Mayo students 'conga' at White House

Some people will be shopping after Thanksgiving dinner, while others will hit the couch to watch the Bears and Packers on TV.

But fans, staff and students of the Mayo Performing Arts Center more likely will be tuning into the cable station TLC at 8 p.m. to watch a select group of young artists from the MPAC Performing Arts School participate in the prime-time special "Broadway at the White House."

MPAC Education Director Cathy Roy said November was already a busy month for the students, who were booked to perform at the theater's annual Starlight Ball gala on Saturday night.

Then she got a cold call from a TLC staff member inviting Roy to bring a group of her high school-age students to Washington on Monday morning. In addition to attending workshops with a variety of Broadway legends, they would perform in the East Room of the White House for and audience that included First Lady Michelle Obama.

"We were chosen to participate with one of the executive producers who was familiar with our program and our productions," Roy said, referring to the school's annual professional-quality student productions of musicals such as "Les Miserables" in 2015 and "Hairspray!" in 2014. "She knew of the quality of our program and thought we would be perfect for this. ?"I think there were about 30 to 35 other kids participating from around the country. There was a program from California and kids from schools in Virginia, West Virginia and Washington D.C. It was a very small group."

The idea was to bring in aspiring theater students and performers to participate in workshops and classes and get encouragement and feedback from television and Broadway professionals. TLC crews filmed throughout the day, which led to the East Room performance.

"Everyone took part in a workshop with Gloria Estefan and the cast of 'On Your Feet,' the new Broadway show about her life," Roy said. "Then for the TV show, they performed with Gloria and the cast of 'On your Feet,' doing the song 'Conga.' They had to learn harmonies and dance steps. It was great."

The workshop also provided a special thrill for two of the MPAC students.

"They had an opportunity for one student (Samantha Alexander) who was a composer to come and sing an original song they write for Stephen Schwartz ("Godspell," "Pippin"), and get feedback from him," Roy said. "And one of our students, Rachel Levy, was lucky enough to get to sing 'For Good,' the duet from the Broadway show 'Wicked,'  with Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the role. And Stephen Schwartz accompanied them on piano. It was amazing. I think both of those segments will be on the (TLC) show."

The duet was the second thrill of a lifetime in two months for Levy, who also got to sing with Chenoweth in September as part of the Performing Arts School Chorus when the Tony-winner opened the main-stage season there on Sept. 11.

This opportunity to sing with her idol came out of the blue.

"She asked 'Does anyone want to sing with me?' and if anyone knew the song. I raised my hand and she picked me," Levy said. "It was crazy. It was my dream to play Elphaba and sing 'For Good' with Kristin, who was the original Glinda," said Levy, 17, a junior at Montville High School who has studied at the Performing Arts School since she was 8. "It was a dream that I never thought would happen to me. It was hard back the tears."

The dream come true was followed by a standing ovation and hug from Chenoweth, who told Levy "You killed it!"

"Even the First Lady," Levy saud of the applause. "It was so nice. It was so crazy."

"While our family may live upstairs, the president and I know the White House is truly the people's house," Michelle Obama told the students. "It belongs to all of us, and should recognize and celebrate the best of us. Tonight, we're celebrating another cornerstone of our culture and taking a trip to Broadway. ... and as a special treat, some of these young people are going to perform for us today. That's what today is about, inspiring our next generation."

"TLC is proud to partner with The White House and the First Lady to celebrate these remarkable high school students," said Nancy Daniels, president and general manager of the TLC Network. "This is such an inspirational event that encourages Broadway hopefuls to develop their creative talents, and we're thrilled to be the television partner that gets to share this amazing hour with families across the country on Thanksgiving."

"They were obviously thrilled to be going," Roy said. "All day we were just looking at each other like, 'Is this real?' Then I would turn to my left and there was Andrew Lloyd Webber and Whoopi Goldberg. And then the First Lady comes in. It was just thrilling."

The one-hour special airs at 8 p.m.

View Michelle Obama's remarks to students at White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2015/11/16/remarks-first-lady-broadway-white-house

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.