CCAE Theatricals Presents 9th Annual RISING STARS

CCAE Theatricals will present a showcase of some of the area's brightest Rising Stars to audiences for the first time in Escondido!

Now in its 9th Year, the show features the best up and coming talent from all over Southern California singing some of the most exciting songs ever written! This is definitely a show you don't want to miss! With songs from Mainstream Radio and Broadway, come see why the future of Theatre is in good hands with these exciting young artists! Allen Everman serves as the Musical Director and Accompanist.

The show runs two nights, Saturday, April 10th and Sunday, April 11th at 6pm at the Lyric Court Amphitheater on the grounds of The California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

In sticking with the tradition of bringing back one of last year's Rising Stars to host the next year, the company will welcome AUDREY DEUBIG back for the 2021 show! She is a multiple National Youth Arts award winner including San Diego's Artist of the Year for 2020. Audrey's credits include Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, Teen Ensemble in Matilda the Musical, Amy March in Little Women, Torrey in Freaky Friday, Logainne in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Kate in Legally Blonde, Ethel Peas in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Kristine in A Chorus Line, Miss Honey in Matilda the Musical, and Torrey in Freaky Friday.

2021 Rising Stars

Saturday, April 10

The cast includes MILLY COCANIG, her credits include Mary Beth in A Christmas Story (San Diego Musical Theatre), Thing 1 in Seussical, Greta in Mr. Popper's Penguins (San Diego Junior Theatre) and Children's Chorus in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Coronado Playhouse). Next up is GARRETT COURIER is an aspiring actor with credits including Dogfight, Little Women (Canyon Crest Academy); Willy Wonka (Junior Actors Company). The next Rising Star is BRENNAN ESGUERRA, with credits including Young Simba in The Lion King, Kurt in The Sound of Music and William Frankenstein in Frankenstein the Musical. The 4th Rising Star is LEXI LEES! Lexi is 12 years old, the winner of her school talent show, "Marshall's Got Talent" and her credits include shows with JCompany Youth Theatre, including Willy Wonka, Newsies, My Son Pinocchio, Mamma Mia, and Matilda. Next up is MIA RIVERA, a 9th grader at SDSCPA, past credits include Christian Youth Theater's productions of Peter Pan, Footloose, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, A Little Princess, and SDSCPA's productions of The Addams Family and Billy Elliott. In Act Two, the first Rising Star is JACK A. GEMMELL, a 16 year old Sophomore at Mission Vista High School, his regional credits include Youth Ensemble in The Little Mermaid and Youth Ensemble in The Music Man at Moonlight Stage Productions. Jack has won an NYA for the roles of Miss Trunchbull in Matilda, and Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka. LEXIE HASTINGS is a 17 year old Senior at Westview High School. She has starred in multiple award winning productions and roles both at her high school and in the San Diego community, and has been nominated for and won several National Youth Arts Awards including her NYA winning performance of Lois Lane/Bianca in Kiss Me, Kate. Next up is, JACKSON ROYCE LAWRENCE, a 17 year old graduate from Dimensions Collaborative Charter School. Recent credits include Howard in Moon Over Buffalo at Coronado Playhouse, Buddy in Elf at Moonlight Youth Theatre and Willard in Footloose with CYT. The next Rising Star is VALERIA SLOCOMB, a freshman at Poway High. Some of her favorite roles include Carrie White in Carrie The Musical (NYA Award); Kathy Selden in Singing in the Rain (NYA and CYT Director's Choice Nominations) and Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast (NYA Award). The final Rising Star from Saturday is WYNTER WEILER, a 16 year old sophomore at SDSCPA where she is currently the Understudy for Fantine in their production of Les Miserables. Other favorite credits include Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice and Margaret in the horror musical, Carrie.

