Q & A
Broadway Bound
Deanna Thomas joins the ranks of teens who ’ ve shined at Paper Mill Playhouse
WRITTEN BY BABEE GARCIA
Deanna Thomas , 17 , is an ordinary teenager : She is ajunior at Wayne Valley High School , where she is amember of the Chamber Choir — an audition-only group — and plays the flute in the marching band .
But this summer , her talents as aperformer won her acoveted spot in Paper Mill Playhouse ’ s highly-regarded Summer Musical Theater Conservatory , directed and choreographed by the Millburn institution ’ s professional artistic staff . ( Conservatory alumni include Anne Hathaway , Laura Benanti and Julia Knitel .) The five-week program culminated in an original concert entitled “ New Voices of2018 : From Sea to Shining Sea .” Thomas performed asolo and played guitar in the concert , which was presented three times inlate July at Montclair State University .
Thomas has been performing ever since fifth grade , when she was inspired by her older sister ’ s performance inThe Little Mermaid . Her resume grew with asolo performance in alocal YMCA ’ s production of School of Rock , which led to more roles in its summer shows . During the summers of 2016 and 2017 , she participated in the Young Artist Summer Intensive , amusical theater program run by NJPAC .
THOMAS HEADSHOT : COURTESY OF SUSAN COOK ; PERFORMING : BABEE GARCIA
26 FALL 2018 WAYNE MAGAZINE