“Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr.”
4 p.m. July 29
Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre
The Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy wraps up its 2017 summer theater experience for young performers with a fully staged production of the children’s musical “Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr.”
Nearly 40 Mon Valley Performers, or MVPs, are participating in this year’s academy, which began July 17. Students study and rehearse from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Based on the smash DreamWorks animated motion picture, the upbeat musical follows the adventures of outlandish characters such as Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hip Hippo, and the plotting penguin as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.
“We wanted to do something new, and everyone is a fan of these films,” said Dr. Michele Pagen, the academy’s director and co-chair of Cal U’s Department of Music and Theatre. “Most important, this musical is filled with many fun characters and we want the students to apply what they are learning in the production.”
Get tickets
“Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr.” is open to the public.
Ticket price is $8 for adults, $4 for children. Tickets may be purchased at the door.
To order tickets in advance, leave a message at 724-938-4220.
Get directions and a campus map
About the academy
Now in its 20th year, the Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy is hosted by Cal U’s Department of Music and Theatre. Its summer program gives students ages 8-17 an opportunity to take acting, voice and dance classes, then present a musical complete with stage sets, costumes and props.
The academy is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre, the same organization that has accredited Cal U’s Bachelor of Arts in Theatre program since 2005.