Broadway actress to spend week training D214 actors

Prospect High School, through the sponsorship of the Prospect Endowment of the Fine and Performing Arts and theater department, will host Broadway actress and star Lisa Howard Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

Howard will work with students from Prospect, Wheeling, John Hersey and Elk Grove high schools, interacting with large classes and selected individuals from each school for a master class workshop.

At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1, those students will present a benefit performance on the Prospect stage. Howard will perform songs from Broadway shows along with the PHS fall play cast, who will perform a couple of numbers from its production of "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee."

There is a minimum $5 donation at the door to attend Howard's benefit performance with these talented District 214 students on Oct. 1. For more information call (847) 718-5554.

The Prospect show will be presented in the school theater Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 14-16.

Howard originated the role of Rona Lisa Peretti from the Tony Award-nominated "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and has worked in regional theaters including The St. Louis MUNY, The Carousel Dinner Theatre, The Human Race Theatre Company, The Olney Theatre Center, Carrington Stage Company, as well as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Howard was a member of the national touring company of "Les Miserables" and in the original Broadway cast of "South Pacific" at Lincoln Center. In New York City she has also appeared in "And The Earth Moved," "Silence, The Musical!" and made her cabaret debut with "Inspiration" at the Ars Nova Theater. She recently appeared on Broadway in Dolly Parton's "9 to 5 The Musical" and in Jim Hensen's "Emmett Otter" at Goodspeed Opera House.