Summer Experience moving to Facebook

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

The show will still go on for children who participate in the Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy’s Summer Experience. 

The MVPAA provides education in performing arts for students of all ages including acting, voice, dance and musicianship.  

Because of COVID-19, a summer tradition for the program housed in the Department of Music and Theatre on the campus of California University of Pennsylvania will be held virtually this year for 19 children. 

All on-campus activities at Cal U have been canceled this summer in response to the pandemic. 

Preparations began May 2 for the children, all of whom have attended the Summer Experience in the past. 

Typically after acting, voice and dance classes, technical theater learning and rehearsals, students present a musical complete with stage sets, costumes and props.

This year, a face-to-face production wasn’t possible, so the program went virtual.

Students each made videos of their scenes and sent them to the staff for editing. 

Dr. Michele Pagen, the academy’s director and co-chair of Cal U’s Music and Theatre Department, is assisted by John Wagner and graduate assistant Kayla Grimm, a 2020 Cal U graduate. 

Cal U students Destiny Cumberland and Christina Bordini serve as counselors, and Brendan Pavlick is the virtual production’s stage manager. 

To read the rest of this story, please see a copy of Tuesday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at https://e.monvalleyindependent.com.