{"id":190910,"date":"2026-04-09T14:20:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:20:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/190910\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T14:20:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:20:34","slug":"inside-broadway-brings-the-theater-magic-directly-to-schools-in-queens-across-nyc-qns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/190910\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Broadway brings the theater magic directly to schools in Queens, across NYC \u2013 QNS"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t Search our comprehensive guide to things to do in Queens<\/a> for more local events \u2014 or submit your own<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Inside Broadway<\/a>, a New York City-based nonprofit that provides theater education<\/a> to over 100 schools, has been bringing the magic of Broadway directly to students for over 44 years.<\/p>\n

The nonprofit was founded in 1982 as a student ticket program, originally bringing schools to see the sensational Broadway production of Cats \u2014 which at the time broke a record for the longest-running show.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Michael Presser \u2014 the founder, CEO and president of Inside Broadway \u2014 the nonprofit has always sought to enrich students\u2019 lives and bring theater culture to children who might not otherwise be exposed to it.<\/p>\n

The nonprofit is supported by a Cultural After-School Adventures (CASA<\/a>) grant awarded by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs \u2014 ensuring free programming that continues its mission of making theater and Broadway accessible to students.<\/p>\n

This year, Inside Broadway\u2019s Theatre in Our Schools program brought a concert-style showcase of the off-Broadway smash hit The Marvelous Wonderettes, which is set in 1958 and centers around the Wonderettes \u2014 a singing group that is competing to be crowned Prom Queen.<\/p>\n

The tour, which brought popular music hits from the \u201850s and \u201860s to students of all ages, spanned 45 school districts across NYC.\n<\/p>\n

It wrapped up on March 27 after a 12-week stint, visiting students in Jamaica<\/a>, Flushing<\/a> and other Queens schools on the last leg of the tour.<\/p>\n

Raising the curtain
\n\"\"Theatre in Our Schools aims to expose children to Broadway shows not only by presenting entertaining productions to students, but by engaging in meaningful connections.Photo via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The three of the actors from The Marvelous Wonderettes \u2014 Courtney Corso-Casiano, Charlotte Kunesh and Maggie Stephens \u2014 said they were all exposed to Broadway influences as children, which is why they love sharing it with children today.<\/p>\n

Corso-Casiano grew up on Long Island with parents who love Broadway, and she began performing in theater productions when she was 12.\n<\/p>\n

Stephens said she\u2019s been performing for almost her entire life, and also had parents who love Broadway shows despite the family living over four hours north of NYC.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kunesh, an Ohio-native who has spent her entire life singing and performing in choirs, said she discovered theater when she was in high school and fell in love with its storytelling elements.<\/p>\n

All three actors, who also have a background in teaching or caring for children, said the show was an incredible opportunity for them to connect with students in ways that they weren\u2019t expecting.<\/p>\n

Corso-Casiano recalled some kids watching the actors setting up for the show before their first performance at a Brooklyn school, which she said was exciting because there was a lot of buzz among the students and teachers leading up to it.<\/p>\n

Stephens said she was surprised kids were able to identify with the show despite it being set nearly 70 years ago.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been wonderful to see the kids\u2019 reactions,\u201d Stephens said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t sure if they were going to connect with the 1950s stuff. It\u2019s so far removed from a lot of what they\u2019ve experienced. The first song we sing is \u2018Mr. Sandman,\u2019 and we came to find out that this song was, in some way, used for \u2018Stranger Things.\u2019 So there\u2019s these little kids in first or second grade with this huge reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corso-Casiano said during their Q&A sessions after the show, kids asked a range of questions. Some kids just like speaking into the microphone, she said, laughing. But some kids, she continued, asked really great questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe get to respond to these kids that are really tuned in,\u201d Corso-Casiano said. \u201cWe get to give our personal answers, and it\u2019s been fun. It\u2019s been lovely to interact with them and sort of engage with them in that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Performing for an audience of children with the lights completely on, Kunesh said, means the actors can see their reactions throughout the entire show.\n<\/p>\n

