Paper Mill Playhouse's Summer Musical Theater Conservatory presents "Endless Ovations"

Published by New Jersey Stage
07/24/2024

(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse has selected students to be a part of its prestigious Summer Musical Theater Conservatory for 2024. Members of the competitive Conservatory who earned coveted spots in the Senior (ages 15-18), Junior Plus (ages 13-14), and Junior (ages 10-12) companies are directed and choreographed by Paper Mill Playhouse's professional artistic staff in a fully produced, original concert titled Endless Ovations, a celebration of 85 years of Paper Mill productions.

A show unlike any other produced by Paper Mill Playhouse, this special concert features 122 talented young performers, including Rising Star Award winners and nominees. The 2024 New Voices Concert showcases cherished musical gems from Paper Mill’s long history, drawing on songs from Crazy for You, Newsies, Honeymoon in Vegas, Children of Eden, The Wizard of Oz, Follies, Funny Girl, The Student Prince, Gypsy, Mame, Les Misérables, and many more. The Hearst Foundations are Paper Mill’s Education & Outreach Partner.

Performances of Endless Ovations will be held on Friday, July 26 at 7:30pm and Saturday, July 27 at 1:30pm & 7:30pm at Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ. Tickets range in price from $25 to $55 and are available for purchase online, by calling (973) 376-4343, or by visiting the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office.

“We believe that this program allows young performers an opportunity to thrive and ultimately live their dream of being professional performers. From the first day of class all the way through opening night of New Voices, we require our students to rise to the demands of this rigorous program,” stated Lisa Cooney, Paper Mill Playhouse Director of Education, Outreach and Access. “We ask them to work harder than they ever have before as young performers. Our faculty pushes the students to believe in themselves as professional artists, and as a result, when they move on to college or the professional world, they are ready for the challenges they’ll face. We take great pride when they make a name for themselves on Broadway or in Hollywood and from knowing every member of the Conservatory has learned the skills and the work ethic to serve them in any field.”

The Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Musical Theater Conservatory is a demanding program allowing students to enhance their individual performance potential while developing a broad base of theater experience and knowledge. Students participate in an intensive roster of classes including musical theater performance, acting, dance, private voice lessons, and improvisation, while also attending guest workshops led by professional actors, directors, and casting agents. The final weeks are devoted to rehearsals for the annual New Voices Concert. The Conservatory offers a unique opportunity for gifted and talented young performers to work at their own level and challenge themselves to achieve new goals and learn new skills. Key to the curriculum is the development of self-discipline, respect, and a commitment to excellence that will serve these young artists throughout their lives. The New Voices Concert is the culmination of the five-week program.

“New Voices is an amazing opportunity to see the stars of tomorrow,” commented Mark S. Hoebee, Paper Mill’s Producing Artistic Director. “This fully produced, original concert features over a hundred and twenty incredible performers. It is amazing to see these young performers grow into professional artists and grace the stage with an inspiring, heartfelt performance, and it’s gratifying that Paper Mill’s professional casting partners attend annually to discover new talent.”

“Our faculty encourages the students to believe in themselves as professional artists and treats them as such.” stated Michele Mossay, Paper Mill Playhouse Director of Artist Development and long-time Conservatory director/choreographer. “The amount of former conservatory students that say, ‘Paper Mill changed my life.’ or, ‘I would not be where I am today without PMP', is astounding. This program educates, cultivates, and enriches the entire young performer, from their individual talents to their role within an ensemble company to, ultimately, their role within the professional performance community at large.”

Many students from Paper Mill Playhouse’s Conservatory have appeared on Broadway, in regional theater productions, in films, and on television.

