Rosen JCC Takes the Stage
by Jill Duff-Hoppes
The Rosen JCC is teaming up with Little Radical Theatrics – a new-to-Orlando arts group – to bring youth theater and community theater for all ages to its campus this fall.
“We are very excited about our partnership,” says Dr. Reuben Romirowsky, CEO of The Jack & Lee Rosen Jewish Community Center in Southwest Orlando. “This is something that we had long sought but until now had never found the right partner who understands community. This group does.”
Little Radical Theatrics (LRT) is a nonprofit, award-winning company that was founded by Fatima Viegas in Yonkers, New York, in 2009. The group has produced more than two dozen musicals in New York and one show in Central Florida since relocating to The Sunshine State. Both Reuben and Fatima think the newly minted collaboration between The Rosen JCC and LRT will be ideal.
“It’s been a really nice connection,” Reuben says. “If we make this theater program accessible, relatable, and family-centric, it will be wildly successful.”
Fatima and her daughter, Stephanie Lourenco Viegas – LRT’s cofounder – say that diversity, inclusion, and family are concepts that their company has always championed.
“We want to make this a program where everyone feels welcome, where everyone knows that they have an equal chance at any role,” says Stephanie, a singer and actress, herself.
For its inaugural shows at The Rosen JCC, LRT will present Disney’s Frozen JR. as its youth production and the beloved classic The Sound of Music as its community-theater offering. Both musicals are slated to run November 19-21 at The Rosen Event Center at 11184 South Apopka Vineland Road.
The newly added theatrical offerings will become a key component of The Rosen JCC’s Town Square program, Reuben says. The Town Square at The Rosen Event Center is intended to be a community hub for the rapidly growing southwest Orlando area, offering cultural arts and other programming that appeals to families at all stages of their lives. The JCC’s core programming – namely its Early Childhood Learning Center – will remain a top priority, of course, but there will be a wider array of programs and services going forward.
“We want to now branch out and expand our menu for the community,” says Reuben, noting that the arts are a vitally important component of that expansion.
Frozen JR., as well as any other youth shows that LRT stages, will be about much more than the performances. Students will learn the fundamentals of singing, acting, and dancing, and they’ll become engaged and invested in the process of putting on a show. Ultimately, the program will help them develop lifelong skills such as improved self-confidence and the ability to work as a team.
The tuition-based, educational musical theater program is geared toward children in first through sixth grades. Tuition is $50 a week for an eight-week rehearsal period that starts in late September. Registration is already underway, with tuition discounts available for JCC members. Space is limited because enrollment will be capped at 20 to 25 children.
“I don’t want to throw a lot of kids on stage just to have kids there,” Fatima says. “We want to give every child in the cast their time to shine.”
Unlike the youth programs, there is no tuition fee to participate in LRT’s community-theater shows. Auditions are required, however. Auditions for The Sound of Music will be in September, with rehearsals beginning later that month. Fatima chose The Sound of Music in large part because the show features memorable roles for all ages – kids, teens, and adults.
“I thought about the community, and I wanted to incorporate the children with the adults,” says Fatima, who is eager to get started on both shows. “It’s so beneficial for the youngsters to be onstage alongside some experienced actors. I want to make a difference here and do some good work.”