However, she said many students are very engaged, and it\u2019s been wonderful seeing their anticipation and excitement.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that even if kids don\u2019t want to pursue a career in this, it\u2019s still so important from a young age to see that the arts are important, and that they matter,\u201d Kunesh said. \u201cThere\u2019s so much that can be gained from these stories and human connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Connecting with students
\n\"\"Theatre in Our Schools has previously toured public schools across NYC with productions including You\u2019re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, which brought the classic Peanuts characters to the stage to learn important lessons (while having some fun, of course).Photos courtesy Inside Broadway<\/p>\n

Mia and Joseph, two 5th grade students from P.S. 13Q in Elmhurst<\/a> who attended the show, said the actors not only entertained them, but they inspired them.<\/p>\n

Joseph said the show made him laugh, but it also taught him real life lessons, such as talking out problems instead of fighting.\n<\/p>\n

He also said watching the actors speak loudly and move around a stage instead of on a screen made the experience more engaging.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite part was watching them sing,\u201d Joseph said. \u201cSinging was the most important part, because it\u2019s what got me on the story.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Mia said she also learned that even when friends fight, they can make up and become best friends again. \u201cIt was a message that you could forgive anybody,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She said that she appreciated the live performance because she could see interactions between the actors much better than she can on a screen.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing about live shows is that you can recognize things that you don\u2019t always recognize in movies,\u201d she continued. \u201cI think it\u2019s a good thing because kids can see how the actors interact with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, the most important piece Mia said she took away from the show is the inspiration to be more confident.\n<\/p>\n

Corso-Casiano said watching kids actively participate in the show makes her emotional, recalling a moment when groups of kids danced to \u201cLollipop\u201d as the actors performed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually had to bite my tongue,\u201d she said. \u201cI was getting teary eyed because not only were these kids eating it up, but we were the talk of the town that day. They clearly want to be up here on stage, they clearly love what we\u2019re doing. I was literally getting emotional thinking about how these kids were impacted by what we were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stephens said sometimes students give the actors little gifts, including a drawing of the girls in their costumes. Some kids even want autographs, she continued, or call them real-life princesses and Barbie dolls.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s that you\u2019re just reaching a child in some way,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re getting to do what we love everyday in front of these kids, and it makes their day in ways I couldn\u2019t even fathom until I was actually doing it. It makes all the crazy stuff worth it. It\u2019s really, really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Kunesh, the Q&A portion of the show is the most meaningful part. She said it\u2019s as if she is witnessing Inside Broadway\u2019s dream being realized.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t really find theater until I was in eighth grade,\u201d Kunesh said. \u201cIt\u2019s so inspirational to see these kids from such a young age having this experience. Hopefully we get to empower them that yes, they can totally do this. This can totally be their future and you can follow your passion. This is what Inside Broadway is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

A decades-long legacy
\n\"\"Students from JHS 189Q Daniel Carter Beard in Flushing get a behind-the-scenes look at The Great Gatsby musical through Inside Broadway\u2019s \u201cCreating the Magic\u201d program in 2024.Photo by Elena Olivo<\/p>\n

Presser said the idea for the program began with the intention of introducing students to theater and expanding the audience through education.<\/p>\n

\u201cHundreds of thousands of children had the opportunity to come to Broadway, many for the first time, and see a major Broadway musical,\u201d Presser said.\n<\/p>\n

The Shubert Organization\u2019s Winter Garden Theatre, the venue where Cats was performed, realized it had an enormous hit, Presser explained, so it was quite open to the idea of bringing children to see the production to encourage more families to attend the show.<\/p>\n

Presser recalled when the ticket program was announced during a press conference hosted by then-mayor Ed Koch at City Hall.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I had 35 messages on my answering machine of teachers that wanted tickets to Cats,\u201d Presser said.<\/p>\n

One of the underlying factors that Presser said he believes contributed to the massive success of the Inside Broadway programs is that at the time, it was not commonly accepted that students would be brought to see a Broadway show \u2014 but the show was perfect for children and families, so producers noticed they were tapping a new market to sell tickets to.<\/p>\n

