Newark's Rising Star
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Newark’s Rising Star ver since the Rochester Broadway Theater League RBTL’s Facebook page May 26th, NHS Senior Jaston Brooks (RBTL) began participating in 2009 in the National emerged as one of the two winners. Megan Fiorella, a EHigh School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) aka The Pittsford Sutherland High School senior was the other who Jimmy Awards competition in New York City, a handful of will represent Rochester in this year’s Jimmy Awards. Newark High School performers have qualified to be in the Brooks’ amazing rendition of “Come Home” from first leg of the RBTL Stars of Tomorrow NYC Bound/ “Dogfight” sealed the deal for the professional judges that NHSMTA local qualifying competition. included Broadway professionals originally from the But NO NHS student has ever made it to the Top Rochester area: John Bolton (Anastasia, A Christmas Ten finalists in the third and final round, let alone be Story), Nicolette Hart (RENT, Legally Blonde the Musical), selected as one of the two representatives from the Don Kot (Resident Music Director and Affiliate Artist at Rochester region RBTL sends to New York City each year to Geva), Kara Lindsay (Newsies, Wicked, Beautiful: The compete for one of the two coveted Jimmy Awards. Carole King Musical), Kamilah Marshall (RENT, Disney’s Until now. The Lion King, Hairspray) and Michael Park (Dear Evan At the end of the third leg of the Stars of Hansen, Tuck Everlasting). Tomorrow NYC Bound competition that aired virtually on At the end of the video presentation of the ceremony, Derek Klena (Jagged Little Pill, Anastasia, The Bridges of Madison County) and Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen, The Book of Mormon) announced the winners. Klena, who played Eddie Birdlace in the Off-Broadway stage adaptation of “Dogfight” announced Brooks’ winning performance first. “I’m am so thrilled to be here tonight to announce one of the amazing talents that will represent RBTL’s Stars of Tomorrow in this year’s Jimmy Awards. Congratulations to Jaston Brooks from Newark High School. Congratulations Jaston! Excellent song choice. ‘Dogfight’ will always hold a near and dear place in my heart. I know firsthand how challenging ‘Come Back’ can be, but you sounded incredible! Crushed it. Knocked it out of the park. Congrats again and break a leg at The Jimmy Awards.” Watch the May 26th show here:https://www.facebook.com/RBTLAud/videos/130873932362521 Jaston Brooks Derek Klena The (RBTL) will join other professional theater organizations from across the country, participating in the annual presentation of “The Jimmy Awards,” live-streaming on July 15th. This national talent showcase celebrates high school students from across the country and features dynamic ensemble and solo performances. The Jimmy Awards/ The National High School Musical Theatre Awards program impacts more than 140,000 students who participate in high school musical theatre competitions each year. To participate in the National High School Musical Theater Awards, professional theaters are required to be a member of ‘The Broadway League’, the National Alliance of Musical Theater or the Theatre Communications Group. Each organization agrees to sponsor two student representatives, local winners of the “Leading Actor” and “Leading Actress” categories, in the national competition, typically held in New York City. A modified version of RBTL’s annual Stars of Tomorrow program was executed this year, with each participating school eligible to nominate lead actors and actresses for Stars of Tomorrow NYC Bound (Rochester’s NHSMTA local competition). Each student was asked to submit a performance video for adjudication and 57 names were submitted for consideration. From Newark, Cody Acquista, Jaston Brooks, Jack Comella, and Gabriella Taylor submitted videos for consideration this year. The song Brooks sang in the competition’s first round: “I Love Betsy” from Honeymoon in Vegas and second round: “Memphis Lives in Me” from Memphis. The top 10 finalists in the third round were: - Aidan Eddy (Greece Odyssey Academy) - Coty Perno (Greece Athena High School) - Delaney Carroll (Churchville-Chili High School) - Fendi Curry (Eastridge High School) - Jaston Brooks (Newark High School) - Lydia Diekmann (Pittsford Sutherland High School) - Martina De Luccio (Greece Athena High School) - Megan Fiorella (Pittsford Sutherland High School) - Teagan Dye (Our Lady of Mercy / McQuaid Jesuit High Schools) - Valerie Rodriguez-Castro (Wayne Central High School) As presented by the Broadway League Foundation, the NHSMTA program has, in past years, invited the two nominees from each