Eight from Somerset Hills in Paper Mill Playhouse 'New Voices'

Students from Bedminster, Bernardsville, Far Hills and Basking Ridge will be performing this summer in the Paper Mill Playhouse’s Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory's "New Voices of 2013: Swing Awakening," a fully produced, original concert on the Paper Mill's main stage in Millburn.

The Aug. 2 and 3 are professionally produced New Voices is the culminating event of time spent at the Paper Mill's highly competitive summer conservatory for students interested in musical theater, according to a release from the Paper Mill Playhouse. 

Students from the Somerset Hills include Andrea Abello and Hannah Skokan from Bedminster; Julia Duthie of Bernardsville and Jana Bernard of Far Hills.

The students from Basking Ridge include Chance Friedman, Spencer Krell, Carmine Burdi, and Lauren Dennis.

The 120 students who have earned spots in the five-week program take part in intensive classes that include musical theater performance, acting, dance, and improvisation. The also attend guest workshops led by professional actors, directors, and casting agents.

The final weeks are devoted to rehearsals for the New Voices Concert, to be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 3.

Jana Bernard of Far Hills won lead actress at our 2013 Rising Star Awards. As a lead actor/actress nominee, she received a full scholarship to the conservatory.

Stars such as Laura Benanti and Anne Hathaway have gone through this program, according to information from the Paper Mill Playhouse.

More than 120 of the of the region’s most talented young performing artists, ages 10 to 18, are assigned to the Senior, Junior Plus, and Junior Companies, where they are directed and choreographed by Paper Mill Playhouse’s professional artistic staff. 

Appearing in this year's Voices performance are numerous winners and nominees of the 2013 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards who won scholarships to attend the Conservatory, according to information from the Paper Mill Playhouse.

This year’s New Voices theme is a celebration of the rich history of standard and jazz hits that are the soul and heart of musical theatre. “New Voices is an amazing opportunity to see the stars of tomorrow," said Mark S. Hoebee, Paper Mill’s Producing Artistic Director. "It is amazing to see these young performers grow into professional artists and grace our stage with an inspiring, heartfelt performance.”

Single tickets range in price from $25 to $45. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973-376-4343, online atwww.papermill.org, or by visiting the Paper Mill Playhouse box office at 22 Brookside Dr. in Millburn.  

The Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory is a program of rigorous study allowing students to work at their own level to enhance individual performance potential while developing a broad base of theater experience and knowledge, according to the Paper Mill Playhouse.