Sophisticated Ladies

YAA opened its virtual season with a digital production of Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, rehearsed and filmed exclusively at home in collaboration with various regional youth arts organizations, and directed and choreographed by tap legend, Baakari Wilder.

In our largest scale project to date, YAA took on a full digital version of the Sondheim classic, Into the Woods. Over 150 students rehearsed and recorded vocals and instrumentals from home, resulting in over 6,500 audio tracks that were then mixed into a cast recording. Students then took to the woods and filmed outdoors…in February…during a pandemic…to produce a production like no other, directed by Noah Himmelstein.

Elf JR

YAAjunior students brought home the holiday spirit in their own digital production of this holiday classic.

Roald Dahl’s MATILDA JR

YAAjunior students tackled a second digital production telling the story of Matilda and her adventures.

Side by Side by Sondheim

YAAStudio IV students payed homage to the late Stephen Sondheim in the first review of his work in this ambitious digital revue,

RENT

YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives returned to in-person programming with a stage production of Jonathan Larson’s RENT, featuring students from the Senior Academy.

Cabaret

YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives returned to in-person programming with a stage production of Kander & Ebb’s Cabaret, featuring students from the Senior Conservatory

The Little Mermaid JR

YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives returned to in-person programming with a stage production of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s Disney classic, featuring students from the Junior Academy.

Madagascar JR

YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives returned to in-person programming with a stage production of this zany and tuneful DreamWorks show, featuring students from the Junior Conservatory.

Once Upon a Mattress in Concert

YAA celebrated the 60th anniversary of this brilliant score by Mary Rodgers in our return to the Dekelboum Concert Hall at The Clarice, with Narrator & Stage Director Leayne Dempsey, and a special welcome by the original Winnifred and star of stage and screen, Carol Burnett.

Beauty & the Beast with Alan Menken

Over 275 performers were in final rehearsals for this Disney classic with special participation by composer Alan Menken when the Covid pandemic shut down the world. While we were not able to bring this production to the stage, we were honored that Alan Menken spent an evening over Zoom mentoring our students.

Frozen JR

While we were not able to bring this production to the stage due to the Covid pandemic, our students continued their preparation and recorded virtual excerpts from home.

Company

YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives went virtual in summer 2020 Senior Conservatory students spent two weeks from home preparing this complex Sondheim classic.

A Chorus Line

YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives went virtual in summer 2020 Senior Conservatory students spent two weeks from home preparing this timeless Broadway classic.

The Wizard of Oz YPE

YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives went virtual in summer 2020 Junior Conservatory students spent two weeks from home preparing this classic tale of Dorothy in Oz.

Roald Dahl’s James & the Giant Peach

YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives went virtual in summer 2020 Junior Conservatory students spent two weeks from home preparing this hilarious show.

YAA presented this iconic score by Irving Berlin in our return to the Dekelboum Concert Hall at The Clarice, with Narrator & Stage Director Kristina Friedgen, and a special welcome by Irving Berlin’s granddaughter, Mary Ellin Barrett Lerner.

YAA performed a large scale production of this sweeping musical featuring over 300 performers at our home stage at the Music Center at Strathmore.

An Evening with
KRISTIN CHENOWETH

Members of YAACompany were honored to be asked to perform alongside Broadway luminary Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked).

Gala performance with MATTHEW MORRISON & SHOSHANA BEAN

Members of YAACompany were honored to be asked to perform alongside Broadway luminaries Matthew Morrison (GLEE) & Shoshana Bean (Waitress)

YAAjunior returned to AMP by Strathmore for this Disney classic.

13 the Musical

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Conservatory spent two weeks preparing this rocking show about the teen years Jason Robert Brown.

Merrily We Roll Along

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Conservatory spent two weeks preparing this complex show about the about the life journey of three friends by Stephen Sondheim.

Aladdin JR

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Junior Academy spent two weeks preparing this Disney classic by Alan Menken.

Dear Edwina JR

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Junior Academy spent two weeks preparing this hilarious show about rival summer camps.

Elegies: A Song Cycle

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Senior Academy spent two weeks preparing this moving song cycle about 9/11 years by William Finn.

Smokey Joe’s Cafe

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Senior Academy spent two weeks preparing this rocking revue featuring the songs of Lieber & Stoller.

The Sound of Music in Concert

YAA presented this timeless score by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II in our return to the Dekelboum Concert Hall at The Clarice, with Narrator & Director Carole Graham Lehan.

The Bernstein Songbook

YAA returned to the Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to perform this World-Premiere homage to the one and only Leonard Bernstein.

Ragtime

YAA celebrated the 20th anniversary of the original Broadway production of this epic musical featuring over 300 performers at our home stage at the Music Center at Strathmore.

Seussical JR

YAAjunior returned to AMP by Strathmore for this delightful show by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.

