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Upper Schoolers Start Teen Theatre Program with Axelrod

Junior Carmine Mastrokostas of Eatontown has been a regular on the Ranney stage since the fourth grade, and now he’s teamed up with students at Ranney as well as other area high schools and Deal Park’s Axelrod Performing Arts Center to create a teen theatre program. What started as a small after-school club has grown into an educational outreach program designed to train high school students across New Jersey in theatrical abilities. Axelrod, which fosters artistic excellence by showcasing varied and distinct cultural programs, helped to launch the program, called the APAC Players, over the summer.

“The purpose of this program is to allow high school students to be in roles they wouldn’t normally be in, such as director, choreographer, costume designer, set designer, lighting and sound designer, marketing, and more,” explains Carmine. “Our mission is to give all high school students a chance to become leaders in the arts.”
 
Carmine has recruited fellow Ranney students Amanda Serrapica of Holmdel (Class of 2018, Producer & Production Stage Manager), Lucy McGinty of Brielle (Class of 2017, Administrative Producer), Abigail Granata of Wall (Class of 2018, Graphic & Web Design), as well as Samantha Golub of Howell High School (Costume Designer), and Amaya White of Old Bridge High School (PR & Communications), to help lead the APAC Players. Their first production, Runaways, will open in February 2017. “I am beyond thrilled for our first production,” says Carmine, who will be directing and choreographing this newly envisioned production. Composed by Elizabeth Swados, Runaways is a collection of songs, dances, and spoken word pieces performed by young people who have run away from their homes. “The APAC cast and creative team are compiled of students from area high schools. It is going to be an event you do not want to miss!” he adds. (Editor’s Note: Mrs. Swados, an author and composer who did extraordinary creative work with young people, died earlier this year.)

“In accord with Swados’s view, APAC Players wants to make theater that matters, theater by young people, theater that makes young people know they matter on the stage, and in this world,” says Axelrod Artistic Director Andrew DePrisco, who is mentoring the program. “We are very fortunate to have student director-choreographer Carmine Mastrokostas on board to help us launch the first season.”
 
In addition to putting on student-run productions, like Runaways, APAC Players will serve a project for high schoolers who love musical theater by enabling young artists to learn and practice stage craft. “We want to give students opportunities that high school and community theater do not typically offer, by enabling them to work alongside a designated mentor and trained professionals who are sharing their experience to create unique theater for teens,” says Carmine.
 
Carmine has been a member of the Ranney Middle and Upper School chorus and Music Honor Society, as well as the International Thespian Society. When he’s not performing, he’s on stage coaching younger actors and singings, and helping to choreograph Ranney’s annual musicals. He has received two Count Basie nominations for his Ranney roles, including for his supporting actor role as “Jigger” in the spring 2016 production of Carousel. Carmine previously participated in iTheatrics Broadway – a New York City summer academy for young performers in the tri-state area – earning “All Star” recognition, and worked with the Paper Mill Playhouse (Millburn, NJ), which was the recipient of the 2016 Tony Award for best regional theatre.

Lucy McGinty is also a regular lead actress on the school stage and is president of the 2017 Ranney senior class. Abigail Granata appears as Lydia Bennet in Ranney’s upcoming production of Pride & Prejudice (she also designed the APAC Players website and logo). Amanda Serrapica regularly assists with the Sound/Tech crew in school productions and helped to launch the first “Red Carpet” pre-show for Ranney’s 2016 production of Carousel.

“The Axelrod Performing Arts Center is looking forward to seeing this important program come to fruition,” adds Axelrod CEO Jess Levy. “Carmine's commitment and talent combined with the Axelrod’s staff and facility resources will lead to a successful theater program for high school students."
 
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Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
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