Concert aims to launch musical dream

A St. Albert musical theatre instructor is kicking off a benefit concert dubbed Dreaming Wide Awake with an evening of song and dance this coming Saturday at Gateway Alliance Church.

Joy Quilala along with partner Erika Noot have dreamt of owning a music studio to help children and youth launch their musical careers. “There’s a lot of up-and-coming kids who want to say something and have something to say. And I like the idea of being able to help them realize their dreams in a focused and concentrated way,” says Quilala, a musical theatre instructor at Art of Dance.

The duo has just opened Spotlight Studio, a venue in Edmonton that at the moment offers vocal lessons and musical theatre camps. They hope to add classes in movement, dance, musical theory, character work and how to network.

Broadway composer Jason Robert Brown’s hit single, Dreaming Wide Awake, written for Lauren Kennedy, seemed to crystallize their vision. Quilala will sing it at the two-hour concert encompassing various genres from pop, rock and musical theatre to jazz, folk and indie.

One of the evening’s special guests is St. Albert dancer/choreographer Samantha Ketsa, 14. She dances in The Girl in the Moon, an indie folk-rock number penned by Bethany Joy Galeotti of Everly.

“She’s a gifted dancer and choreographer. She comes alive when dancing. Sometimes in class we take breaks. Right on the spot she’ll create a brilliant routine. It comes to her so naturally. She loves what she does and you can’t stop watching her.”

While Quilala and Noot carry most of the show, they’ve also invited special guests to spice up the evening with their unique flavours. Sarah Horseman joins Quilala and Noot as a trio to sing The Dream Girls theme, a show tune that took BeyoncĂ© and Jennifer Hudson to new heights.

Later on, pianist Devon Belcourt joins Quilala for Falling Slowly while Jeffrey Sawalha partners Noot in I Want to Dance, sung with the jazz stylings of Michael Bublé and Jane Monheit.

And finally St. Albert sisters Chelsea, 13 and Rebecca Short, 14, whip up a hip-hop choreography during a pop medley. “They have great technique and when they dance, they have joy in their face.”

“It’s going to be a great evening of music and live performances. There’s something for everybody.”