The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has continued its mission of providing access to the arts to young individuals during its recent visit by Alicia Keys’ “Hell’s Kitchen.” The musical, which features the pop star’s hit songs, is about a community coming together to uplift a teenager as she discovers her passion for music.
In the same effort, the DCPA invited one lucky high school student to sit in the orchestra pit for a live performance of the show at the Buell Theatre.
Cory Leventhal, a senior at Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, was the one student who was selected to experience the show from the pit.
“It was very-very cool,” Leventhal said.
Leventhal was invited to sit alongside the music director of the show, where he was able to see how a remote pit works.
“She gave me a copy of the score, so I got to read through the entire show and watch the musicians do their things. It was really awesome,” Leventhal said.
The show operates a remote pit, meaning a majority of the musicians playing the music live are not in the theatre or under the stage in the traditional orchestra pit. Rather, they are set up in a different room away from the house and stage and they use cameras to follow along with the show.
Leventhal is part of Fossil Ridge High School’s theatre and music program and has even performed on Broadway in New York before. He also has a band with some of his friends.
“I enjoy playing in pits. I enjoy learning about the different ways pits are set up. I love the technical side of things. It was awesome to go in there and not only see the musicians play and hear some really good music, but to also hear how they do their remote pit,” Leventhal said.
Leventhal applauded the staff at the DCPA for helping set up such an experience for an aspiring professional musician.
“I just want to thank them a million times over,” Leventhal said.
Leventhal said this experience has encouraged him to explore a career in music and the performing arts beyond high school.
“If nothing else before, this definitely (had an impact on me),” Leventhal said. “These experiences really show you can make a career out of what you love.”
