Sing and Play ’20 moved to snow date; music competition is now February 26

SILER CITY, N.C. — With the threat of winter weather, Sing and Play’ 20 has been moved to its snow date.

The third-annual student music competition will now be held on Wednesday, February 26, at 6:30 p.m., at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City.

It was a difficult decision, said Rose Pate, president of JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, which produces the event to raise money for high school musicians, actors and artists. While the forecast was still uncertain on Wednesday morning, JMArts was advised that there was a significant chance that all after-school activities for Thursday would be canceled — and that a decision could come as late as Thursday morning.

“Making a decision that late wasn’t something we could do,” Pate said. “We have so many families and volunteers participating in the show that we needed to respect their schedules and their plans. We hope everyone will now come out next week to see their friends and neighbors perform and enjoy this very fun, uplifting show."

Musical acts selected during auditions will perform in separate elementary, middle and high school competitions.

Elementary contestants are Dahlia Neff Burt of Siler City Elementary, Ember Lindley of Silk Hope School, Lainey Parker of Praise Homeschool and Oliver Vang of Moncure School.

Middle school contestants are Ari Carrillo Ibarra of Chatham Middle School, Cameron Parker of Praise Homeschool, Natalie Zagada Morales of Chatham Middle School and one duet act featuring Katelyn Emerson of Chatham Middle School and Mylana Fulcher of Siler City Elementary.

The competition will conclude with seven high school performances. Mark Aguiluz, Laci Burt, Litzy Garcia, Kayli McIntosh, Rilee Rains and Edith Soto compete from Jordan-Matthews High School. Luz Borrayo represents Chatham Charter School.

Two guest performances also are on the program. This year’s showcase will feature past winners Jennifer Trejo Benitez of Jordan-Matthews and Jack and Jillian Dixon of Silk Hope.

“Sing and Play” is open to both instrumental and vocal acts, with students competing for a $50 prize in each age division. Winners will be selected by audience vote during the showcase concert.

General admission is $5 per person and includes one vote in each age-based competition.

More information about “Sing and Play” and other events scheduled for this season are online at jmarts.org.

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Contestants set for “Sing and Play” music competition on February 20

SILER CITY, N.C. — Showcase contestants have been selected for “Sing and Play ’20,” the third-annual music competition scheduled for February 20 at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City.

The showcase concert highlights talented student musicians and raises money for JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to provide what student artists need to excel.

Fifteen musical acts selected during auditions will perform in separate elementary, middle and high school competitions.

Elementary contestants are Dahlia Neff Burt of Siler City Elementary, Ember Lindley of Silk Hope School, Lainey Parker of Praise Homeschool and Oliver Vang of Moncure School.

Middle school contestants are Ari Carrillo Ibarra of Chatham Middle School, Cameron Parker of Praise Homeschool, Natalie Zagada Morales of Chatham Middle School and one duet act featuring Katelyn Emerson of Chatham Middle School and Mylana Fulcher of Siler City Elementary.

The competition will conclude with seven high school performances. Laci Burt, Litzy Garcia, Kayli McIntosh, Rilee Rains, Edith Soto and Amari Yarborough compete from Jordan-Matthews High School. Luz Borrayo represents Chatham Charter School.

Two guest performances also are on the program. This year’s showcase will feature past winners Jennifer Trejo Benitez of Jordan-Matthews and Jack and Jillian Dixon of Silk Hope.

“Each year we’re delighted to see the variety of talent and expression among the young people in our county,” said Greg Burriss, who directs the competition and selected showcase contestants with his fellow judge, Joseph Walden. “We consider it a privilege to offer this audition and performance opportunity to so many aspiring musicians.

“We know that young performers can benefit from the challenge of competition and the chance to audition in front of accomplished artists. We are grateful that they allow us to know them and see their talent.”

“Sing and Play” is open to both instrumental and vocal acts, with students competing for a $50 prize in each age division. Winners will be selected by audience vote during the showcase concert on February 20, 6:30 p.m., at Jordan-Matthews.

