Catch These Rising Stars

“RISING STARS,” NEW WORLD SCHOOL OF THE ARTS GALA EVENING CELEBRATES SOUTH FLORIDA’S FOREMOST INSTITUTION OF ARTISTIC AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, TO BRIGHTEN DOWNTOWN MIAMI, FRIDAY, MARCH 14, WITH PRE-PERFORMANCE VISUAL ARTS EXHIBIT AT NEW WORLD GALLERY FOLLOWED BY SHOWCASE MUSICAL AT GUSMAN CENTER AND GALA RECEPTION AT DUPONT BUILDING

Over twenty years of providing the Florida community with one of its most unique and internationally applauded institutions of learning, New World School of the Arts (NWSA) will step up to the occasion with “Rising Stars,” an all-out celebration, Friday, March 14. Beginning with a free 5-6:30 P.M. visual arts exhibition and reception at the New World Gallery, the merriment continues with a 7 P.M. musical extravaganza at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts; and a Gala reception at 9 P.M. immediately following the performance to be held at the Alfred I. DuPont Building.

Curated and juried by Director of the Rubell Family Collection, Mark Coetzee, the work on exhibit will be based on art produced by both college and high school students. The exhibition will consist of 17 pieces of juried work represented from their fields of study; drawing, electronic intermedia, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture.

On stage at the Gusman, students from NWSA’s Dance, Music and Theater Divisions will perform a non-stop production of Broadway, classical, and dance showstoppers directed by NWSA’s Dean of Theatre, Patrice Bailey.

Showcasing two classics, the Dance division will present “Diversion of Angels” by the Martha Graham Company, directed by NWSA faculty Peter London. With a total of eleven college dancers, this masterpiece of modern dance, akin to the works of Picasso and Stravinsky, expresses the three levels of love – the young and flirtatious love, passionate love and mature love. Not typically dramatically, the movements in this piece are based on the techniques developed by Martha Graham and taught to train her students. This piece is rarely performed by schools, but rather reserved for professional dancers. “Valse Fantasie” by George Balanchine, directed by NWSA faculty Gerard Ebitz will also be performed.

The NWSA symphony orchestra will showcase three selections from Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana”, including the masterpiece Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi [Fortune: Empress of the World].

A tradition at the Rising Stars performance, NWSA will present the “Alumnus of the Year” award to successful alum that is working actively in his or her career. Representing the Theater division, Yara Martinez, a theater 2004 BFA Graduate from New World School of the Arts will receive the honors. Martinez was last seen as Annie on CBS's THE UNIT, written and produced by David Mamet and Shawn Ryan.  Other TV credits include Ava Herrera on FOX's VANISHED, and Kelly in IT"S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA.  Martinez has been fortunate enough to work opposite Sean Bean in FACELESS, a FOX TV pilot directed by Joe Carnahan, as well as THE APOSTLES starring opposite Shawn Hatosy.  New York Theater credits include Thyona in Chuck Mee Jr.'s BIG LOVE at THE THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY and the Wreckio Ensemble's LYSISTRATA.  Yara has also worked in San Juan, Puerto Rico with JOVENES de'98 in various Theater pieces. She trained with Anne Bogart's SITI company in Saratoga, NY.

The distinguished history of the New World School of the Arts began in 1984 when the Florida State Legislature established the institution to provide artistically talented high school and college students the means to achieve both an academic education and artistic training. In September, 1986, NWSA opened its doors to students in grades ten through twelve. The first college freshmen were enrolled in September 1988 identifying NWSA as the first high school college dual-enrollment arts program to provide academic and artistic opportunities for the nation’s gifted young people.

Since that time, more than 3200 students of every ethnic and economic background have passed through its doors, many of whom have created exciting careers as professional artists, entertainers and educators, and many of whom return frequently to NWSA to participate in the school’s continually expanding curriculum and year-round public performances.

Free admission to the New World Gallery Exhibition, 25 N.E. 2nd Street is available by calling  305-237-3597.
For information on the Rising Stars the Performance at Gusman Center click here.