Ridgefield's Simard To Train Kids For Broadway Camp

DANBURY, Conn. -- Wooster School announces auditions on Wednesday, May 6, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for Broadway at Wooster, a new musical theatre intensive that brings Broadway stars and hopefuls together for an unforgettable week of learning and performing.

Claire Simard is a pianist and music director, having music-directed over a dozen musicals at the school and regional level.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

Joey Murray is a New York City-based stage director whose work has been seen Off-Broadway, regionally, and on performing art center stages throughout the United States and China.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

Broadway at Wooster begins on June 22.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

Cassandra Huerta

04/27/2015 4:30 a.m.

This program runs from June 22 through June 26, with performances on June 27, at the Black Box Theatre in the Wean Performing Arts Center on Wooster's campus. The cost of the full-day camp is $690.

Claire Simard, of Ridgefield, and New York-based stage director Joey Murray share their passion for musical theatre with aspiring performers in grades 8 through 12 through daily voice, dance, acting training and rehearsals for an original Broadway revue, directed by Murray. Simard is the head of theatre and also teaches music at the Wooster School.

Simard studied vocal performance at the Catholic University of America. She has acted professionally at the Tony-award-winning Signature Theater, Arena Stage, and has created new roles in several off-Broadway musicals, including "War Brides," "Christmas Interruptus" and "The Freely Given."

Simard studied acting with legendary teacher and Broadway performer Andy Gale, and voice with Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Trish McCaffrey during postgraduate studies at Brooklyn College Conservatory.

She began her teacher career after the birth of her first child, fell in love with it, and has taught musical theater, voice and elementary music at Concordia Conservatory in Bronxville, N.Y.

"We are looking for kids who are extremely passionate about musical theatre, who are looking for every opportunity to practice their craft, and are hungry to perform. We want kids to come away from this week with a better sense of who they are as performers, what makes them unique, and how to apply that to whatever theatrical experience they will have in the future," said Simard.

For more information or to schedule an audition on May 6, contact summeratwooster@woosterschool.org.

Video submissions will be accepted for those who cannot attend auditions. For the audition, prepare two contrasting songs, one of which should be from a Broadway musical; the other selection can be of any style or genre you prefer: classical, jazz, folk, rock, pop, or musical theatre.

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