2024 CONSERVATORY STUDENTS BY TOWN

Brynn Simonelli, Annadale, NJ 

Megan Simonelli, Annadale, NJ 

Katie Lee, Basking Ridge, NJ 

Sean Pernaselli, Basking Ridge, NJ 

Jaidyn Riley, Basking Ridge, NJ 

Miguel Bedoya, Bayonne, NJ 

Isabel Rivera, Bayonne, NJ 

Olivia Mishima, Bedminster, NJ 

Pippa Knowles, Belleville, NJ 

Jake Naughton, Berkeley Heights, NJ 

Gregory Pedicini, Berkeley Heights, NJ 

Mila DaRocha, Boonton Township, NJ 

Alexandra Vacchiano, Boonton, NJ 

Amelia Lordi, Branchburg, NJ 

Alaina Gust, Bridgewater, NJ 

Joshua Zagare, Bridgewater, NJ 

Jack Scarsi, Budd Lake, NJ 

Zoya Vaidya, Budd Lake, NJ 

Evie Reyes, Caldwell, NJ 

Kailyn Luizzi, Cedar Grove, NJ 

Charlotte Ewing, Chatham, NJ 

Sarah Mattle, Chatham, NJ 

Kate Milligan, Chatham, NJ 

Marin Wilson, Chatham, NJ 

Kate Bove, Cherry Hill NJ 

Emiliana Sotolongo, Clark, NJ 

Zavier Aviles, Clifton, NJ 

Natalia Vella, Clifton, NJ 

Lindsay Berliner, Colts Neck, NJ 

Zoe’ Jarrett, Cordele, GA 

Alyssa Ucci, Dayton, NJ 

Charlie Black, Denville, NJ 

Karson Moscola, Denville, NJ 

Bridget Campbell, Glen Ridge, NJ 

Julian Novoa, Glen Ridge, NJ 

Giulia Beaudoin, Glen Rock, NJ 

Leina Staudinger, Green Brook, NJ 

Olivia Andrade-Marin, Hanover, NJ 

Sophia Silvera, Hawthorne, NJ 

Violet Sweet, Highland Park, NJ 

Addy Gazaleh, Hoboken, NJ 

Vihaan Kava, Jersey City, NJ 

Mariella Giordano, Lincroft, NJ 

Ben Rost, Livingston, NJ 

Giuliana Tritto, Livingston, NJ 

Miya Behrmann, Madison, NJ 

Abby Teagan, Madison, NJ 

Tara McCarthy, Mahwah, NJ 

Marianna Daley, Maplewood, NJ 

Marlo Goodrich, Maplewood, NJ 

Destiny Keith, Maplewood, NJ 

Shreya Ramesh, Maplewood, NJ 

Owen Shubart, Maplewood, NJ 

Cierra Wolckenhauer, Martinsville, NJ 

Jordyn Gulliford, Millburn, NJ 

Amelia Sabel, Millburn, NJ 

Vincent Wilson, Monroe Township, NJ 

Eloise Daddabbo, Montclair, NJ 

Anna DuWors, Montclair, NJ 

Orly Kinsella, Montclair, NJ 

David Perry, Montclair, NJ 

Lucas Kirmsse, Moorestown, NJ 

Miles Schmidt, Morris Plains, NJ 

Alexa Torres, Mountainside, NJ 

Ryan Torres, Mountainside, NJ 

Rosie Murphy, New Providence, NJ 

Layla Pinto, New York, NY 

Jordyn Gulliford, Millburn, NJ 

Shea, North Brunswick, NJ 

Nathaniel Updegraff, North Brunswick, NJ 

Alexandra Hermans, North Caldwell, NJ 

Alexis Hamlin, Nutley, NJ 

Lydia Kim, Old Tappan, NJ 

Charlotte Marie Reinoso, Phillipsburg, NJ 

Jackson Bartle, Piscataway, NJ 

Ashley Hamilton, Piscataway, NJ 

Dakota Krouse, Pittstown, NJ 

Dami Shote, Pittstown, NJ 

Addison Seiler, Port Washington, NY 

Daniel Wright, Richmond, TX 

Daniel Loughlin, Ridgewood, NJ 

Liam Fahey, Ringwood, NJ 

Lexi Ciardella, Roseland, NJ 

Emma Rylie Casper, Roseland, NJ 

Kylah Frazier, Roselle Park, NJ 

Kyla Kemple, Rutherford, NJ 

Gianna Roman, Sayreville, NJ 

Ashley Hoberman, Scotch Plains, NJ 

Sophia Mekbeb, Scotch Plains, NJ 

Cody Braverman, Short Hills, NJ 

Aarin Jain, Short Hills, NJ 

Sanjana Krishnan, Short Hills, NJ 

Remi Stein, Short Hills, NJ 

Niara Beckwith, Somerset, NJ 

Brielle Marques, Somerset, NJ 

Lola Larson, South Orange, NJ 

Anton MacLachlan, South Orange, NJ 

Parker Ryan, South Orange, NJ 

Maddie Weisbach, South Orange, NJ 

Liora Weiss, South Orange, NJ 

Ava Valluzzi, South Plainfield, NJ 

Adya Aswin, Summit, NJ 

Gavin Colucci, Summit, NJ 

Sophie Gaeta, Summit, NJ 

Laetitia Hubert, Summit, NJ 

Jacey Sink, Summit, NJ 

Elyana Barroqueiro, Union, NJ 

Isabella Meseron, Union City, NJ 

Abigail Shust, Verona, NJ 

Finn Behrens, Wayne, NJ 

Josh Cooper, Wayne, NJ 

Lillian Kopacz, Wayne, NJ 

Kali Tucker, West Creek, NJ 

Kyan Bashkoff, West Orange, NJ 

Vincent Fondetto, West Orange, NJ 

Avery McMeekan, Westfield, NJ 

Adalyn Campione, Wood-Ridge, NJ 

Gabriel Ornstein, Wyckoff, NJ 

Sam Ornstein, Wyckoff, NJ

Paper Mill Playhouse, recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is a nationally renowned, not-for-profit theater under the direction of Mark S. Hoebee (Producing Artistic Director) and Mike Stotts (Managing Director). A beloved NJ arts institution since 1938, Paper Mill creates and produces groundbreaking new musicals and reimagined classics. Several productions have gone on to Broadway and launched national tours, including Disney’s Newsies, Les Misérables, Honeymoon in Vegas, A Bronx Tale, Bandstand, and The Great Gatsby. The theater is also the home of an award-winning center for musical theater education and artist training, with outreach programs that impact tens of thousands of students each year. As one of the nation’s premier musical theaters, Paper Mill fosters a creative environment to advance the art form, educate students, develop future theater lovers, nurture inclusion, and provide access for all. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.