This coming spring, The Art School at Marrocco is proud to present the World Premiere of the Musical, Small Town Summer.  Set in the town of Hanover, Ontario in 1957, it is a lyrical frolic into an age of innocence that has escaped us.  Featuring a six piece band, twelve songs and a cast of 60, Small Town Summer explores the ups and downs of a summer vacation where boys and girls suddenly discover much about the world of friendship that they live in, and the world that they dream in.  Travel with the gang as they share their adventures around the swimming hole, the train station, the country fair, the apple orchards – and then get caught in a rock and roll twister and its aftermath!

This is the third world premiere musical in the past five years that has graced our main stage; all three have been penned by Andrew Malette.  Come celebrate brilliant theatre as the Art School at Marrocco presents Small Town Summer from May 26 – May 30, 2010. There are three student matinees at 12:30 pm on May 26, 27, 28; general public performances are at 7:30 pm May 28 and 29, and a finale performance at 2 pm May 30.  Tickets are at recession prices! – a toonie for student matinees; weekend shows $5 for students, $10 for adults.

This show promises to be fun for the entire family, so do plan on joining us!  For ticket information and to reserve tickets, please contact Gabriela.defaria@tcdsb.org or 416 393-5545, or check out our website www.marroccomerton.com for a link for tickets.

It’s not easy to sing in front of thousands of people.  It’s especially difficult to sing in a new and different language.  But that is exactly what the Marrocco Merton Choir has been practicing for and will perform on Saturday, October 24th when the Polish Rhapsody annual extravaganza takes place.  Students in the school choir have learned several compositions in Polish and will provide backing vocals for soloists like superstar Katarzyna Dondalska, one of the world’s foremost dramatic sopranos Anna Shafajinskaia, Canadian rising mezzo-soprano  Marta Herman and tenor and rock star Andrzei Lampert.

Our own musical director Andrew Rozbicki will conduct the Celebrity Orchestra for this event.  Mr. Rozbicki brings his considerable experience and connections in the musical community to our school community and provides chances for our choir to perform with world-class singers and musicians.  “The experience can be life-changing,” said Mr. Rozbicki, as he spoke of former students who have gone through the music program at Bishop Marrocco Thomas Merton.  Students such as Isaias Garcia, who plays saxophone and composes his own music have gone on to post-secondary music programs and are continuing their exploration of musical mastery.

Our vocal teacher Ms. Haninec will also direct the choir and accompany them to the Living Arts Centre.  She has been invaluable in the preparation of the choir since the beginning of the school year.

The audience can expect a delightful musical tour-de-force. The Celebrity Symphony Orchestra returns with a magnificent recreation of world famous arias and songs conducted by maestro Andrew Rozbicki. The program includes the most beautiful opera arias, duets, quartet, selections by G. Verdi, G. Puccini, Moniuszko and the most popular old and new Polish songs by Anna Maria and Biały Krzyż. The thrilling concert will commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the end of communism in Poland and the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.