‘Let There Be Light’ — MSA Foundation presents dinner theater fundraiser

Published 12:02 pm Monday, May 9, 2022

Students of The Mississippi School of the Arts will host “Let There Be Light” dinner theater this Thursday in Lampton Auditorium.

Featuring students from dance, theater and music programs, the performance will be headlined by Broadway star Jonathan Sharp, who has family in Brookhaven.

Tickets are $25 for the show only, $50 to include dinner, or $75 for the show, dinner and a VIP reception with Sharp. Proceeds will benefit the MSA Foundation. Tickets will be for sale through today and are available at www.msabrookhaven.org. Call 601-823-1300 for more information.

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Sharp grew up in Mississippi before leaving to further his education at the National Academy of the Arts and the School of American Ballet in New York. He has danced professionally with the Boston Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, and the touring Stars of American Ballet. He has appeared on Broadway in the original casts of “The Red Shoes,” “Carousel,” “The Rocky Horror Show Live,” “The Dance of the Vampires” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” He has also appeared on “Another World,” “Law and Order” and “Gilmore Girls.”

Sharp has taught at Idyllwild Arts Academy for the past 13 years and teaches and directs internationally. He also worked as an adjunct professor for MSA during the 2021-2022 academic year.

“With the lessons learned through COVID-19, we found some ways of teaching that work to enhance learning for our students,” said MSA Executive Director Suzanne Hirsch. “To be able to share resources with (Idyllwild) and offer our students this unique experience is an example of how we can use lessons learned to our advantage.”

“Jonathan’s connection to Mississippi and Brookhaven is an inspiration for our young Mississippi artists,” Hirsch said.