, said. "Our intent here is to demonstrate to students who are interested in the arts that there are many pathways to careers in this field besides performing on stage or playing in the orchestra pit."
Theater students at all 25 of DISD's high school campuses will have the opportunity to go through a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) curriculum that relates to the theater. They will work on lighting, audio, and video projects. At the end of the day, they will fill all 3,400 seats at Broadway Dallas to see a performance of the musical.
"It's obvious to see the very unique opportunity that's going to open a door for students to access theater and music in a way they've never been able to before," Shannon Trejo, DISD Chief Academic Officer, said. "This is a project in equity."
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Last year, DISD students in the same program went to see the musical Hamilton thanks to a partnership with the Mavs Foundation and the T.D. Jakes Foundation. The Moody Foundation is also a benefactor.
"It was amazing," Bishop T.D. Jakes said. "It was amazing to see their enthusiasm, how seriously they took the opportunity, how grateful they were to have the chance."
The goal is to open their eyes to the possibilities for future careers in theater.
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"It starts at this stage," Jakes said. "These are the seeds of tomorrow."
