NEBRASKA CITY – Funding from the Tanner Foss Project and expertise from professionals of music and stage brought The Broadway Advantage to Nebraska City this summer.

The Broadway Advantage, which features pianist Steven Applegate, Broadway actress Kelli James, Tony-award winning actor Anthony Crivello and dance choreographer Paloma Powers, offers students from rural settings in Nebraska and Iowa on opportunity they may never have in any other way.

James: “We want the kids to know what it’s like to be a pro and we treat them that way and we teach them that way.”

 

The Broadway Advantage is in its eighth year, but has its roots with the Tanner Foss Project, a crowd funding initiative started by Kevin and Leslie Whitehill after their son passed away at age 19. James said music was going to be the East Mills graduate’s dream and the Whitehills wanted others in rural settings to have the opportunity to pursue that dream.

James: “They contacted me and said would you like to do this and I said absolutely. I would love to come home and give back to the kids something that I never got.  I was able to do that because I had been successful in the business. I made it to Broadway. I did national tours. I met Stephen in one of my first professional shows … (Applegate: many moons ago) Many moons ago.

 

Then I met Anthony Crivello on Les Miserables on Broadway. We’ve known each other for 37 years and then Paloma came our way through contacts and I was desperate for someone to help me with choreography and dance. Because I can move actors, but I can’t do what she does, so this has become the dream team.”

The five-day camp covered topics of music, dance, acting and even on-camera techniques for auditions. Powers said it was a new experience for the students and satisfying for the teachers.

Applegate: “It was a process from day one to day seven or day six, but they came through more than we could imagine.

 

James: “Build it and they will come and they did.”

Crivello: “Part of what Broadway Advantage does is set a high bar. We don’t diminish to go down to the students. We keep the bar high and we expect the students to rise what that level is. I have to say, (24 students) … 24 of them rose to that.

James: “Every one of them.”

 

Students ranging in age from 12 to 18 performed at the Nebraska City High School auditorium and held the first concert at the newly renovated Veterans Memorial Building.

Powers: “There was an extreme amount of interest and we’ve only heard positive things since. The kids spoke to each of us afterwards, thanking us and have posted on social media and express how excited they are to do this again, hopefully next  year.”

The Broadway Advantage cast and crew included:

  • Kaylee Blobaum of Nebraska City
  • Alice Blossom of Nebraska City
  • Madison Hyde of Sidney, Iowa
  • Savannah Nix of Lincoln/Humboldt
  • Robin Stanek of Nebraska City
  • Macyn Wilkie-Kupfer of Shenandoah
  • Lucy Beth Grandy of Shenandoah
  • Maddie Bruggeman of Nebraska City
  • Charlie Powell of Nebraska City
  • Lucas Purdham of Nebraska City
  • Sarah Gygi of Nebraska City
  • Lena Torbett of Red Oak
  • Abbey Lippman of Nebraska City
  • Abigail Zeller of LaVista
  • Olivia Nelson of Valparaiso
  • Madison Danner of Plattsmouth
  • Izzy Heard of Tabor
  • Katelyn Darrah of Clarinda
  • Summer Maher of Shenandoah
  • Dodani Cruz Rivera of Plattsmouth
  • Kellen Barker of Nebraska City
  • Drue Weeda of Nebraska City
  • Sophia Adkins of Shenandoah
  • Shelby Hindman of Malvern
  • Caleb Poggemeyer of Nebraska City
  • Gabriel Collins of Nebraska City
  • Corey Kenter of Nebraska City