Student performers from schools all over Miami- Dade County audition at The Mandelstam Theater for the chance to be in a very special production. Mouse King, an imaginative, musical retelling of the classic Nutcracker tale conceived by Sesame Street puppeteer Noel MacNeal and composed by renowned songwriter Jim Camacho, gives a stellar cast of talented children the chance to perform in a professional production alongside professional actors, singers and puppeteers.
According to the American Alliance for Theater & Education, students participating in the performing arts report higher academic achievement than their non-arts counterparts. Numerous studies have demonstrated a correlation between drama involvement and academic achievement. Student performers who audition and are granted a part in the production commit to a demanding schedule of rehearsals while learning about performance art in addition to the technical side of theater - videography, prop building, lighting and sound.
"We have to practice 2 days after school and on Saturdays but I don't mind - I have so much fun in the theater," says a fourth grader.
"The benefits of performance experience in a professional theater are many but none are more important than the confidence the children display on stage - It really is breathtaking," says the parent of a first grader. 
Conceived by Master Puppeteer Noel MacNeal and composed by award winning Miami native Jim Camacho, Mouse King is wonderful entertainment for theater goers and a profound experience for those students given the opportunity to perform. Mouse King is playing at The Mandelstam Theater from December 10th, 2015 - December 13th, 2015.
The Mandelstam Theater is located at 8530 SW 57th Ave, Miami, FL 33143. Tickets for the Mouse King are $20 each, and matinee and evening tickets are available at http://www.MouseKingTickets.com
