Photo Coverage: Dacal, Olivo, Secada & More Perform at Miami's VIVA BROADWAY

On Saturday, October 19, 2013, The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center produced and presented an original production that celebrated South Florida's home grown talent. The show launched the Center's Bring It Home Miami, a new initiative to reconnect established artists with the community that inspired their careers. Funding for Bring It Home Miami was provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation's Knight Arts Challenge.

The kick-off event for Bring It Home Miami at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center on Saturday, October 19th was District Stage Company's Viva Broadway, with Special Guest Jon Secada. The production featured not only the famed Miami-native Secada, but a host of talented performing artists with a connection to South Florida. Through the newly established District Stage Company, some of the preeminent talent in theater and Broadway, who have starred in productions like Rent, In the Heights, Leap of Faith, Wonderland, LES MISERABLES and Man of La Mancha, performed a new musical theatre review created to celebrate South Florida's success in launching outstanding performers' careers. Each artist showcased a piece that related to the overarching theme of "home." The professional cast was accompanied by a group of local Miami-Dade County high school theater students who auditioned to participate in the project as well as by some of Miami's finest working professional musicians.

Viva Broadway was directed by Heidi Miami Marshall, known for her extensive work as a casting and film director. Marshall's Broadway credits include: The Addams Family (Associate Director), Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme (Resident Director), The Color Purple (directed Chaka Kahn and American Idol's Fantasia in starring roles), and casting director for 40+ productions including Broadway and national tours of the musical Rent. Serving as musical director was Alex Lacamoire, who won a Tony and a Grammy as the music supervisor, co-orchestrator and cast album producer of In The Heights. The show was conceived by Andy Señor Jr., Artistic Director and Founder of the District Stage Company, whose credits as a performer include the role of "Angel" inRent, having played the part on the stages of Broadway, London, Asia, Los Angeles and the North American national tours.

The cast included: Janet Dacal, Henry Gainza (Co-Founder of District Stage Company), Nina Lafarga, Jose Luis Lopez, Karen Olivo, Eliseo Roman, Jon Secada and Andy Señor.

The Cast and District Stage Company Team

Henry Gainza, Janet Dacal, Eliseo Roman, Karen Olivo and Andy Senor

Henry Gainza and John Mazuelos from Miami Killian Senior High School

Andy Senor and Christopher Rodriguez from Miami Killian Senior High School

Giovanni Tisera from Miami Killian Senior High School

Karen Olivo and Diana Valcarcel from John A. Ferguson Senior High School sing 'Don't Rain on my Parade'? from Funny Girl

Elis Chirino from New World School of Arts, Karen Olivo, Janet Dacal, Maria Paula Gonzalez from New World School of Arts and Isabel Signaret from Palmer Trinity High School perform 'No Me Diga'?

Jon Secada, Janet Dacal and Company

Danny Pino from Law & Order: SVU and Austin Napoles from Miami Killian Senior High School

Jon Secada sings 'Somewhere'? from West Side Story

Eliseo Roman sings a cover of Crystal Monee Hall's 'Home'?

Henry Gainza sings 'Maria'? from West Side Story

Andy Senor sings 'Enjoy the Trip'? from Bring It On: The Musical

Janet Dacal sings a cover of Gloria Estefan's 'Mi Tierra'?

Karen Olivo sings a cover of Sara Bareilles' 'Let It Rain'? at District Stage Company's Viva Broadway