Talented national performer to headline benefit performance for students heading to Carnegie Hall
The Jasper High School Ambassadors choir will perform at Carnegie Hall in April as part of a combined choir with other college and professional choirs.
To help cover the costs associated with the opportunity, the group is seeking sponsors and will host a benefit concert, “Curtains Up,” on December 7 at 7 p.m. at the Jasper High School Auditorium.
Mary Beth Donahue, singer, actor, and dancer, will be the featured performer at the upcoming event, which also includes local performers Shaylyn Grow, Asya Hildenbrand, Marissa Bradley, Aaliyah Peraza, Iveth Calderon and special guest Katie Stone.
Originally from Lakewood, Ohio, Mary Beth is a performer and arts educator based in New York City. Most recently, she was on the First National Tour of Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey and directed by Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw.
She has performed extensively in regional theatres nationwide, doing iconic shows such as “Mary Poppins,” “Newsies,” “White Christmas,” “Guys and Dolls,” and “Oklahoma!” and toured through 105 cities across the US and Canada on “Mean Girls” and Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
Mary Beth is on the dance faculty at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre in New York City, a conservatory training program for young acting professionals, and is a regular teaching artist for educational programs throughout the country.
She attended Ohio Northern University, earning a BFA in Musical Theatre with a double major in Spanish and a minor in Arts Administration.
Mary Beth is passionate about encouraging young musical theatre students to find their authentic voice, express themselves through performance, and connect meaningfully to their source material and audience.
Mary Beth will have several solos and sing a few songs with the alumni during the performance, including an ensemble performance of “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent.
While in the area, Mary Beth is also hosting a masterclass with Jasper High School, Forest Park, and Southridge students on Thursday, Dec. 5.
According to Jasper Choir Director Emma Mundy, the event is an excellent opportunity for the local alumni to work with Mary Beth and Katie Stone. Stone, a native of Vincennes who now teaches elementary music for Southeast Dubois County School Corporation, also has extensive experience performing.
“Katie has been in several regional musicals and is an amazing soprano singer,” said Mundy.
When she is not teaching, Katie spends her free summers performing. Katie recently performed with Crossroads Repertory Theater in “Spongebob the Musical” and a children’s play called “Princess Pigface.”
The public is invited to “Curtains Up.” A free-will donation of $20 is appreciated.
