UD bducation Foundation to launcharts and Lectures Series
Upper Dublin High School’s auditorium may just be getting a bit groovier as it plays host to the musLF WKDW KHOSHG WR GHfinH D JHnHUDtionK
The Upper Dublin bducation Foundation has announced the start of its Arts and Lectures Series that will help students throughout the Upper Dublin School DistrictK
Kicking off the series will be Mike Morsch, executive editor of Montgomery Media, which publishes The Ambler Gazette, discussing his memoir “Dancing in My Underwear” about growing up with the music of the ’S0s and ’T0s and the musicians he has since interviewed from that time periodK Among those artists are Olivia kewton gohn, The Beach Boys, Wynonna gudd, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees and Montgomery County natives Daryl Hall and gohn OatesK
Morsch’s book will be on sale at the event and is available at the Upper Dublin Public LibraryK
Additionally, singer-songwriter Dan May, along with the Dan May Band, will perform selected songs mentioned in the book from the Beach Boys, The Association, America, Three Dog kight, the Doobie Brothers and othersK Also, the garrettown blementary Chorus, the Sandy Run Middle School Seventh- and bighth-Grade Chorus and the Upper Dublin High School Choir will sing some of the numbersK
The event takes place Thursday, OctK 25, at TW30 pKmK inside the auditoriumK Tickets are on sale for A10 and can be purchased online at wwwKbrownpaperticketsKcom, at DOO sFKRRO DnG GLsWULFW PDLn RIfiFHs, the Upper Dublin Parks C RecreDWLRn 2IfiFH DW WKH WRwnsKLS EuLOGing and at the doorK Proceeds from WKH HvHnW EHnHfiW GLsWULFWwLGH PusLF programsK
UDbF President Art Levinowitz said the Arts and Lecture Series will allow the district to highlight the brand new high school and its state-of-the-art theaterK The series provides an opportunity to bring the community to the theater for arts and lectures, which will in turn EHnHfiW WKH DUWs SURJUDPs DW 8SSHU DublinK He said it would advance the education experience and expand lifetime opportunities for Upper Dublin students in science, art, music and even athleticsK
So far the only other performance that has been scheduled to take place has been a production of Beethoven’s ninth symphony in March performed by the Abington Choral Club and the Independence SymphonyK
Levinowitz said the plan for the Arts and Lecture Series is to offer WKUHH WR fivH HvHnWs D yHDU DnG WR look at what works bestK
The UDbF has offered scholarships, minigrants and summer programs and through tax credits has made possible innovative programs like the geoscience entrepreneurial programK
Morsch said he has been involved with the UDbF for nine years as chairman of the educator of the year committeeK When he was asked to be chairman, he said he was honored to do it and has enjoyed looking at the quality of teachers in the school district through nominations, talking with faculty and hearing from student representatives on the committeeK He said the experience has allowed him to get to know district Superintendent Michael Pladus, Levinowitz and other members of the school board in a different role than he would as a journalist by watching how they work day to dayK
Morsch said Pladus came up with the idea for the performance after watching him perform at his book’s launch party in guneK He said Pladus emailed him the next day asking if he could recreate the performance as part of D IunGUDLsHU IRU WKH 8DEF. $W fiUsW Morsch said he wasn’t sure he’d be able to, given the fact that May is a professional musician who might be touring and unavailableK However, once he contacted May, the two worked it out and the rest is historyK
Morsch said the idea of the show is “pretty exciting,” given he doesn’t consider himself a performer, and the idea from Pladus to include students in the show was “brilliantK”