December 15, 2006

Evergreen Valley College student performing in AMTSJ’s “Christmas Dreamland”

Kelly Black, a graduate of Oak Grove High School currently attending Evergreen Valley College, is performing this month in American Musical Theatre of San Jose's holiday extravaganza, “Christ-mas Dreamland.”

Kelly Black

This is Black's third professional production and her second with AMTSJ, where she played opposite Diana DeGarmo in “West Side Story.”

Black is majoring in dance with plans to transfer in the near future to San Jose State University. She has studied dance and voice since the age of four and holds titles from numerous state, regional, and national dance and vocal competitions. 

Black is the former Junior Miss San Jose, a past member of Impulse Dance Company, Teen Dance Company of the Bay Area, and Phaxion hip hop group. In her senior year, she was named Oak Grove High School Student of the Year by the San Jose Mercury News. She also won the coveted Best Female Performer award and scholarship from American Musical Theatre in 2005 when she competed against some 2,500 actors from 26 California high schools in their High School Musical Theatre Honors Program. 

Black has appeared in many local theater productions, especially with Children's Musical Theater of San Jose. Favorite roles include Amneris in the World Non-Equity Premier of “Aida,” Cassie in “A Chorus Line,” and Velma Kelly in “Chicago.”

Black is the youngest adult cast member in AMTSJ's “Christmas Dreamland,” where she is part of the talented 22-member ensemble who sing, dance, play bells, roller skate, and even do puppetry. “Christmas Dreamland” plays Tuesday-Sunday through Dec. 24 at the Heritage Theater in Campbell. Tickets are $48-73. Call 1-888-455-SHOW or go to the website at www.amtsj.org for tickets.