New Generation Theatre (NGT) is committed to the education of students through experience in the theatre arts and strives to produce sophisticated productions using serious-minded students looking to further their skills in singing, acting, dance, and music. For six weeks the students work in the rehearsal process ending in the full staged production of a published Broadway musical. Young performers and musicians entering 8th grade through those who have recently graduated 12th grade are eligible for the program. Once registered, performers must complete the audition process to be cast in the summer musical.
The program is directed by Sol Bloch and Justin Boccitto, who hold professional careers in the entertainment and educational community. Collectively they have worked in Television, Film and Off-Broadway Theatre with credits including MTV's Made, The Metropolitan Opera, Circle in the Square, The Juilliard School and more. Regionally they have worked for The Helen Hayes Youth Theatre, Random Farms, Westchester Broadway Theatre and several area high schools.
The Team
Sol Bloch
Co-Director
Sol has been working in the professional and educational arts industry for over thirty years. His work as a performer and musical director has been seen in prominent cabaret acts at Don’t Tell Mama, Arci’s Place and The Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York as well as the Mohonk’s Summer Festival of the Arts. In 2000, He received a MAC Award nomination for his work with the popular group High-5 Vocalworks. Sol also worked with the Group Theatre Too on their Off-Broadway revival of Seesaw at the Connelly Theater and served as musical director and arranger for the new musical revue Song and Dance Men. For the past ten years, alongside Justin Boccitto, Sol has directed North Rockland’s spring musical. He is currently the Choral Director at Haverstraw Elementary School of the North Rockland Central School District and also serves as the organist at St. Augustine’s RC Church in New City, NY. He has also worked at several youth theatre organizations in Rockland County including Clarkstown Summer Theatre Festival and the Helen Hayes Youth Theatre. For more information, visit www.solbloch.com.
Justin Boccitto
Co-Director
Justin Boccitto is an award-winning artist working in every avenue of the performing arts directing, choreographing, performing, teaching, and producing works across the country. Based in New York City, Justin has used his unique combination of dance, music, and film to create work for The Gypsy of The Year Awards, The Choreographer’s Canvas, the New York City revival of In The Heights at The Gallery Players, the New York Musical Theatre Festival where he received two Best Choreography awards, as well as his own musical, Song & Dance Men. His performing credits include tap dancing at the Ryman Auditorium, Big Apple Tap Festival, and The Metropolitan Opera. As an educator, Justin has appeared on MTV’s “Made” and on the cover of Dance Informa Magazine. He is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center, Marymount Manhattan College, Peridance Capezio Center, Circle in the Square Theatre School, and The Juilliard School as a guest tap instructor. Some notable students include: Adam Chanler-Berat, Sean Fosse, and Lady Gaga. Justin is the Executive Producer of Group Theatre Too where he has produced over fifteen years of dance concerts, musicals and plays as well as the co-founder of Rockland County’s youth theatre company, New Generation Theatre, a 501(c)(3) organization training young performers in the performing arts. Justin is a proud member of AEA and SDC. www.justinboccitto.com
Will Rich
Assistant Music Director
Will is a music director, accompanist, private piano teacher and vocal coach from Nyack, NY. He has music directed, conducted, and played in pits for numerous youth, school, college, community and regional theaters throughout Rockland, Westchester, and greater NY, including Lighthouse Youth Theatre, Clarkstown South High School, SUNY New Paltz, Helen Hayes Youth Theatre, and Merry-Go-Round Playhouse. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music with a B.M. in music education and piano, he is classically trained with an extensive background in musical theater and jazz. Will has been the assistant music director at NGT since 2013.
Dani Hernandez
Web & Graphic Designer
While pursing a career in dance in NYC, Dani was told to create her own site in order to market herself in the dance world. A month later, she began creating websites for many singers, dancers, actors, choreographers, and directors who just didn’t have the time to create their own. After a few years, she started to notice a trend. People seemed unhappy with their current website and would say something like “I just don’t have time to fix it” or “I wouldn’t even know where to start”. She started creating and redoing websites for other creatives which led to her starting her own media design company - REDO U MEDIA DESIGN, the place to go when you desperately need an upgrade but just don't have the time to do it. www.redoumediadesign.com