Take it From the Top is a 3-day musical theatre intensive founded by Laura Bell Bundy, star of Legally Blonde on Broadway, and performer and educator Paul Canaan. This is your chance to experience Broadway with the pros at the top! Paul Canaan brings a team of working Broadway professionals to Huntsville for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Watch the Broadway faculty perform with our students! Paul's team of Broadway professionals will perform with campers on Saturday, June 19 at their end-of-camp show! This performance is open to the public! Tickets may be purchased online or by phone at (256) 534-6455.
Observer passes are available for individuals who wish to watch the actual camp. Limited spaces available, please call (256) 534-6455 for information.
Workshop Faculty:
Asmeret Ghebremichael
Actor/singer, Wicked, Spamalot, In the Heights
Asmeret is an actress, singer, and dancer who has performed in a number of Broadway productions including Spamalot, Wicked, Footloose and Aida. Asmeret made her Broadway debut in Footloose at age 18, just a few months into her freshman year at NYU. Recently, she was seen in the Broadway hit Legally Blonde and on the subsequent MTV show "Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for the Next Elle Woods." Her television credits include "Law & Order" and "As The World Turns"
Paul Canaan Legally Blonde, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Les Cages Aux Follies
Paul Canaan has performed on Broadway in Miss Saigon, Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Cage Aux Follies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Legally Blonde. He traveled in the National Tour of Annie Get Your Gun and worked regionally at Paper Mill Playhouse, Ford's Theater, and Robert Redfords Sundance theater. He also danced in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in 2001. He has taught all around the country and loves working with artists of all ages.
Carlos Encinias Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, Altar Boyz
Carlos is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. There he danced with the New Mexico Ballet Company and the Utah Contemporary Dance Theatre (Odyssey Dance Utah). He made his Broadway debut in Mamma Mia! and later was privileged to be in the final company of Les Miserables on Broadway. He recently worked as associate choreographer/director of the Washington D.C. premiere of Altar Boyz and the Adirondack Theatre Festival's production of Altar Boyz. Carlos had the pleasure of choreographing and teaching for BYU's Dance Department, Scera Theatre, New York Musical Theatre Festival, the New Mexico Ballet Company, Red Mountain Theatre Company's Advanced Musical Theatre workshops, and the New York Theatre Art Summer Intensive Musical Theatre workshop.
Julie McBride
Music Director, Faculty at Juilliard School of Music
Recitalist, music director, vocal coach, and accompanist at such places as New York City Opera, Renata Scotto Opera Academy, Centro Studi Lirica (Novafeltria, Italy), Discovery Orchestra of New Jersey, Ensemble 212, Stamford Symphony Orchestra, and several Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. Her Broadway credits include In The Heights, Associate music director of Next to Normal, and musical director of Inner Voices: Solo Musicals starring Jennifer Damiano, Victoria Clark, and Barbara Walsh.
Rachel Hoffman
Casting Director, Telsey + Company
Rachel Hoffman, CSA, has worked in casting since 1999, and is currently at Telsey + Company, where she has been involved in the casting of Wicked, Rent, In The Heights, Hairspray, Nine To Five, Next To Normal, Legally Blonde, Equus, South Pacific, Catch Me if You Can, Rock Of Ages, The Color Purple, Next To Normal and many more. Her film casting credits include Sex and the City and Rachel Getting Married, other credits include Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s 2009 summer season, Peep Show at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, as well as numerous readings and commercials. She lectures and teaches audition workshops on musical theatre performing/auditioning at many colleges and universities around the country and produces senior showcases in NYC for graduating classes of some of the top musical theatre departments. Prior to casting, she worked as a performer in NYC, and received her BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.
Students will receive more than 15 hours of hands-on training with working Broadway professionals.
Full workshop schedule will be given to registrants in May 2010. Daily classes include: Music, Dance & Theatre Workshop; Audition Class; 'The Biz of the Biz,' everything you need to know about showbiz that nobody tells you.
Students ages 14+ will have an audition opportunity in front of Broadway casting agents. Students ages 13 and under will participate in Audition Class with Paul Canaan to practice the audition process.
Call Merrimack Hall's Box Office at (256) 534-6455 to register. Monthly payment plans are available.
June 17-19, 2010:
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Ages 13 and under
3 p.m. - 8 p.m.: Ages 14+ with audition opportunity for a Broadway casting agent.
For more information about Take It From The Top please visit their official website!
June 17-19, 2010
$400.00 per student, ages 9 to 22.
Teachers: Discounts available for groups of 10 or more.
Payment plans available, please contact Leah Huebner for information at (256) 534-6455.
Ticket price includes processing fee.
There are no exchanges or refunds on ticket purchases. All seats are reserved.
Asmeret is an actress, singer, and dancer who has performed in a number of Broadway productions including Spamalot, Wicked, Footloose and Aida. Asmeret made her Broadway debut in Footloose at age 18, just a few months into her freshman year at NYU. Recently, she was seen in the Broadway hit Legally Blonde and on the subsequent MTV show "Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for the Next Elle Woods." Her television credits include "Law & Order" and "As The World Turns"
Paul Canaan has performed on Broadway in Miss Saigon, Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Cage Aux Follies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Legally Blonde. He traveled in the National Tour of Annie Get Your Gun and worked regionally at Paper Mill Playhouse, Ford's Theater, and Robert Redfords Sundance theater. He also danced in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in 2001. He has taught all around the country and loves working with artists of all ages. 
Carlos is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. There he danced with the New Mexico Ballet Company and the Utah Contemporary Dance Theatre (Odyssey Dance Utah). He made his Broadway debut in Mamma Mia! and later was privileged to be in the final company of Les Miserables on Broadway. He recently worked as associate choreographer/director of the Washington D.C. premiere of Altar Boyz and the Adirondack Theatre Festival's production of Altar Boyz. Carlos had the pleasure of choreographing and teaching for BYU's Dance Department, Scera Theatre, New York Musical Theatre Festival, the New Mexico Ballet Company, Red Mountain Theatre Company's Advanced Musical Theatre workshops, and the New York Theatre Art Summer Intensive Musical Theatre workshop. 
Recitalist, music director, vocal coach, and accompanist at such places as New York City Opera, Renata Scotto Opera Academy, Centro Studi Lirica (Novafeltria, Italy), Discovery Orchestra of New Jersey, Ensemble 212, Stamford Symphony Orchestra, and several Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. Her Broadway credits include In The Heights, Associate music director of Next to Normal, and musical director of Inner Voices: Solo Musicals starring Jennifer Damiano, Victoria Clark, and Barbara Walsh. 
Rachel Hoffman, CSA, has worked in casting since 1999, and is currently at Telsey + Company, where she has been involved in the casting of Wicked, Rent, In The Heights, Hairspray, Nine To Five, Next To Normal, Legally Blonde, Equus, South Pacific, Catch Me if You Can, Rock Of Ages, The Color Purple, Next To Normal and many more. Her film casting credits include Sex and the City and Rachel Getting Married, other credits include Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s 2009 summer season, Peep Show at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, as well as numerous readings and commercials. She lectures and teaches audition workshops on musical theatre performing/auditioning at many colleges and universities around the country and produces senior showcases in NYC for graduating classes of some of the top musical theatre departments. Prior to casting, she worked as a performer in NYC, and received her BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.
