Peter Nero and the Philly Pops |

HOME

OUR SEASON

THE MAESTRO

ABOUT US

Peter Nero and the Philly Pops Welcome Three Kids from Wisconsin to Perform in Broadway Showstoppers!
01/08/04

Peter Nero and the Philly POPS Welcome Three Kids From Wisconsin to the Broadway Showstoppers Series!

Peter Nero and the Philly POPS� is very proud to welcome three young performers to Philadelphia from Wisconsin. Augie Haas, Kelsey Klug and Eric Woolweber are members of Kids from Wisconsin, a non-profit organization whose mission is to seek out, train and showcase the musically gifted youth of that state. Kids from Wisconsin has been developing the artistic talent of the states� young people since 1969, and their members� participation in this concert series is made possible through a grant from The POPS Project educational program.

Each year hundreds of high school and college students age 15 to 20 audition to become members of Kids from Wisconsin. Only 20 dancer/vocalists will make the troupe, and 13 musicians will be chosen for the showband, with 8 alternates. Begun in 1969, over 700 young people have performed as Kids, traveling throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest during the summer as the state�s official Musical Ambassadors of Goodwill.

Augie Haas is majoring in jazz trumpet at the Chicago College of Performing Arts of Roosevelt University. A native of Milwaukee, Augie spent two summers with Kids from Wisconsin. He has also played the National Anthem for the Milwaukee Brewers, and joined the horn section of the Milwaukee Pops Orchestra, Doc Severinsen�s Band, the Rob Parton Orchestra and Rob Parton�s JAZZTECH Big Band.

Kelsey Klug is a sophomore majoring in Music Education, with an emphasis in Piano and Voice at the University of Wisconsin � Platteville. She performed in the Sun Prairie, Wisconsin High School productions of Bye, Bye Birdie and Cinderella. As a freshman, she had the title role of Sandra Dee in the UW-Platteville production of Grease. Kelsey performed with Kids from Wisconsin for three summers.

D. Eric Woolweber, a native of Germantown, Wisconsin, is a senior at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee. He has been performing in musical theatre for the past 10 years, with local community theatres and professionally with the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. Eric has been a member of Kids from Wisconsin for the past two summers, and plans to pursue musical theatre at Columbia College of Chicago in the fall of 2004.

Steven Haines, President of Encore Series, Inc., the presenter of Peter Nero and the Philly POPS�, is a former member of Kids from Wisconsin. From 1986 till 1989, Steve played the trombone in the showband. �Being a Kid really changed my life,� said Haines. �I always loved music, and the experience helped me to decide on arts management as a career.�

�I am delighted to be able to give back a little something to a group that has done so much for me,� said Haines. �I attribute much of my success to the strong foundation that was given me as a Kid.�

This is one of several professional development programs that the POPS is establishing as part of its POPS Project educational outreach initiatives, funded by the US Dept. of Education. The goal is to assist the best and the brightest of our nation�s up and coming performers, to assure that we have a strong pool of talent for the future.

There are very few opportunities for young talent to perform with professional artists, and this experience will give Augie, Kelsey and Eric more than a line for their resume: it gives them a behind-the-scenes look at arts management, as well as the world of professional performance that they are hoping to enter. More information about Kids from Wisconsin can be found at their website, www.kidsfromwisconsin.com.

# # #