Join The Parker Project and Rockwell Dance Center for a night of song & dance on April 29th at Trumbull High School. The Parker Project and Rockwell Dance Center are having their 17th annual benefit to support local Pediatric Cancer Foundations (LIV FREE and Infinite Love For Kids Fighting Cancer) in memory of Charlie Capalbo and SAM Performing Arts Scholarship.
The Steven A. Merrihew Performing Arts Scholarship is awarded to graduating senior(s) from Trumbull High School who plan to continue their studies in performing arts or communications in college. Steven Merrihew was a singer, writer and actor and helped to raise $2,500 at the very first benefit in 2006 with the Performing Arts Center of CT (PACC - now Rockwell Dance Center). A few months after the event, Steven was unexpectedly killed in an auto crash. The following year in 2007 the scholarship was renamed in Steven's honor. Since then over $65,000 has been given out to Trumbull High School graduates who are going on to pursue dance, voice, acting, musical theater, music instrumentation, theater arts, theater production, lighting design, sound design or communications.
To apply for this scholarship you must be majoring or minoring in dance, voice, acting, musical theater, music instrumentation, theater arts, theater production or communications. Scholarship(s) will be awarded on both a talent and/or need basis.
Capalbo Strong was founded in 2017 by a team of Fairfield Prep (mostly) hockey moms in support of Charlie Capalbo during his first battle with cancer. Against all odds, Charlie beat cancer three times (Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and Leukemia). Sadly, he lost his fourth battle at 24 years young. Before he died his family promised him that they would do their part to raise funds for AML research for the rest of their lives, so that someday no child (or adult) has to be told there are no more treatment options.
In memory of Charlie, proceeds from the benefit concert, made in his name, go to LIVFREE and Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer - two local charities for pediatric cancer that provide for our community.
LIVFREE fights pediatric cancer with smiles and provides kids and their families an experience to help give them a break from treatment and provide some family fun time. Whether it's a visit to a movie theater or a sporting event they help families have something to look forward to during their tough time. LIVFREE was founded in 2016 in honor of Lauren Irene Vieira (Liv) as a way for her family to pay it forward after receiving tons of support from family, friends and their community as Lauren battled Leukemia. LIVFREE was founded in Shelton, CT.
Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer provides research grants to our country’s leading hospitals as well as prides itself in helping childhood cancer families both financially and emotionally. Jim McCaffrey, a Trumbull resident and Trumbull High School teacher, is the Vice President of Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer. Jim and his family lost their little girl, Mia, to childhood cancer and continue to support other families and children in her name.
The Benefit Concert will begin at 7:00pm on Saturday, April 29th at Trumbull High School.
Tickets are $25 and can be reserved via Venmo (@theparkerproject) and then picked up at the door under your name. General donations can be made by check or Venmo (@theparkerproject). Checks should be made payable to The Parker Project, Receipts can be requested from Nikole at Nikole.theparkerproject@gmail.com.
About The Parker Project
The Parker Project is a 501c3 Non Profit. Their mission is to expose new audiences to concert dance. They wish to bring the same level of concert dance found in NYC to CT and give back to the community.
About Rockwell Dance Center
Rockwell Dance Center provides students with a creative and inspiring dance education. They feel it is imperative that every dancer be given a strong technical foundation by utilizing proper terminology, training and anatomical understanding. RDC encourages artistry in a supportive and nurturing environment; we believe in recognizing and appreciating the individual strengths of each dancer. Their goal is to offer varied performance opportunities while giving back and sharing with our community.
