Curtain Calls XTRA

DETROIT – On February 6th, the Mosaic Singers celebrated the New Year with a new show that raised the roof at the Max. It was also opening night for several new staff members who recently joined the much honored Mosaic Youth Theatre: Gwendolyn Esco-Davis, COO; Margaret M. Smith, director of marketing and development; Kate Peckham, director of the acting company; and Neil Carpentier-Alting, director of the technical theatre program.
The internationally acclaimed Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is a multicultural youth theatre, offering free quality theatrical and musical training for metropolitan Detroit's young artists, ages 12-18. Ensemble members work with professional actors, writers, musicians and designers. Rehearsing after school and on weekends, the young artists are involved in every element of production, including writing the play, composing the music, and designing and building the set.
Gwendolyn Esco Davis brings her passion for the arts and young people to her new role as chief operating officer (COO). A native Detroiter, her business management accomplishments are notable in both the public and private sector.
Margaret M. Smith, director of marketing and development, spent her career of 24 years "multi-tasking" in publicity, fundraising and special events, where she has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a variety of non-profit arts organizations. Her story ideas and partnership approach to the media resulted in extensive arts and culture coverage in both print and broadcast media in her hometown of Buffalo, NY.
A favorite of Detroit audiences, award winning actress Kate Peckham is now the director of the Mosaic Acting Company. Peckham has been a professional actor for 13 years and has appeared in over 60 productions on Detroit area stages. She founded two theatre companies in the Los Angeles area, and her acting credits include national commercials and Cameron Crowe's film "Almost Famous."
Mosaic's new director of the Technical Theatre Program is Neil Carpentier-Alting, owner of Pipe Dream Studios, a Detroit based scenic studio specializing in designing and building sets and lights for Southeastern Michigan professional theatre companies. He held the technical director position at the Court Theater at the University of Chicago and at the undergraduate theater program at Wayne State University.
Mosaic has been recognized by the American Council of Education, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Conference of Mayors, and the Coming Up Taller award at the White House as one of the nation's top ten youth arts groups. Mosaic's Youth Ensemble and Singers and Technicians have toured regionally, nationally and internationally, including performances at the Kennedy Center; Copenhagen, Denmark; London, England; Singapore, Asia; and Dakar, Senegal.
For more information, please contact the Mosaic Youth Theatre at 313-872-6910 or log on to Mosaic's web site at http://www.mosaicdetroit.org.