Three-time Tony Award nominee Joshua Henry will team up with Michael Feinstein on July 16 for one of the public highlights of the Great American Songbook Foundation’s annual Songbook Academy summer intensive.
Now in its 15th year, the Songbook Academy brings together 40 talented high school students from across the nation for a week of workshops, masterclasses and performance opportunities that help participants hone their vocal and stage skills with an emphasis on song interpretation, while building friendships and professional connections for a lifetime. The 2024 Songbook Academy takes place July 13-20 at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, where the Songbook Foundation is headquartered.
One of the week’s three public events is the Public Masterclass, in which Feinstein, the five-time Grammy Award-nominated founder of the Songbook Foundation, is joined by a guest instructor and a live audience for an onstage coaching and critique session, as each of 10 randomly selected students performs a song of their choice.
The special guest for this year’s Public Masterclass is Henry, best known for his Tony-nominated leading roles in “Carousel,” “The Scottsboro Boys” and “Violet” on Broadway, as well as his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the Chicago production and First National Tour of “Hamilton.” He starred in the 2022 Broadway revival of “Into The Woods,” sharing a Grammy Award for the cast recording. On-screen credits have included Gaston in the ABC special “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” and a key role in the Academy Award-nominated film “tick, tick … BOOM!” directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Other Broadway credits include “In the Heights,” “Waitress,” “Shuffle Along,” “American Idiot,” “Porgy and Bess” and “Bring It On: The Musical.” Henry also is a BMG recording artist whose debut album, “Grow,” is available worldwide on all streaming platforms.
The public events take place at the Center’s Palladium concert hall before a live audience and are livestreamed for viewers worldwide, offering opportunities to see tomorrow’s stars just as their careers begin to blossom. Tickets are on sale now at thecenterpresents.org, by phone at 317 843-3800 or toll-free at 877-909-2787 for these events:
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Public Masterclass, 2 p.m. July 16 — Michael Feinstein and Joshua Henry critique performances by 10 randomly selected students. On-site tickets and livestream registration are free (pay-what-you-can with no minimum).
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Songbook Showcase, 7 p.m. July 18 — Each of the 40 national finalists will take a turn in the spotlight to perform a selected song. Traditionally a daytime event, the Songbook Showcase has shifted to a more accessible evening time. This year’s event also will feature special solo performances by Feinstein and guest mentor Nicole Zuraitis, a New York-based jazz singer-songwriter, pianist, arranger and bandleader who claimed the 2024 GRAMMY Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album with her sixth release, How Love Begins. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a $5 minimum for on-site viewers and no minimum for the livestream.
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Songbook Academy in Concert, 7 p.m. July 20 — Feinstein will emcee as all 40 singers perform in choral numbers, small group ensembles and featured solos, celebrating their growth over the week and paying tribute to iconic composers and lyricists from George Gershwin to Duke Ellington. On-site tickets start at just $25, and livestream registration is pay-what-you-can with no minimum.
The Songbook Academy is supported nationally by the Efroymson Family Fund and also receives generous support from the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation and Mentor Champions to expand program awareness and provide financial assistance to students who request it. The Public Masterclass is generously sponsored by Bob and Rose Popovich. Additional support comes from the City of Carmel and Salon 01.
Activities are made possible in part by Noblesville Creates, a regional partner, Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
