Students compete for award, trip to NY
Gino Cocchi has long had a dream: to perform on the stage.
Last year about this time, the 18-year-old realized that dream could come true.
Cocchi snagged the top spot in The Southern Arizona Ben Vereen Awards competition with his performance of a song from the Tucson Magnet High School production of the musical “Young Frankenstein.” This year’s competition, featuring 20 students representing 10 Tucson high schools, is slated for Sunday, May 8.
That win sent him to New York City for a theater intensive with other high school students across the country.
“It had always been a dream, rather than a reality,” the Tucson High senior says about acting.
“Winning the regional competition did boost my confidence. I’ve never been that confident of a performer. I’m hard on myself. This whole thing helped boost me.”
Cocchi, who heads to Pima Community College next year to study theater, won’t be in this year’s competition — in order to qualify, you have to have performed at least one song in a high school musical production during the current school year. His role in the school play didn’t require his singing.
But he’ll be there and perform.
Ultimately, the winner of this year’s competition will join about 60 students from around the country for the same kind of week that Cocchi had last year.
They’ll work with professionals, go to the theater, and prepare for the final competition, the Jimmy Awards. Those awards are named for James M. Nederlander, chair of The Nederlander Producing Company of America, the parent to Broadway in Tucson.
The Tucson awards are named for Broadway hoofer and Tony winner Ben Vereen, who will host the 7 p.m. Sunday event at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St.
Tickets are $20, $10 for students, through BroadwayinTucson.com and Arts-Express.org.
Deadline for Arts Quarterly is June 10
As the “official” arts season winds down, the summer arts season creeps up. And you know you want to have your art event considered for the Star’s Arts Quarterly.
Theater, dance, music, arts for kids — we want information on all performing arts events happening between July 1 and Sept. 30. The deadline for submissions is Friday, June 10. Information must be online at dailystarcalendar.com to be considered for inclusion.
Contact Kathleen Allen at kallen@tucson.com or 573-4128 if you have questions. And if you have jpg images that might be included in the roundup, email those to Allen, as well. Make sure they’re a minimum of 250 dpi.
Live Theatre plays the woman card
Playwright Gina Gionfriddo’s “Rapture, Blister, Burn” takes center stage at Live Theatre Workshop. The comedy is about three generations of women and their feminine perspectives on work, parenting, love — and plenty more, we bet.
Rhonda Hallquist directs and the cast includes Shanna Brock, Janet Roby, Stephen Frankenfield, Toni Press-Coffman and Brie Zepeda. Previews are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5, and Friday, May 6, and opening is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 7, at LTW, 5317 E. Speedway. It continues through June 11. Tickets are $14 for previews, $20 for regular performances, with discounts available. 327-4242 or livetheatreworkshop.org
Music & Memories benefit is Saturday
The 14th annual Academy for Cancer Wellness Music & Memories Concert will be a family affair of sorts when the Rife family performs.
Tucson Symphony Orchestra violinists Wynne Wong-Rife and her husband David Rife join their cellist daughter Melissa for the Dvorák Bass Quintet, one of several pieces the Rifes will perform with their musician friends on Saturday, May 7.
Other highlights of the concert:
- Shu Ching Cheng and Derek Granger will perform Erwin Schulhoff’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano. David Rife, Joseph Pagan, Rob Chamberlain and Michael Dauphinais will perform Brahms’ Piano Quartet in G minor. Other TSO musicians on deck to perform include tuba player David Morgan, violist Ilona Vukovic-Gay and cellist Mary Beth Tyndall, who join Tucson musicians Will and Lee MacDonald.
The concert Saturday includes an appearance by TSO Associate Concertmaster Carla Ecker, who several years ago was a beneficiary of the academy’s fundraising concert, which provides money to underinsured musicians undergoing cancer treatment.
Saturday’s event begins at 6:15 p.mat Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2331 E. Adams St., with a silent auction for dozens of prizes including a University of Arizona autographed basketball and tailgating basket, and an autographed Phoenix Suns basketball as well as art works and wine and gift baskets. Admission is free but donations are encouraged. Details: cancerhealth.org or 722-4581.
