In celebration of Black History Month, the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Black Alumni Network (HSPVA BAN) will host The Wiz Emerald City Experience fundraiser which includes a pre-show reception and the Black History Month All-School Musical production of The Wiz. The event takes place on Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Kinder HSPVA Studio Theater, 790 Austin St. before the musical begins at 6:30 pm. Tickets to the event are available at https://givebutter.com/emeraldcityexperience.
Guests will be guided by the yellow brick road to Emerald City, where the attire is “You’ve Got To Be Seen Green,” while experiencing Black culture and arts illuminated through green colored lenses. The evening features live student performances, curated eats, and a special guest presentation by distinguished Theatre Department alum from the class of 2015, Olly Sholotan (Carlton on Peacock’s Bel-Air).
2023 HSPVA BAN Distinguished Alum Olly Sholotan
Proceeds from HSPVA BAN’s Emerald City Experience benefit the college scholarship and summer intensive training fund for HSPVA Black student artists.
“We’re excited to invite the city to support our student performers by joining us for a magical evening at The Wiz Emerald City Experience and helping us raise $50k in scholarship funds. If you are unable to attend, please consider making a donation,” HSPVA BAN President Denise Ward urged.
Tickets to The Wiz Emerald City Experience are $250 and can be purchased online on the Givebutter page. Each ticket includes the pre-show reception and a premium seat for the performance of The Wiz, HSPVA’s Black History Month All-School Musical, which runs February 22 – February 26th. For tickets to The Wiz musical ONLY, visit the HSPVA Box Office online at The Wiz – 2023 Spring All-School Black History Production Tickets | HSPVA Friends (simpletix.com).
ABOUT HSPVA BLACK ALUMNI NETWORK (BAN)
The HSPVA Black Alumni Network is a 501c3 organization that was created to connect Black alumni of the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, support alumni, and current students’ endeavors, and provide resources, scholarships, and networking opportunities to champion the next generation of HSPVA artists and professionals.
ABOUT OLLY SHOLOTAN, 2023 HSPVA BAN DISTINGUISHED ALUM
Olly Sholotan is a Nigerian-American actor, singer, and music producer. He can be seen starring as Carlton Banks in Peacock’s hit television series, Bel-Air, whose second season premiers on Thursday, February 23, 2023. Sholotan starred in the 2020 Venice International Film Festival selection, Run Hide Fight, for writer/director Kyle Rankin and most recently appeared in Gigi & Nate, a film penned by David Hudgins for director Nick Hamm. Olly has worked alongside Daniel Ezra, Marcia Gay Harden, Isabel May, Jim Belushi, and Coco Jones. Before receiving his training at the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television, Olly graduated from the Kinder High School for Performing and Visual Arts and competed as a 2015 YoungArts Finalist in theater.