While the student ticket program ended when Cats wrapped up its historic 18-year run in 2000, Presser said it was important the company pivoted to other activities to ensure Broadway could maintain its presence in schools.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had, over the years, established ourselves as a company, and teachers in schools wanted us to continue,\u201d he explained.\n<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when Inside Broadway began developing a teaching artist program, which it called \u201cBuild a Musical<\/a>.\u201d For this program, Broadway performers with educational training are brought to schools to work with children on a musical presentation to be performed in the school\u2019s auditorium.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gives students the opportunity to perform in front of strangers, to know how to speak, how to present yourself, and how to work with your colleagues,\u201d Presser said. \u201cBuild a Musical is very, very popular in all of our schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next, Inside Broadway began offering a program called \u201cCreating the Magic<\/a>\u201d twice per year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Presser explained while the nonprofit was running the ticket program, students would often ask if it was possible to go backstage.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

While he said it wasn\u2019t feasible to bring students backstage, this program brings students directly to the theaters for a demonstration of how Broadway productions are made.<\/p>\n

Students are shown how lighting, costumes, makeup and stage management create the clean, polished show they see on the stage.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a lot of the time, children think actors come on stage and then we turn the lights on and we have a show,\u201d Presser said. \u201cBut there\u2019s a whole army of people that you don\u2019t see who are working behind the scenes, some of them in other buildings, making it possible for the actors to do their work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last, Inside Broadway offers an acting program that, in collaboration with the Actors Equity Association and the American Federation of Musicians, hires actors and musicians to perform shortened, 45-minute versions of Broadway classics for the company\u2019s Theatre in Our Schools program.<\/p>\n

Presser said most schools opt in for the entire package, often beginning first with students viewing a live production, then visiting a theater to get a behind the scenes look at how a production is made, and lastly learning how to perform in a production themselves.<\/p>\n

An ever-evolving art form
\n\"\"In 2024, the theater program brought a production of Land that I Love, a musical specifically created for NYC Public Schools that centers the immigrant experience.Photos courtesy Inside Broadway<\/p>\n

Of course, Presser said, Inside Broadway has adapted over the years to reflect the changes and evolution of the industry.<\/p>\n

Because theater is a performing art and not a museum, Presser explained, it\u2019s something that changes to reflect the environment and the era in which it is presented.<\/p>\n

For example, Presser said, a show like Buena Vista Social Club\u00a0 \u2014 which features Cuban music performed in Spanish \u2014 probably would not have been produced on Broadway 40 years ago, but has now been accepted as a reflection of the growing Latin population and culture in NYC.<\/p>\n

Music for shows like Wicked and The Lion King, he continued, were written for electric instruments and are mostly pop-influenced.<\/p>\n

And, Presser noted, the technology that is used for stage production has evolved greatly. Between sound design, speaker placement, machinery, trapdoors, video projections and much more, Presser said it\u2019s a whole new experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe things that can be done on stage now are remarkable,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a reflection of the times we live in.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

These types of programs that educate students about these aspects of the theater industry are important for children\u2019s development, Presser emphasized, no matter what their response to it is.<\/p>\n

Sometimes children don\u2019t like the shows, he said \u2014 but at least they tried and made their own decision.\n<\/p>\n

For other students, he continued, it opens a door to a whole new world to play in.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t tell you how many letters we have in the file from children and teachers,\u201d Presser said. \u201cI think it\u2019s a very interesting issue of the impact on theater and the impact on children\u2026 I think we contributed a great deal to making it understood that going to the theater while you\u2019re in school is a wonderful opportunity that children should have.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the company has moved past the idea that the arts should be used to help teach other subjects like science or math \u2014 rather, he said the arts is something that has value and impact on its own.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s really important that we, in this country, understand and honor the role that culture plays in our society,\u201d Presser said. \u201cCulture is a way in which society defines itself. It\u2019s a way in which we remember those societies that came before us, and how the societies that will come after us will define themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Presser said Inside Broadway will be celebrating its 45th anniversary with a special production this fall, which will reflect on the company\u2019s longstanding legacy in NYC and look forward to its future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Search our comprehensive guide to things to do in Queens for more local events \u2014 or submit your…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":190911,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[9,24,63,122,124,123],"class_list":["post-190910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-queens","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-queens","tag-queens-headlines","tag-queens-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190910"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190910\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/190911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}