The Official Contemporary Youth Arts Company of Charleston Website

merica returns to happier times

in the acclaimed heartwarming

musical from composer

           Mark Scarpelli

           and lyricist Dan Kehde.

 

“Norman Rockwell’s American Paradise”,

the only musical fully sanctioned by the

Norman Rockwell Foundation, brings to

life  27 works by the famed artist and cover

illustrator for the Saturday Evening Post.

Spanning five decades of America with

poignant moments of pure Americana,

Rockwell portrayed the nation with hope,

joy and self-effacing dignity.With music

deftly created in the styles of the past,

Mark Scarpelli and Dan Kehde honor the

American icon with humor, pathos, and a

deep respect for the pure genius of the artist.  

 

Featuring a cast of more than thirty talented

singers and actors,

“Norman Rockwell’s American Paradise”

showcases such famous paintings as The Plumbers,

The Tatooist, Right To Know, Girl In the Mirror,

The Prom Dress and many, many more.

 

                                                                                                          

8 pm

April 16-18, 23-25

Sunday matinee April 19 at 2 pm.

WVSU Capitol Center Theater

123 Summers Street, Charleston

Tickets $9.50 Adults, $5.50 Student/Seniors

                                                                                                               

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

 

The Contemporary Youth Arts Company of Charleston, WV,  began 12 years ago as a place where artistic high school students, [mostly those who, due to schedule, talent or attitude were unable to work within the restrictions of local community theater,] would have a chance for hands-on experience on stage and in the creative process of bringing new performance pieces to the public. Little has changed, except for the constantly growing number of participants and performances annually. Working closely with Charleston-based playwright/director Dan Kehde, his wife, Penny and award winning composer Mark Scarpelli, teenagers and young adults have helped premiere over twenty new works from operas to dramas to comedies to touring social action plays while exploring, learning and participating in nearly all aspects of the process: as actors, assistant directors, lighting technicians, sound designers, stage managers, arrangers, choreographers, set designers and carpenters.  An unfunded corporate subsidiary, [not a 501c3] CYAC relies solely on revenues generated by its productions, generally 6-8 main stage productions [running one-two weekends] plus performances of its four touring social actions plays: Love Is Not An Angry Thing; The Girls Room; Gone Tomorrow; Keeping Bobby Close.  

 

 

 

 

This year we presented 7 mainstage productions:

Fireflies , a play by Dan Kehde

The Trial Of President George W. Bush  [premiere] a new play by Dan Kehde

The Word Is Love [premiere] a new musical by Mark Scarpelli and Dan Kehde

Boxes 9 [premiere] written by several young writers including Brian Edelman, Courtney Forbes, Nik Tidquist, and Maria Fioravante

Fred and Harriet [premiere] another new play by Dan Kehde

Jack the Ripper [premiere] a new opera by Mark Scarpelli and Dan Kehde

Mary [12^th year] a rock opera by Mark Scarpelli and Dan Kehde

 

We launched a total of 42 performances on the stage of the historic WVSU Capitol Center Theater in Charleston, providing possible roles for more than 100 performers.     In addition, to date, CYAC has performed its latest touring piece, “Vinnie B Doesn’t Go Here Anymore” before a total of more than 5000 students in Kanawha County.