Thanks to a generous donation from the Shubert Organization, 215 Bronx Institute GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) students recently attended the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Memphis. Memphis explores the impact of music on the lives of young people trying to make it in the music business during the 1950s, when crossover music challenged racial barriers in the South. Before attending, students studied the play’s historical context; after the show, students spoke with members of the cast and crew and also learned about play production and story development. “I really loved the show,” said Arlene Tariq, a student at Renaissance High School. “But the best part was talking to the cast and crew. They told us that taking an idea and making it a reality is possible if you focus on your dreams and never give up.” Memphis was the culminating event of The Bronx Institute’s GEAR UP course, Music and Social Change, which analyzed the importance of music to the civil rights movement, Native American culture, and the American Civil War. In 2010, Memphis won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Posted on: December 04, 2010
   Article published on: December 01, 2010 | by: The Bronx Institute