Broadway on Granby
By ERIC FEBER
By Eric Feber
The Virginian-Pilot
Talk about teen determination and drive.
Kylie McKee Wheeler of Chesapeake and Daniel Wilfred of Virginia Beach aren’t relying on mommy and daddy to get what they want. They’re putting on a musical stage show Friday and Saturday at a downtown Norfolk cafe to earn their way to Broadway this summer.
Wheeler, a Grassfield High School senior, and Wilfred, a senior at Landstown High in Virginia Beach, both attend the Governor’s School for the Arts. In January, they auditioned and were selected to attend a prestigious summer camp in New York called “Destination Broadway.” It is run by top musical director Michael Rafter.
“The camp is very limited to students,” said Kylie’s mom, Kelly Wheeler.
Wheeler said her 17-year-old daughter has had Broadway fever since she was a little kid performing and singing wherever she could. She said the same goes for Wilfred, also 17.
“They are both passionate about musical theater and getting to Broadway,” she said. “They are both very driven children. They met about two years ago at the Governor’s School and became fast friends.”
The camp offers tough morning-to-evening workshops taught by Broadway pros. It strives to impart to campers all aspects of the hard work and commitment it takes to make it in New York.
For Wheeler and Wilfred, the audition process seemed like the easy part. Paying for camp is what’s difficult. Kelly Wheeler said it will cost them about $4,000 each for their July 27 to Aug. 2 session.
That’s where this weekend’s downtown Norfolk show comes in. It’s titled, “Stage Right. Stage Left. When Opposites Meet in the Middle…”
“They worried about the cost but rather than depend on others, the two decided to develop a show, sell tickets and raise money for that camp and even give a little to a charity,” Kelly Wheeler said. “They chose Operation Smile, and $2 of each ticket will benefit that. This is a situation where two teens with a good work ethic don’t put the burden on their families and attempt to raise the money themselves.”
Wheeler said her daughter and Wilfred developed the show based on songs taken from several lesser-known musicals, including “Spring Awakening,”"tick, tick…BOOM!,”"Songs for a New World,” and “The Last Five Years.” She said her daughter and Wilfred chose tunes from obscure productions as a way to chronicle their own Broadway aspirations and struggles.
They wrote original in-between-songs dialogue and recruited pianist Kelly Eaton, a 17-year-old rising senior at Hickory High and the Governor’s School, to accompany them.
The revue will feature the two in several solo and duet performances, coupled with an equal number of costume changes. The title refers to the fact they’re opposite personalities, genders and colors with the same drive and passion to make it on Broadway.
Kelly Wheeler said the Governor’s School is squarely behind this project.
“They’re all for it,” she said. “This is what they want all their students to do.”
She added that her daughter and Wilfred also handled most of the publicity, ticket sales, and even secured the Norfolk venue.
“They found this wonderful cafe on Granby Street that’s very supportive of the local arts,” she said. “They allowed Kylie and Danny to use it for free.”
Wheeler said the production hopes to not only raise money for their Broadway camp experience but showcase the duo’s talents in hopes of securing a few sponsors.
She said although the two dream of Broadway career, they have no desire for its glamour.
“They’re not after ‘stardom.’ They will attend college and earn a degree but want to work on Broadway. They want to perform for people.”
Eric Feber, 222-5203, eric.feber@pilotonline.com
going?
What/who “Stage Right. Stage Left. When Opposites Meet in the Middle…,” a musical revue performed, and with dialogue, by Daniel Wilfred and Kylie McKee Wheeler. Kelly Eaton will accompany on piano.
When 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday . Seating will begin at 7 p.m.
Where A Latte Cafe, 321 Granby St., downtown Norfolk (across from TCC’s Jeanne and George Roper Performing Arts Center)
Tickets $10 (cash or check only), with $2 from each ticket to benefit Operation Smile. To secure tickets, call 714-9258 or e-mail stageright.stageleft@gmail.com. going?
What/who “Stage Right. Stage Left. When Opposites Meet in the Middle…,” a musical revue performed, and with dialogue, by Daniel Wilfred and Kylie McKee Wheeler. Kelly Eaton will accompany on piano.
When 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday . Seating will begin at 7 p.m.
Where A Latte Cafe, 321 Granby St., downtown Norfolk (across from TCC’s Jeanne and George Roper Performing Arts Center)
Tickets $10 (cash or check only), with $2 from each ticket to benefit Operation Smile. To secure tickets, call 714-9258 or e-mail stageright.stageleft@gmail.com.
Originally published by BY ERIC FEBER.
(c) 2008 Virginian – Pilot. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.