CYT Sings! A Virtual Concert for the Community

7/20/2020

Even though so much about the arts world is on hold or, as we say in the theater, “dark,” CYT has been shining brightly during these challenging times. We remain more committed than ever to showcasing the talents of our young artists and entertaining and educating the community. We had our hearts set on bringing “Beauty and the Beast” to life as our summer musical this year, but we had to switch to Pandemic Plan B, as have so many others. Instead we’ll be bringing you our first-ever benefit concert, CYT Sings! A Virtual Concert for the Community, live-streamed from the Clayton Center on July 30.

We’re thrilled to have partnered for this benefit with the Clayton Chamber Foundation’s Small Business Grant program, which was created to aid local companies that have suffered because of COVID-19. Half of our net proceeds will go to this new fund in a relationship that fulfills many aspects of CYT’s mission: We are able to give back to local entrepreneurs and merchants who have supported us since our founding in 2007. By engaging our student and alumni artists in the fundraising effort, they are learning about the reciprocal nature of generosity. And through the wheel-reinventing approach of preparing for the hybrid show, our singers are getting unparalleled lessons in creativity, technology and teamwork — not to mention commitment and preparedness.

CYT Director Nikki Dyke says: “The performing arts bring people together, and now more than ever, we need community. When faced with the decision to cancel our summer musical, we realized this was an opportunity to adapt and try something new. In a time when so many are struggling, Carolina Youth Theatre has a role to play and a responsibility to help our community.”

CYT's virtual choir will premiere at the livestream benefit concert on July 30.

The concert format will be like a quilt. The students rehearsed in small groups for a week in early July, while wearing masks in socially distanced arrangements. They also worked on the music at home, using recorded musical tracks and attending virtual rehearsals led by CYT’s music directors. At the end of the week, nearly 40 current CYT students and alumni submitted individual video performances of their parts. A video editor is compiling the individual voices to create a virtual choir that will premiere during the concert. In addition, the livestream will feature seven CYT alumni soloists singing live from the Clayton Center stage with an alumni serving as the host. Because of public health guidelines, there will be no live audience at the Clayton Center.

“There's nothing straightforward about this process,” Nikki explains. “It's an exercise in improvisation and adaptability, but that’s what we do in the theater. Putting this concert together has been incredibly challenging, and the odds haven’t always been in our favor, but every step of the way we’ve managed to navigate, adjust, and ultimately provide a safe performance opportunity for our students, while at the same time giving back to our community.”

In addition to the marquee benefit concert, CYT has also forged ahead this summer with creative versions of its traditional summer camps, thanks to Zoom. Our weeklong Stage Right camp for rising 7th-9th-graders was a success last month, and we’re excited about our popular Backstage Pass series for rising 3rd-6th-graders at the end of July. Instructor Stephanie Benner says she’ll miss being with the students in person but is looking forward to trying something new.

“We will be brainstorming a storyline on the first day of camp with the themes of togetherness and unity,” she said. “I will piece ideas together into a short script, and we will work on acting techniques and how to translate those to an onscreen performance the last day (held through Zoom). Students will test their creative side by curating props and costumes from things in their house!”

Space is still available. The camp will run July 27-31, 9:-10:30 a.m. or 11: a.m. -12:30 p.m.