Playing the Part at Summer Drama Camp

What do Natalie Portman and Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire) have in common with Matt, Kimmi and Holly? Each trained in the performing arts with Randy Kravitz Elman or Mary Brienza when they were kids.

This summer, Elman and Brienza teamed to launched the a summer theater camp in Livingston for young performers ages 9-17. Classes included acting, theatre dance, vocal technique, and song interpretation as well as stage combat, TV/commercials, and auditioning. The encore was a cabaret at the Luna Theatre in West Orange, where the future stars performed numbers from Mamma Mia!, Funny Girl and Hairspray.  

Elman served for 25 years as artistic director for Performers Theatre Workshop, a performing arts training program for young people. Brienza has held faculty positions at American Theatre Dance Workshop and Broadway Dance Center and is currently teaching at New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts.

They are planning a similar program for the fall. For information, call (973) 868-6259 or email musicaltheatreconservatory@gmail.com.

Thank you to Hal Stern who shares his photographs of the students performing at Luna Theatre.