GAGA for DADA: the fourth annual celebration of the arts benefiting Time Out Youth

 

YOUR HOSTS

In addition to our wonderful artistic director Vito Abate, we welcome this year the beautiful and talented Kerri Nichols to guide you through your experience.  Expect many surprises through the night as this talented duo create an unforgettable evening of fun and entertainment.

PERFORMANCES BY

Our Host, Vito Abate This marks Vito’s fourth consecutive time serving as artistic director for Time Out Youth’s annual theatrical event. Vito is a Charlotte area actor, director and producer. He is the 2007 Metrolina Theatre Association and Creative Loafing recipient for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical. His short play Another Afternoon was a finalist in the Down Home Play Festival in SC and he won a Rosie Award for direction of the season’s best show at Lancaster Community Playhouse. Originally from New York City, Vito has produced, directed and acted in numerous productions throughout the New York region, as well as spending four seasons with the Tony award-winning Denver Center Theatre Company before moving to Charlotte. Since then he has acted and/or directed for several companies including Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Theatre Charlotte, Pi Productions, CPCC, and Rock Hill Community Theatre, as well as producing and hosting numerous fundraisers. He was seen this past spring as Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire at Theatre Charlotte, where he also produces just do it, a monthly themed reading and performance series. This summer he appeared in Into the Woods at CPCC Summer Theatre and will be in The Drowsy Chaperone opening there in July.
Vito is board Vice President of both the Metrolina Theatre Association and North Carolina Theatre Conference.

April Denee Baker The $120 Word Writer/Director
A native Charlottean, April Denee Baker is a full-time marketing copywriter and freelance journalist with regular weekly columns on Examiner.com and Skirt.com. She is also a scriptwriter, with work most recently performed as part of Theatre Charlotte's "just do it!" series. April holds a Master of Arts from Winthrop University and a Bachelor of Arts from Clemson University and is an active leader in various local and regional writers' organizations, most notably Charlotte Film Community's monthly script workshop. April enjoys giving back to the community and is proud to support Time Out Youth with an original sketch that pokes fun at the silly things people often go through to arrive at an obvious answer. To contact April or view more of her work, please visit http://aprildenee.wordpress.com.

Tiffaney Moore Borgelin's most recent achievements include a nomination as Emerging Artist of the Year by the Metrolina Theater Association. She received her own feature segment, appropriately titled VOICE for just do it, a themed reading series for artists from all walks of life. She also has been featured artist on radio and television programs. 

Lisa Smith Bradley -An 11 time nominee of the Metrolina Theatre Awards and multiple Creative Loafing Theatre Awards winner, Lisa has performed locally with CPCC Summer Theatre, Collaborative Arts, Theatre Charlotte, Davidson Players, Lees McRae Summer Theatre and Belmont Abbey Players. Starting July 21, you can see her at the Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte in THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL. Audiences may also remember her from recent appearances as Guenevere in CAMELOT or Mayzie la Bird in SEUSSICAL. Past favorite roles include: Sally Bowles – CABARET; Lilly – KISS ME KATE; The Witch – INTO THE WOODS; Aldonza – MAN OF LA MANCHA; Percy – THE SPITFIRE GRILL; and Jo March in the musical LITTLE WOMEN. She can be seen this fall in I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE at CPCC.

Ryan Deal has been seen recently on the Theatre Charlotte stage as The Mayor of Who in Seussical and Ebeneezer in A Christmas Carol. He also served as Music Director for Smoke on the Mountain and will continue in that role for Theatre Charlotte’s upcoming productions of Sweeney Todd, Annie, and Rent. Ryan is employed with ASC and as the Interim Director of Music for Church in the Round at Myers Park Methodist Church.

Sal Garcia has been performing for the stage for 12 years. He has been on stages from Texas to New York City and is very happy to be spending his time working in Charlotte. He has performed with several local community theatre companies in Charlotte including: Charlotte's Off-Broadway "Living Out," Queen City's "Dangerous," Theatre Charlotte's "The Full Monty," and Davidson Community Players' "West Side Story." More recent, Sal continues to perform with the Children's Theatre of Charlotte in their Tarradiddle Players touring company.

Rob Hammock is a newcomer to Charlotte having just moved here last August.  In that time he has taken an active role in the community through his work with Hands On Charlotte and jumping into theatre with just do it at Theatre Charlotte.  Rob is the director of strategic partnerships for Hands On Charlotte and works with nonprofits throughout the city to help find and place strategic, skills-based volunteers.  Through a new partnership with the Arts & Science Council, Rob is able to juxtapose his interest in the arts and empowering volunteers.  Thanks to his friend April Baker he has had his first two acting experiences just this past spring at Theatre Charlotte, and he is grateful to be able to support this cause.  http://www.facebook.com/handsoncharlotte

Robbie Jaeger is a graduate of Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, and the American Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in New York City. He has worked extensively throughout the Southeast as a Director, Choreographer, Designer, and Performer. He is a two-time recipient of the North Carolina Theatre Conference’s “Best Actor in A Musical” award, and throughout his career, has participated in more than 100 productions. Robbie is a full-time employee of the Matthews Playhouse, where he serves as Artistic Associate, a job that includes Direction, Performance, Design and Instruction.  Robbie has worked with most theatrical organizations in this town, most recently, the sixth installment of Charlotte Squawks with Mike Collins for Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and Evil Dead The Musical for Actors Theatre of Charlotte. This past spring Robbie directed and choreographed a sold-out run of Les Miserables for Matthews Playhouse, and is currently directing and choreographing Disney’s Aladdin and Disney’s Alice in Wonderland for Matthews Playhouse as part of their “2010 Summer Stage Series”.

Our hostess, Kerri Nichols is a legend in Charlotte and around the country.  Known for taking drag to new levels, Kerri is especially esteemed for her dramatic interpretations creating captivating performances.  Her shows are unforgettable and her league of fans, tireless.  Winning the titles of Miss Gay North Carolina and Miss Gay America, Kerri continues to entertain and is honored to be a part of Gaga for Dada as not only host, but entertainer.  She will be joined by the lovely and talented Amber Rochelle and Angela Lopez for a very special performance.

Lisa Smith is an award winning musical theatre actress soon to be reprising her role in Actors Theatre's The Great American Trailer Park Musical.

_________________________________________________

 

Time Out Youth is a 501c(3) organization.

Time Out Youth
1900 The Plaza
Charlotte, NC 28205
704-344-8335