General admission is $5 per person and includes one vote in each age-based competition.

JMArts president Rose Pate expects another lively showcase. “With the continued popularity of TV shows like ‘The Voice’ and ‘America’s Got Talent’ it’s clear that music contests have tremendous appeal,” she said. “And for our students, the experience of standing on that stage and performing for an enthusiastic, live audience is a thrill like no other.”

All money raised by the competition will be used by JMArts for educational projects, including its New York Arts Adventure. That trip scheduled over spring break gives upperclass musicians, actors and visual artists an opportunity to explore one of the world’s great cities, experience the very best in the arts and gain new perspectives that will influence their lives and work.

Not only will travelers attend performances on and off Broadway, but they will learn from world-class professionals. That includes discussing theater over lunch with The Washington Post chief theater critic Peter Marks; discussing life in the arts with Tony Award nominee Andy Grotelueschen, who recently performed in the Broadway musical “Tootsie”; and exploring street art in Brooklyn and learning graffiti technique in a hands-on workshop.

More information about “Sing and Play” performers will be available online at facebook.com/JMHSArts. Details about JMArts and other events scheduled for this season are online at jmarts.org.

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Jack and Jillian Dixon of Silk Hope School perform at Sing and Play ’19, the annual music competition for elementary, middle and high school students throughout the area. Having won their elementary competition last year, the duo will perform as guest musicians this month at Sing and Play ’20 on February 20 at Jordan-Matthews High School.

Joseph Walden, from left, Greg Burriss and Rose Pate evaluate auditions for Sing and Play ’20. Audience members will select winners in separate elementary, middle and high school competitions during the Sing and Play showcase concert on February 20 at Jordan-Matthews High School.

Sing and Play logo

JM spring theater workshop offers free performances of "The Lottery"

SILER CITY, N.C. — Free performances of “The Lottery” will be offered in March as part of the second-annual spring theater workshop at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City.

“The Lottery” is a 30-minute, one-act play based on the short story by Shirley Jackson and dramatized by Brainerd Duffield. It will be performed for students during school on March 26 and then for the public that evening at 7 p.m.

After the short story was published in The New Yorker magazine, “The Lottery” quickly became an internationally known classic. The play follows the original short story, beginning with people assembling for a lottery. But only as the story builds swiftly to its climax do audiences begin to suspect the nature of the lottery. The shattering final scene has brought both the story and play wide acclaim. 

The annual spring theater workshop was created by JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, to provide outstanding JM actors with an opportunity for more intensive dramatic work and experience in technical theater. Last year’s inaugural workshop, “Scene X Scene,” featured weekly, two-hour sessions focusing on working “scene by scene” and concluded with a free public showcase performance demonstrating acting exercises used during the workshop.

“The Lottery” and this year’s theater workshop are produced by JMArts with co-producer and technical director Nicholas Guariglia and director Jessica Nunn.

Co-producer and technical director Guariglia is a JM graduate, senior in the UNC Department of Dramatic Art and undergraduate lighting assistant with PlayMakers Repertory Company, the renowned regional theater based in Chapel Hill. He is working on this project through the Carolina Center for Public Service with funding from a MacDonald Community Fellowship.

Director Nunn, also a JM graduate, directs the school’s fall musicals and taught last year’s “Scene X Scene” spring theater workshop. She also is artistic director of The Phoenix Theatre Company, known locally for innovative productions including dinner theater murder mysteries and “Miracle on Hillsboro Street,” an annual holiday benefit performance staged at the historic Chatham County Courthouse.

Auditions for this year’s workshop will be held on February 18 to select the cast of about 13 actors. Rehearsals will be after school, about twice a week during March. A more detailed rehearsal schedule will be announced before auditions.

More information about JMArts and other events scheduled for this season is available at jmarts.org.

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Laci Burt, from left, Natalie Santiago and Hannah Redding work on a dramatic scene during last year’s “Scene X Scene” spring theater workshop at Jordan-Matthews High School.