PRESS RELEASE
APRIL 19, 2023
Florida School of the Arts presents “Raise Your Voice!”
The Florida School of the Arts Musical Theatre Vocal Company will present a concert on Sunday, April 23 at 2:30 p.m. This hour-long performance will feature the works from blockbuster musicals such as “Company,” “Sister Act,” “Guys and Dolls” and “Legally Blond.”
Directed by FloArts voice professor Russell Franks, the concert is free and open to the public and will take place on the FloArts main stage located on the Palatka campus of St. Johns River State College.
Vocal Company is a required course for all FloArts musical theatre majors and focuses on the development of the skills necessary to function as a member of a musical theatre ensemble at the professional level, including sight-reading, choral harmonization and choreography. At every stage, the students are pushed to assimilate new material as quickly and accurately as possible and then execute that material at the highest level of which they are capable.
Musical Theatre Vocal Company students include Christi Arnold, Eric Barnum, Alexis Brown, Olivia Burton, Elisa Crivelli, Natalie Drake, Jordan Fletcher, Shelby Howell, Josué Jorge-Silva, Teoman Karaagac, Reid Norris, Maggie Ann Rashaw, Jonray Roman, Sara Tierney and Caleb Urbistondo.
According to Franks, “The students in this program receive an incredibly immersive education far beyond simply learning to perform in shows. The most important element in any staged production, film, concert or musical event is collaboration, and singing in an ensemble is an excellent way to teach the students the importance and difficulty of intense collaboration,” Franks explained. “Not only do they have to listen for their own part in the music, but they also have to listen to each other and develop understanding of how their part fits into the whole to create unity within the piece.”
Florida School of the Arts is located on the Palatka campus of St. Johns River State College.
FloArts is part of the academic and administrative structure of SJR State and awards associate degrees in acting, dance performance, musical theater, stage management, theater technology, graphic design/new media and studio art. For more information, call (386) 312-4300 or visit FloArts.
Florida School of the Arts students prepare for “Raise Your Voice,” Sunday, April 23 at 2:30 p.m. First row from left Sara Tierney, Christi Arnold, Natalie Drake, Elisa Crivelli and Jordan Fletcher.
Second row Maggie Ann Rashaw, Jonray Roman, Alexis Brown, Olivia Burton, and Josué Jorge-Silva.
Last row Teoman Karaagac, Caleb Urbistondo, Reid Norris, Eric Barnum and Shelby Howell.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Michelle Sjogren
Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Strategic Communications
(904) 276-6814
Susan Kessler
Director of Public Relations and Marketing
(386) 312-4021