Sunday, April 11

Our second Rising Stars show includes OLIVIA BURER, a 15 year old sophomore at Santa Fe Christian High School. Olivia won a National Youth Award for Best Actress for her performance as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Other memorable theater credits include Gloria in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Amy March in Little Women. Next up is ABRAHAM GERMAN, his professional credits include a soloist in A Big Band Christmas (CCAE), Randy in A Christmas Story with SDMT and Zalmai in A Thousand Splendid Suns at The Old Globe). Next us is MADELEINE GREEN, a 13 year old at Vail Ranch Middle School in Temecula. Theater credits include: Ladybug in James and the Giant Peach, Maria in The Sound of Music, Sven in Frozen Jr., Grace Smythe in A Christmas Carol and Mary Lenox (Understudy) in The Secret Garden at The Barn Stage Company. GRACIE HOWARD, 13, is currently an 8th grader at The Rhoades School in Encinitas. She was named the 2019/2020 Junior Artist of the Year for San Diego/North County by the National Youth Arts. Favorite roles include Matilda in Matilda The Musical, Flounder in The Little Mermaid and Young Cosette in Les Miserables. Next up is David Landis, his favorite credits include Charlie Winslow in Holiday Inn at Musical Theater West, James in James and the Giant Peach at The Barn Stage Company) and George in Death of Late Summer Songbird at Cygnet. In Act Two, Rising Stars include CAPRI CASTRIOTTA, a 17 year old attending Vista Murrieta High School. A recipient of numerous Triple Threat Awards, her favorite credits include Ensemble in The Wizard of Oz, and Ensemble in The Music Man with Moonlight Stage productions. Next up is CHLOE CRUZ, 15 years old, she attends SDSCPA where her latest role was Alice Beineke in The Addams Family The Musical. She was awarded the National Youth Arts Showcase National Champion 2020 Freshman Division for her performance of "Sunday in the Park with George." She is also a Merit Award recipient for The Music Center's Spotlight 2021 for Non-Classical Voice.Our next Rising Star is BRAYDEN HANDWERGER, a 17 year old winner of a National Youth Arts Award, notable credits include Jean Valjean in LES MISERABLES, Tom Collins in Rent and Miss Agatha Trunchbull in Matilda the Musical. Next up is GARRETT LEE, a 17 year old Junior at La Costa Canyon High School, recently earned a National Youth Arts award for his portrayal of Billy Flynn in his school's production of Chicago. He has also won the San Diego National Association of Teachers of Singing competition for high school classical voice. Finally, we have MADDEN REESE PEARCE, a senior at Classical Academy High School in Escondido. She is a published singer/songwriter and began writing songs at the age of fourteen. Madden is a recipient of three NYA awards, including Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding New Song. Additionally, she won first place in RB Idol and So You Think You Can Sing.

In May 2012, Writer & Producer Jordan Beck (Biting Broadway, Peter Pan: A New Musical) and Director J. Scott Lapp (Broadway's Bonnie & Clyde, West End's The Prince of Egypt, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Murder for Two) teamed up to start Cabaret at The Merc in Temecula. Over the past 8 years, the two have brought the best of Broadway to Temecula, including evenings with Broadway's Eden Espinosa, Shoshana Bean and Grammy-Award winning and Tony-nominated composer Stephen Schwartz. Their season expanded to include a Summer Series of fully staged musicals and in 2015, The Barn Stage Company, a 501(c)3 non-profit theatre company was launched. Past productions include Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel in Concert, featuring a 32 piece orchestra, the award-winning production of Peter & The Starcatcher, a critically acclaimed concert production of CHESS and many more! In March of 2020, the California Center for the Arts, Escondido (The Center) announced the acquisition of The Barn Stage Company, a professional theatre company located in Temecula, that produced musical theater and plays.

RUN DATES | TIMES: Saturday, April 10 at 6pm & Sunday, April 11 at 6pm. LOCATION: The Lyric Court at The California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 North Escondido Blvd, Escondido, CA, 92025. TICKETS: $20. Can be purchased by visiting www.artcenter.org or by calling the California Center for the Arts Box Office at 1-760-839-4138.

www.ArtCenter.org

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