regional ceremony to New York City, to participate in coaching and rehearsals with Broadway professionals in preparation for a one-night-only talent showcase on a Broadway stage. However, this year, all coaching, rehearsals, and activities will take place online for the 70 nominees from 35 regions around the US. It will culminate with two talented students being presented with a Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor award with a total of 20 awards and scholarships available to all participants. The program has been the catalyst for more than $4,000,000 in educational scholarships to date, and several student participants have already been cast in Broadway, Touring and West End productions. After learning of their wins, Brooks and Fiorella met June 1st at the Rochester Auditorium Theater where they were interviewed, and filmed song and dance selections, all to be sent on to The Jimmy Awards judges. Both will complete a ten-day series of workshops and lessons taught by Broadway experts June 20 - July 2 and culminate in a group performance/presentation that will be part of The Jimmy Awards presentation July 15th. Prior to this year, Brooks in 2018 received acknowledgement from the RBTL Stars of Tomorrow program as Supporting Actor for his role in Newark High School Drama Club’s presentation of “Nice Work.” He also has been recognized at the county level at the Wayne County Performing Arts ELENBE awards: • Best Supporting Actor in a Musical 2018 (Cookie McGee in “Nice Work”) • Runner Up for Best Actor in a Drama in 2019 (Puck in “Midsummer/Jersey”) • Best Actor in a Musical (Edward Bloom in “Big Fish”) in 2020. Click on this photo to watch video of Brooks performing. Above, Megan Fiorella and Jaston Brooks And what has the reaction been since it was announced May 26th that Brooks was one of the two RBTL Stars of Tomorrow NYC Bound winners? “Very surreal” asserts Brooks’ mom Miranda Brooks. After Klena announced her son had won May 26th, Miranda said he joyfully “catapulted almost to the ceiling.” And while she and her husband, Justin, and their other four children were absolutely elated, they weren’t that surprised Jaston had won. Miranda Brooks said Justin had repeatedly told Jaston “we know you’re going to win.” “In my heart of hearts I knew it was his, but I didn’t want to verbalize it,’’ she said, noting she cried when she learned, that in fact, her son was the winner. “Jaston sings all the time at home. As a child he picked up Disney songs and others on the radio. It stuck with him. As the years have gone by we’ve seen him develop and grow. I’ve seen the excitement in him when he’s onstage,’’ she continued. “He pulls everybody into his character. He makes it his own. He tells a story.” And what does Jaston Brooks have to say? “I am very surprised to be going to The Jimmy’s _ it’s something I’ve wanted to do,’’ he said. “I feel very accomplished and proud of what I’ve been able to do.” Brooks, who said he does sing all the time and watches “tons of videos and musicals” said he’s tried his best and worked “really hard” to get to where he is today. “It’s taken a lot of time and effort, but it’s definitely all been worth it.” Jaston and Miranda Brooks Brooks attributes much of his success to his Mom, Kate Flock, NHS vocal music teacher, who has not only been the music director for shows, but was his music teacher when he was a Newark Middle School student before she began teaching at NHS when he was in eighth grade at NMS and Emily Howard, who has been his director and choreographer in NHS dramas and musicals. “They have been two of my biggest supporters,” Brooks said. “They are just always there for me _ always available to help me in any way they can. They want to see me succeed. And my mom. She’s my biggest fan. She’s very proud of. me. She wants me to succeed and does everything she can to help make it possible.” Howard and Flock are very excited about Brooks’ win and his musical accomplishments. “I’ve taught Jaston for 6 years in grades 6,7,9,10, 11 and 12,” Flock recalled. “He was always a great singer. I even took him to All- County when he was in 6th grade. I remember because he was so antsy. He couldn't stand still to save his life. Just wanted to move to all the songs. When he came to the high school, he started off in Mixed Choir. Halfway through the year I took a look at his schedule to see if I could move him to Chamber Choir. He had a raw talent, but I could hear how good his ear was...it was special. “I talked with him about being in the musical when he was in the Middle School, but he wasn't sure,” Flock continued. “I think freshman year was a year for Jaston to discover what his real interests were , as it is for many.