Kean Stage had the opportunity to present Chita Rivera and Tommy Tune at the 2017-2018 season world premiere of Chita and Tune, Just in Time at Kean University's Enlow Recital Hall on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Ever wondered what it would be like to meet Broadway legends? A group of Kean theater students were given this opportunity at a private dress rehearsal and spoke with the show's director and choreographer, Graciela Daniele. Graciela Daniele is a 10-time Tony Award nominee and Theater Hall of Fame inductee.
Tune acknowledged the students' roaring applause and enthusiasm after each song.
"I love our balcony audience. Would you come back tonight and every night?" Tune mentioned to the audience.
Daniele understands that it is always essential to ask for feedback when doing a project as important as this. With that said, the students enlightened her with their feedback and listened attentively as she gave words of encouragement and advice stemming from her 70 years of experience.
"For you to see performers like Chita and Tommy, it is a history lesson in the musical theater. These two people have been in the theater forever. They have just three musicians, a very limited amount of light, and one costume change at the end, but they gave you an hour and a half of storytelling," Daniele explained.
Kean University students are subject to various opportunities that help them work with, learn from and observe professional performers and their techniques. In the last year, students have been able to perform on stage with Broadway's Patti LuPone, folk music's Judy Collins and Michael Mao Dance.
Students can also look forward to perform with Sons of Serendip and Latsky Dance, alongside master classes and workshops with skilled Spanish guitar player Pablo Sáinz Villegas, Academy Award-nominated percussionist Antonio Sánchez and classical violinist Yevgeny Kutik. Yevgeny Kutik has also agreed to give a lecture-performance at the Kean University Human Rights Institute
Students were able to reinforce what they were learning in their theater classes from having an inside look at Rivera and Tune's rehearsal process.
Brianna Javis, a senior theater performance major spoke of how beneficial it is to see professionals in their work.
"I think it's beneficial to watch dress rehearsals. Especially as students, because you can see similarities in your performance. We see that professionals do what we do."
A few hours after the rehearsal came the premiere of Chita & Tune. The two Broadway icons, who have 12 Tony Awards between them, dazzled the Enlow Hall audience, with songs from West Side Story, Chicago, and other Broadway hit shows. They would return the next day for their second performance.
"We just feel so welcomed. This really was our world premiere," said Tune. "You are the first people to have ever seen it."
Rivera and Tune spoke with members of the audience at a VIP meet and greet after the premiere.
Steve Cochran, the manager of Kean Stage, spoke of the thrills of having different artists and professional performers at Kean.
"One of the thrills when I got to Kean a year and a half ago was to be able to bring some wonderful artists to our stages, and I think tonight is exceptional."
If anyone has any questions or wants more information about the upcoming Kean Stage shows visit www.keanstage.com, email scochran@kean.edu or call (908) 737-4081.
