Altman 2 Group B

2008 COMING UP TALLER AWARD
TADA!s Resident Youth Ensemble was honored as 2008 recipients of the Coming Up Taller Award—the nations highest honor for youth development organizations selected by the Presidents Committee on the Arts and Humanities. First Lady Laura Bush presented the award to TADA!s Executive & Artistic Director, Janine Nina Trevens, and Ensemble Member, Christina Franklin at the White House in November. The Coming Up Taller Award recognizes and supports outstanding community arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of young people.

ABOUT THE DAY OF THANKS
In response to the award, we spoke to our kids about how they thought we should spread the word, and one of them suggested that they sing for the people who help us out. We loved the idea and enlisted Tony Award-winning actor/composer Michael Rupert to write a song of thanks, and scheduled our Day of Thanks. On December 11 small groups of TADA! Ensemble Members are visiting the offices of our funders all around the city to sing a song and let their full staff know that we simply couldnt have been this successful without them.

Credits
The TADA! Thank You Song
Performed by members of TADA!'s Resident Youth Ensemble

Music by Michael Rupert
Lyrics by Michael Rupert & Janine Nina Trevens
Musical Direction by Jim Colleran

For more information, please visit the following Web sites:
TADA! Theater www.tadatheater.com/press
Coming Up Taller: www.cominguptaller.org

ABOUT TADA!
TADA! Youth Theater believes that every interested child in the metropolitan area, regardless of socioeconomic status, race or ethnicity, deserves an affordable way to experience the joy of musical theater. Since 1894, we have produced high-quality, innovative musical theater productions for New York City families.

TADA! provides young people of all different backgrounds, including a large number of disadvantaged children and families, the opportunity to explore and perform theater together in an educational, supportive, and professional environment. Every year, TADA! produces several original musical theater productions with a discounted ticket program for kids; free pre-professional training and youth development opportunities through the Resident Youth Ensemble composed of over 65 NYC kids ages 8-18; renowned Arts Education in-school residencies and after-school programs that are subsidized by our funders; theater classes for kids of all ages taught by professional teaching artists and for which need-based scholarships are readily available; a semi-annual playwriting contest for established and emerging playwrights; and a reading series that is made free and open to the general public.

ABOUT THE RESIDENT YOUTH ENSEMBLE
The TADA! Resident Youth Ensemble is a unique, award-winning, completely free, pre-professional theater training and youth development program. More than 70 Ensemble Members come from all five boroughs, NJ, Westchester and Long Island. Membership in the Ensemble is by audition only. Ensemble members perform in mainstage shows and at various special events throughout the city. Ensemble Members also have opportunities to see other dance, music and theater shows, participate in panels with theater professionals and take free voice, dance and acting classes. However, the program doesnt end there! Youth development activities range from transportation subsidies to small group mentoring with TADA! staff to college preparation and tours to free snacks during rehearsals and job readiness training and stipends.