Nora's Ark The Original Jazz Musical AUDITIONS (5th - 8th grades)

Join our interest list to receive the official audition registration link for Nora’s Ark, Jazz Power Initiative’s spring musical. Open to students in grades 5–8 who love singing, dancing, and acting. Auditions are free and begin January 24. Space is limited so join the list! 

Jazz Power Initiative, the nationally recognized uptown non profit organization is holding auditions for youth in 5th-8th grades for their spring production of the internationally presented Nora’s Ark, the jazz musical by Eli Yamin and Clifford Carlson.

Join other music minded young people to sing, dance and act out a story about climate change, cooperation and survival with original swing, blues and bebop music. Youth of all experience levels are invited to audition and make friends with jazz and each other while learning singing, acting and movement from award winning professional teaching artists and performing with a professional band.

Program led by: Senior Voice Teacher, Antoinette Montague
Theatre Teacher, Kena Onyejekwe
Managing and Artistic Director, Dr. Eli Yamin, aka “Dr. E”

Ages: 5th–8th grades

Audition dates :

January 24th 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.

January 29th 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Where do Auditions take place?
Jazz Power Initiative, Suite 645, 6th floor, NY, NY, 10034.

Rehearsals & performance days:Rehearsals in Inwood: Thursdays after school beginning in February and Saturdays beginning in May.Final Show: June 6 & 7, 2026 at Lehman College Theatre

What to expect on Open Audition day?
10 min. audition

*Sing acapella one song of your choice. (you can bring a track if needed)

*Act a paragraph of an acting scene that will be emailed to you before the audition. (We will have a copy of this on site).

What happens after Auditions?
All students who successfully complete Audition will be invited to register for the Family Interview, taking place the same day of all Saturday auditions from 1-3pm only.

How much is the registration fee for the Jazz Power Youth program?
One time low registration fee of $25.00. Need-based waivers are available. Auditions are free.

Tell me more about the Jazz Power Youth program?
Jazz Power Youth is an award winning, transformational 22-week multidisciplinary experience in singing, acting, and movement. With support from the National Endowment from the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the Miranda Family Fund with the Hispanic Federation, the Common Sense Fund, the Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation, and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, the program is offered for one time low registration fee to families who fully commit to the program schedule and attendance policy.

Jazz Power Initiative’s holistic, cross-cultural and multidisciplinary approach to jazz education activates an inclusive atmosphere that fosters creativity, collaboration, and discipline. African American and Latin American cultural foundations of jazz guide our process including the models of excellence we provide the children, the background of our faculty, the repertoire we select, the communities we serve, and the “Jazz Power Tools” we teach such as improvisation, making a soulful sound, call and response, syncopation, and swing. Our culturally relevant jazz-based pedagogy increases artistic and social emotional skills and aligns with New York City, State and National arts learning standards as well as best voice practices published by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

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