Michael Merritt

"Bringing Broadway to the Country" is the winning program developed by Merritt to provide students with the opportunity to have fun and express themselves through words, music, dance, and creativity. Since August 2007, theatre students at Hazel Green High School have produced 11 contemporary plays. They have been short, one-act plays with little to no set, and costumes provided by the students. With the funds from ING, the students will be able to produce a full-length play supported by a proper set and with all of the costumes, props and technical components needed to make a play successful. They will purchase copies of one new play, the royalties to perform the play four times, the materials for a theatrical set, and costumes that will be made or rented for that particular play. The production will involve 50-75 students; however, it will be seen by over 500 students during school and several hundred people in the community. Merritt, who lives in Madison, hopes that the program will build a bridge with the community by having a strong performing arts program.