When veteran Broadway
star and choreographer Adam Pelty is not teaching at Interlochen Arts Center or
playing the lead in shows such as Syncopation, he is dreaming up ways to help
the community. He and two partners have just founded Moveable Arts, a nonprofit
educational center that trains young adults for the business of being a
Broadway performer. Moveable Arts differs from the traditional arts camps in
several ways. First of all, its target student is a little older -- college
aged and a bit beyond. Also, Moveable Arts takes aim at the practical business
and living aspects of a Broadway career. Imagine for a moment that you have a
big brother who was "in the business", and you get all the secret
insider information.
All great performances
require a splashy opening; brilliantly, Adam inaugurated Moveable Arts with a
NYC "retreat". Students had to send in audition materials and only a
select bunch were carefully chosen for the three day intensive workshop. Fifty
of Broadway's hottest performers and backers were on hand to share their
wisdom, including David Hyde Pierce.
I first met Adam in high
school, at North Shore Country Day in Winnetka, Illinois. After he left for
boarding school at Interlochen, we met up again at its summer camp. His father
was one of Chicago's truly favorite entertainers, Lee Pelty. This opened up a
bunch of opportunities for Adam. I can tell you, he was an "old
soul", even as a baby-faced 14 year old. He was appearing in movies with
Sean Penn. He was dancing in Chicago Ballet's Nutcracker. He sang the national
anthem for his beloved Cubs. His buddies included "Taxi" theme song
writer, Bob James. There were tales of women in their twenties chasing after him.
When you think about what most boys are like at 14, it was easy to foresee that
Adam Pelty would soon have the world at his feet. Adam is using his superpowers
for good, and the world is a much nicer place for it.
To get in touch with Adam
and find out more about Moveable Arts, check out www.moveablearts.org.
