LEDYARD -- Rachelle Seney, 13, of Ledyard and
Harrison Fish, 18, of Canterbury won the chance to perform live with the
cast of "Brooklyn The Musical" at the Bushnell Center for Performing Arts in
Hartford through Voices of Hope. Seney, who was scheduled to perform June
25, has been singing since she was a baby and wants to pursue a career as a
chorus director.
Fish, who just finished his freshman year at UConn, started singing his
sophomore year in high school and is currently in an a capella group called
Extreme Measures at UConn. He was scheduled to perform June 22.
Voices for Hope is a public education and fund-raising campaign
administered by New Generations Ministries and LUNCH (Local United Network
to Combat Hunger), utilizing the national tour of the Broadway show,
"Brooklyn The Musical," in collaboration with The Bushnell Center for
Performing Arts. June 25 was the last show for the musical.
Seney and Fish, along with 12 semi-finalists, sang in front of a panel of
Voices for Hope judges at The Bushnell June 3 in the final round of the
vocal competition.
Voices for Hope received submissions from hopeful 12- to 18-year olds
from all over Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Texas. After
listening to all of the a capella recordings, the show's director, casting
director and music director narrowed the field down to the 14 finalists who
were judged on both talent and passion by industry professionals.
Bill and Kay Pere, a Mystic husband and wife team and founders of LUNCH,
administered the Voices for Hope competition along with New Generations, a
Hartford nonprofit organization that provides charitable contributions and
volunteer work for the needy and homeless.
The $50 contestant entry fee is a charitable contribution that will aid
New Generations' food pantry and breakfast program for families in New
Britain, and also the Hartford-based organization, The House of Bread, Inc.
LUNCH will be designating its funds for support of homeless shelters in
southeastern Connecticut, which would include MASH in Groton, Harvest Home
in Westerly, Covenant Shelter in New London, Katie Blair House in Norwich
and the New London Emergency Shelter in New London.
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Rachelle Seney, top row, far right, from Ledyard
and Harrison Fish, top row,
second from right, from Canterbury appear June 3 with the
other 12 semifinalists of the Voices for Hope contest at
the Bushnell Center for Performing Arts in Hartford
