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He's Singin' in the Rain... Jr.

Dominick Sannelli, at 13 years of age, is already showing signs of being a serious contender as a triple threat.  He has done numerous semi-professional and community theater shows in New Jersey over the past several years, including playing the scrub boy in MP OnStage’s production last year of The Emperor’s New Clothes.  This fall, Dominick will be taking center stage for MP OnStage again as Eugene Jerome, the lead in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs at Kelsey Theatre.

This summer, Dominick had the time of his life in New York City working on a theater project few children get the opportunity to experience.   In March, his drama director and social studies teacher from school, William Hallman, recommended Dominick for the iTheatrics Summer Project, a branch of Music Theatre International (MTI) that rewrites full length musicals into “Jr.” versions about an hour in length for performance and viewing by junior high and middle school children.  Some of the shows that are already available in Jr. versions are Aladdin Jr., Annie Jr., Fiddler on the Roof Jr., Into the Woods Jr., Willie Wonka Jr., and Music Man Jr.

This year, Dominick auditioned with hundreds of kids for a coveted spot in one of the four upcoming workshops.  Only 28 children are chosen for each workshop.  The four workshops this summer are High School Musical Jr., Singing in the Rain Jr., Sign of the Sea Horse Jr., and Little Shop of Horrors Jr.  
The workshop runs for one week and is basically is a test run for these newly rewritten shows.  iTheatrics uses these workshops to fine-tune the script and musical numbers. 

To be cast in roles, the kids endure a three-hour audition the first day of the workshop.  They work on putting the show together during the week, and at the end of the week they give two presentations to parents and MTI employees to reveal the final production.  The process is not only educational for the participants in terms of personal performance development, but also teaches them a tremendous amount about what goes into writing a musical.
 
The night before he auditioned for a role in Singing in the Rain Jr., Dominic saw the MP OnStage production of Singing in the Rain at Kelsey Theatre.  The next day, he went to the auditions and nabbed the coveted role of Cosmo in Singing in the Rain Jr.  In addition, the staff of iTheatrics chose to award him a full scholarship to attend. 

While at the April auditions, Dom’s parents, Vince and Simone, were approached by MTI’s resident choreographer of the Broadway Jr. Division, Steven Kennedy.  Kennedy said that Dominick stood out from the crowd and asked if he would be available to shoot a choreography DVD that goes into the licensing packages sent to schools.
The Singing in the Rain Jr. workshop and the DVD are completed and Dominick is back home to his normal life as a normal kid once again. 

In that life, Dominick goes to Charles Boehm Middle School in Yardley, PA.  His chorus teacher, Laurie Gougher (who also has been known to grace the Kelsey stage on occasion) encouraged Dominick to audition for The Pirates of Penzance at school.  Although only in fourth grade, he landed the role of Police Chief.  That summer, he saw a family friend play the role of Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street on Broadway and took a backstage tour.  That’s when he decided that acting is what he wants to do with his life.

Since then, he’s been taking dance lessons at Downstage Center Dance Studio in Morrisville, PA, and taking voice from his choir teacher, Laurie Gougher, and Steven Schnurman in Princeton.  He studies acting with his mom.
His favorite role was Edgar in Ragtime at Camden County Community College, a college production that casts Equity, student, and amateur performers for its productions.

Congratulations to Dominick! Keep up the good work!

Make sure you see Dominick in Brighton Beach Memoirs at Kelsey Theater in November.

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