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Our Mission:
To inspire students, teachers and their communities through interactive experiences in the jazz arts -- storytelling, music, theatre, dance and visual arts.
"Jazz Arts for a Better World"
The Official Holding the Torch for Liberty Trailer
What is Holding the Torch for Liberty, the jazz musical about?
Holding the Torch for Liberty, the jazz musical tells the story of the culmination of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States, circa 1920. Through ragtime, classic blues, New Orleans and Cuban infused original music, Holding the Torch for Liberty traces how courageous working women joined forces to fight for and win final passage of the 19thAmendment. Combining actual historical events with magical realism, the Statue of Liberty comes to life, goes dancing in a Harlem nightclub, and later meets a determined group of suffragists. Ms. Liberty’s torch becomes a window to the future, as the roles for women in the country grow- women doctors, lawyers, engineers and even the president. With the country openly divided, a lone congressman from Tennessee gets an inspirational letter from his mother reminding him that standing up for justice and doing what is right comes easily when you follow your heart.
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...Listen to songs from the new CD
...License the play
Testimonials
What was the experience of students from the Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music after participating in the cast recording of Holding the Torch for Liberty?
"Thank you Eli for the wonderful experience you have allowed our students to have with the Jazz Drama Program and the recording at Avatar Studios. I share your vision and dream to have students experience music and apply its force to guide them through life."
- Dr. William Rodriguez, Principal and Founder, Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music
What did the Santa Fe School for the Arts & Sciences in New Mexico experience by putting on Nora's Ark, the jazz musical?
"The music was powerful and catchy and introduced many of our students to the joys of jazz. We had a few students who were sure that they didn’t like jazz before we began rehearsals and after a couple of weeks, they had actually become fans of jazz! The kids continued to sing the songs in class long after the play was finished."
"The play’s story line led to a range of curricular tie-ins, including global warming and pollution, animal survival, animal habitats, endangered species, predator and prey, nautical terms and ship lore to name a few."
- Rayna Dineen, Principal, Santa Fe School for the Arts & Sciences
Nora's Ark production by the Santa Fe School for the Arts & Sciences