Parade

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Conservatory spent two weeks preparing this now harrowing tale by Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown.

EDGES: A Song Cycle

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Senior Academy spent two weeks preparing this early score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Krazy Kamp

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Junior Academy spent two weeks preparing this zany tale of two competing summer camps.

The Wizard of Oz in Concert

YAA presented this timeless score by Harold Arlen in our return to the Dekelboum Concert Hall at The Clarice, with Guest Narrator Robert Aubry Davis from WETA & Sirius XM.

The Circle of Life:
The Songs of Tim Rice in Concert

YAA commissioned and presented the World Premiere of this production celebrating the 50 year career of the iconic lyricist. Sir Tim Rice himself hosted the performance, and featured Guest Artist Adam Pascal.

The Lion King JR

YAAjunior presented their inaugural production of this iconic show by Elton John & Tim Rice at our newest venue, AMP by Strathmore at Pike & Rose.

In the Heights

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives Conservatory spent two weeks preparing this now iconic story about everyday life in Washington Heights.

Jekyll & Hyde in Concert

YAA presented this inredible contemporary musical by Frank Wildhorn in the stunning Dekelboum Concert Hall at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at The University of Maryland, College Park with Guest Narrator Kim Scharnberg, the original orchestrator of Jekyll & Hyde.

Children of Eden with Stephen Schwartz

YAA presented the youth premiere of the new symphonic version of the inspirational tale about family and faith featuring Guest Mentor and Composer, Stephen Schwartz and directed by Noah Himmelstein.

Kristin Chenoweth - Coming Home

YAA was thrilled to be invited to perform alongside the one and only Kristin Chenoweth for her sold out Coming Home Tour at Strathmore!

Fame the Musical

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives spent two weeks preparing this pop-culture phenomenon about the legendary New York High School of the Performing Arts lives forever.

The Secret Garden in Concert

YAA presented The Secret Garden, the timeless and lush musical by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, featuring the YAA Youth Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble and narrated by William 'Brit" Kirwan, Chancellor of the University of Maryland.

West Side Story + Roméo et Juliette

YAA devised and presented a unique production of West Side Story + Roméo et Juliette in collaboration with Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras and the Titanes Salseros. The performance featured over over 140 performers, including Guest Mentors, tenor Marco Cammarota and soprano Melissa Wimbish, and was directed by Rick Davis.

A Gala Evening with Julie Andrews

YAA was thrilled to be invited along with the Strathmore Children's Chorus to provide the Musical Opening for the Music Center at Strathmore's 10th Anniversary Gala Performance of An Evening with Julie Andrews.

Once On This Island

Participants in YAA's annual Summer Performing Arts Intensives performed this highly original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, from the Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

Show Boat in Concert

YAA presented a Gala Performance of excerpts from the original 1927 version of the seminal musical, Show Boat in the newly restored historic Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club featuring the YAA Youth Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble performing alongside professional mentors, and narrated by Eliot Pfanstiehl, CEO of Strathmore.

Songs for a New World
with Jason Robert Brown

YAA presented the DC premiere of the fully orchestrated version of Songs for a New World, a groundbreaking musical song cycle, featuring Guest Mentor & Composer, Jason Robert Brown, and directed by Jay D. Brock.

2014 Summer Institute

Participants presented The Music of Maury Yeston during the culminating showcase from their 2014 Summer Institute.

Martyrs

YAA devised and presented a concert of selections from opera and musical theatre featuring characters that gave their life for a cause, including Les Miserables, Ragtime, La traviata, Evita, Sweeney Todd, La forza del destino, Children of Eden, Otello and Parade. The performance featured YAA Youth Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble and Guest Soloist Colleen Daly, soprano.

Madama Butterfly & Miss Saigon

YAA devised and presented a unique production featuring these two ravishing scores in collaboration with Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras and directed by Shakespeare Theatre's Alan Paul.

Requiem

YAA devised and presented an original Requiem pastiche with music by Faure, Verdi, Mozart, Bizet, Schubert and Andrew Lloyd Webber, featuring YAA Youth Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble and Guest Mentors Colleen Daly, soprano, Monica Soto-Gil, mezzo-soprano, and Kenneth Kellogg, bass.

Villains

YAA presented a unique concert of selections depicting the most wicked villains in the opera and musical theatre repertoire including Sweeney Todd, Don Giovanni, Les Miserables, Pagliacci, and many more, featuring the YAA Youth Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble performing alongside professional mentors and guest soloists including Jonathan Carney, violin, Jason Stearns, baritone, Jennifer Jellings, soprano, and Monica Soto-Gil, mezzo-soprano.

The Phantom of the Opera

YAA presented the regional premiere of this epic musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, featuring over 150 performers including an 85-piece symphonic orchestra in collaboration with Montgomery County Public Schools and CityDance.