Previews begin May 3rd, Opens May 16th
Calamari Sisters Presents "My Big Fat Italian Wedding"

co-produced by Jay Falzone, former RAPA student!

ANDREANO STEPS DOWN AFTER 34 YEARS AT RAPA
RAPA Revives under the Creative and Artistic Direction of
JUDITH RANALETTA

Judi Andreano, Founder of the Rochester Association of Performing Arts, RAPA, formally announces her retirement after her long run in show business. Judi was a visionary in forming RAPA over 30 years ago, and she has had a great influence on young people, many of whom have gone on to successful careers in the performing arts and related fields. The Rochester Theatre community wishes her the very best in her much deserved retirement.

RAPA has a New Vision. With a new board that is currently forming, RAPA will be guided under the inspiration of Judith Ranaletta, who is the new Artistic and Creative Director. Ranaletta brings her unique knowledge, talents, experience and successful programming to young people all over the Rochester region, and intends to provide young people who are interested in the performing arts with a place and programs where they can learn and perform at the highest level.

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RAPA rebuilding with help from Hillside

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The Roc City Singers, the brainchild of internationally recognized Show Choir Director Judith A. Ranaletta, is a premier group of 20 singers and dancers, currently ranging in age from 15-25.  These aspiring young triple-threats have their eyes on a career in the performing arts and are are proud to represent the greater Rochester region.  A dedicated group sponsored by RAPA, travel in from many high schools and colleges, including the Eastman School of Music, the University of Rochester, Monroe Community College, Nazareth College as well as the School of the Arts, Pittsford, Greece, Irondequoit, Rush-Henrietta, Batavia and others.

This extraordinary group of artists has been invited to perform at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.  Ranaletta considers it “… an incredible opportunity to share our music on a world stage and to proudly represent our city, our state and country. These young performers are the voice, the energy, and the spirit of the future!”

Founder and 29 year Director of the Greece Athena Show Choir, (ASC), Ranaletta is credited with bringing many innovations to the Show Choir art form. Under her direction the ASC won several National Show Choir Championships, captured 29 consecutive years of First Place Gold Awards in National Music Competitions and enjoyed 7 European performance tours.  In 2010, a British independent film company referred to Ranaletta’s ASC as the number one Show Choir in America, in their documentary, “Gleeful,” which featured the Greece Athena group.

Throughout her teaching career, Judith has developed and nurtured hundreds of young performers, dozens of whom are now successful performing artists worldwide. Steadfast in her mission to develop the complete artist -the triple threat- Judith also strives to instill in her student’s a strong sense of self-confidence, responsibility, discipline, focus and professionalism. She is thrilled to continue to do so as both Artistic Director of RAPA and Founder/Director of The Roc City Singers.

This regional show choir offers a unique opportunity for young performers to grow artistically, as well as personally. This newly formed group came together this past October and has already been quite busy as the featured entertainment for the WWII Honor Flight Celebrations at the Nazareth Arts Center, an intimate performance at the Naturalization Ceremony for the American Citizens at the Federal Building, as well for the Kiwanis Organization, several country clubs, churches and social groups throughout the area. The Roc City Singers will share the stage with FuturPointe Dance March 30^th and 31^st at East End Theater.

Ranaletta is proud to continue her long-time musical collaboration with instrumental director, principle pianist and arranger, Fred DiCesare, as well as with Alison Cuchiarale, assisting on keyboard.  Judith is excited to welcome NYC choreographer, Kris Ashley, and FuturPointe Co-Founders and Artistic Directors Guy Thorne and N’Jelle Gage to the team.  Lastly, she feels incredibly honored to be working with this extraordinary group of extremely talented and gifted young performers.

FuturPointe Dance is a young, dynamic contemporary dance company founded in 2009 in Rochester, NY whose work is characterized by an eclectic, multi genre repertoire that is in touch with contemporary/urban culture.

Through trans-media collaborations with photographers, videographers, visual artists, composers, live musicians & puppeteer, the company’s aesthetic is a collision of culture, rhythms & varied choreographic styles expressing theme, story & character.

FuturPointe’s fusion of Caribbean & African diasporic dance, ballet, Latin movement, reggae & urban vocabulary has engaged new & non-traditional dance audiences throughout Rochester, NY state & the Mid-West. Weekly classes are open to the Rochester community, and company members are actively involved in residencies and performances that educate, entertain, and promote the vitality and global presence of contemporary dance.

[FuturPointe]…”is accessibly emotional, dramatic, humorous, hard-core — and most importantly, fresh”. ~ANNA REGUERRA|DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE

http://futurpointedance.org/default.aspx