Magnolia, Queen Anne kids cast in ‘13’

Magnolians Camaira Metz and Aisha Carpenter, along with Queen Anners Izabel Mar and Julia Furukawa will be performing in a professional production of “13, A New Musical.”
The outgoing Metz and Carpenter have been regulars of the Broadway Bound program in which kids pay a tuition, receive stage training and are automatically cast in whatever show is scheduled. This usually means multiple casts for famous shows such as “Annie.” “13” was performed by students this summer and because of its popularity, ACT Theater picked it up and is working in association with Broadway Bound to make it happen.
The one caveat is that there be one cast. That meant auditions and disappointment for several young actors and actresses. But Metz, Carpenter, Mar and Furukawa made the cut.
“This is the first time that there had been selective casting,” said Metz’ mother, Jill Metz, herself a former Seagal cheerleader with the Seattle Seahawks. “They really got a great group of kids.”
Both Metz and Carpenter are eighth graders at Catharine Blaine K-8, where they have performed, too.
At just 13, Mar has already performed at Seattle Children’s Theater and the Intiman Theater, the latter of which saw her as little Pearl in a production of “The Scarlet Letter.” You can see her do a monologue from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” and from “The Jungle Book” by clicking here.
Furukawa meanwhile is an avid soccer player, and you can catch a bit of her powerful voice in a previous performance of “13” by clicking here.

In recognition of this production, Jason Robert Brown, the Tony award-winning composer of 13 will be coming to Seattle to attend the preview and opening night performances, and to work with the cast. He will also present a benefit concert for Broadway Bound at 9 p.m., Dec. 8 after the performance. Tickets to ‘13’ are $17.50 and are available online at www.acttheatre.org or through the ACT box office. Tickets to the Jason Robert Brown concert are $30 and are also available through ACT. A special joint ticket price of $40 is available over the phone only (206-292-7676) for those purchasing tickets to both the preview performance of 13 (6 p.m.) and the Jason Robert Brown concert event (9 p.m.). For more information, visit the Broadway Bound website (www.broadwaybound.org).