Performing arts take heart stage

Alternatives for college students to discover a calling in voice and theater abound at a few of our space’s colleges because of an distinctive dedication to the performing arts.

Two college students, Ailyeh Ashlie, 13, of Phoenixville, Chester County, and Christopher “CJ” Hartung, 27, of Baltimore, who grew up in Boyertown, Berks County, are every at completely different levels of their instructional {and professional} journeys, however each have a shared appreciation for the previous and current experiences which have formed them into the performers they’re at the moment.

In addition they each share an early, formal introduction to the performing arts by classes they took of their childhood. When Hartung was in preschool, his mom, Eileen Rossman, took him to the YMCA for a multi-sports program, but it surely turned clear in a short time that it wasn’t his factor.

“He didn’t like sports activities, so I put him in music classes,” she stated. “He began enjoying piano at age 3 and did his first duet together with his preschool trainer at age 4.”

Hartung, who grew up in Gilbertsville, was at Boyertown Junior Excessive Faculty when he had the chance to be part of the varsity’s music and theater packages.

“The music program is phenomenal,” stated Rossman, who can be an administrative assistant on the faculty. “He was within the musicals and many of the theater productions. I believe their productions are higher than New York generally.”

After graduating highschool in 2014, Hartung attended the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins College, the place he obtained a bachelor’s of music and a grasp’s of music, each in vocal efficiency. Afterward, he obtained his MBA from Japanese College.

Now an expert actor and opera singer, Hartung, who was most lately seen performing with the Washington Nationwide Opera at The Kennedy Middle in Washington, D.C., appears again at his time at Boyertown Excessive Faculty with an appreciation for what was accessible to him and different college students.

“The vocal and theater choices at Boyertown had been distinctive and helpful to every pupil that participated, no matter their skilled profession aspirations after highschool,” Hartung stated. “The vocal music and theater college had been very dedicated to our success, and I actually felt that they’d the very best curiosity of each pupil concerned.”

He acknowledged how his expertise at Boyertown positively impacted his professionalism within the area.

“It taught me be versatile, properly rounded, ready and forward of the sport,” he stated. “A lot of my success as an expert musician at the moment is due to the alternatives and classes I realized from this system.”

Named Berks Finest within the Performing Arts within the Studying Eagle in 2014, Hartung is a contracted artist with Annapolis Opera, Maryland Lyric Opera, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Younger Victorian Theatre Firm and the Maryland Opera, along with his different pending contracts.

He has carried out with the Berks Opera Co. and plans to affix them this summer season for the manufacturing of “Gianni Schicchi,” through which he’ll play the title position. When he’s not performing, he’s typically auditioning for brand new native, regional, nationwide and international alternatives.

Hartung’s mother, who speaks with nice delight when discussing his accomplishments, shared some facets she skilled by the varsity that helped him and different college students notice their strengths in theater and music.

“I believe the lecturers are very devoted to their artwork and to their college students as an entire,” she stated. “They supply a really welcoming setting the place college students aren’t afraid to transcend what they’re snug with. There are a variety of elective introductory programs to check out, and I believe a variety of youngsters wouldn’t notice they’d a capability in music, and different areas, in the event that they didn’t have the chance.”

Rossman stated the dad and mom are additionally invested within the productions at Boyertown.

“Their youngsters graduate, they usually keep on and nonetheless assist with the reveals and backstage and the costumes,” she stated. “They’re nonetheless concerned in any approach they will.”

Hartung provided some inspiring phrases of encouragement for upcoming graduates.

“When the going will get powerful, dig in, as a result of that’s the place you’re going to search out your true inspiration, he stated.

As for Hartung’s private journey, he shared his dream.

“My goals are to be constantly working as an artist, whether or not that be on the MET or The Washington Nationwide Opera or with regional corporations,” he stated. “To me, an important half is the artwork and artwork could be made wherever.’

Ashlie is an eighth-grader at PA Management Constitution Faculty’s Middle for Performing and Superb Arts in West Chester. Her skilled goals embody roles each on and off the stage.

“I’ve all the time, ever since I obtained launched to theater, wished to be a Broadway actor after which from there, turn out to be a Broadway director,” Ashlie stated.

Ashlie has already carried out professionally, touchdown her first position at age 10 when she performed the position of Lavender in “Matilda the Musical” with SALT Performing Arts in Chester Springs.

“It was my first skilled present, and it was wonderful,” she stated. “There may be that second proper earlier than you go on stage if you end up very nervous, and you then go on and overlook the gang is even there.”

She balances her performing arts research with the tutorial arm of the varsity known as College Students Program. Her performing arts curriculum is her sole concentrate on Mondays and Wednesdays; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are reserved for teachers.

She needed to audition to be accepted into the varsity’s Middle for Performing and Superb Arts (CPFA).

“I carried out a monologue, I did a tune and I submitted my art work portfolio,” Ashlie stated.

Her ardour for performing was rooted at a younger age by SALT.

“She obtained her begin there doing camps and landed a task of their important stage manufacturing,” stated her mom, Ciaara. “She was like, ‘I really like this, I wish to do that without end and all the time.’”

After recognizing her daughter was actually in her factor, and listening to from a vocal coach at SALT who stated she had a particular present, Ciaara and her husband, Tim, had been keen to do what it took to help Aliyeh’s aspirations.

“When she was 9 and in ‘The Music Man,’ that’s after I actually noticed her shine,” Ciaara stated. “You take a look at her and suppose, ‘Oh my God, she is at residence right here and that is her house.’”

They had been additionally impressed along with her stage of dedication off the stage.

“Each second she had free she was both rehearsing her strains and working towards her choreographed dances,” Ciaara stated. “I noticed how dedicated she was.”

On the finish of fifth grade at personal faculty, her dad and mom started colleges that provided a focus within the performing arts. The search led them to CPFA.

“She begged us to go,” Ciaara stated. “The varsity’s important focus is on coaching and method to help her in her roles within the theater.”

Nonetheless lively in native theater productions, Aliyeh is making ready for her upcoming position as Ruth within the play “Ash Lady,” a Cinderella spinoff, by CPFA.

She stated her favourite position she has performed was Dorothy Brock within the musical “forty second Road.” She shared her dream position.

“I’d like to play Charlotte in Cinderella; she has a lot persona and character,” Ailyeh stated. “I’d additionally like to be a part of the ensemble in ‘A Refrain Line.’”

Extra data

• Christopher “CJ” Hartung will carry out in “Le Nozze di Figaro” with Annapolis Opera in Annapolis, Md., on March 17, 18 and 19. For tickets, go to  www.annapolisopera.org.

• Aliyeh Ashlie will carry out in “Ash Lady” with the Middle for Performing and Superb Arts in West Chester on Feb. 16, 17 and 18. For tickets, go to www.CPFA.booktix.com.

• Boyertown Excessive Faculty will current “Grease” on Feb 17, 18 and 19. For tickets, go to www.boyertownmusic.com/bash-grease.

• About SALT Performing Arts: For upcoming reveals and camp particulars, go to www.saltpa.com.

• About Pennsylvania Management Constitution Faculty’s Middle for Performing and Superb Arts, www.palcs.org/cpfa