There is so much I could say about Ingrid, her staff and this very special program. I had the privilege of meeting Ingrid about 10 years ago. And what started out as an opportunity for a couple of elementary schools to experience musical theatre, has now become Irvine city-wide events. Coupled with many Irvine elementary schools presently having the opportunity to participate, there is now a yearly Junior High musical.
In the summer, Ingrid and her staff spend most of their summer vacation producing two additional musicals…one for junior high age students and one for high schoolers. These groups of students in most cases, have participated in the musicals in the past and are a more experienced group hence, allowing these students to grow in their craft and be challenged.
Because Ingrid opens her auditions to all students, I have seen the shy child blossom; I have seen the special needs child become more social and make friends; I have seen previous students come back and help with the productions; I have seen and heard from students that making their career choices had to do with participating in Ingrid’s musicals. Ingrid and her staff are all about the students. They draw out the best of each one giving each child the opportunity to shine. This is an exceptional program with a remarkable staff whose dedication and love for the craft and students is unprecedented.