The Professional Performing Arts School or PPAS is a New York City public school in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan.
History
The Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS) was created in 1990 to meet the needs of two groups of students: those who wanted to pursue professional work in the arts as they earned a junior/senior high school diploma and those who wanted to study the arts as an avocation.
It is the special mission of this small, personalized school to develop, refine, and showcase students in dance, drama, and vocal music while also providing them with a rigorous, meaningful academic curriculum.
Every student auditions for a performing arts major. Performing arts instruction is delivered by professional dancers, actors and musicians through professional studios.
Academic staff give students opportunities for daily study through a rigorous, comprehensive, sequential, fully integrated academic curriculum. The course of study, ending in a New York State Regents endorsed diploma, is centered on an interdisciplinary, multicultural, inquiry based approach to learning which prepares students for college and/or a professional career in the arts.
Notable alumni
- Eddie Alderson, actor (Daytime Emmy Award nominee for One Life to Live)
- Kristen Alderson, actress (Daytime Emmy Award winner for One Life to Live)
- Aleisha Allen, actress (School of Rock, Are We There Yet?)
- Morena Baccarin, actress (Firefly, Primetime Emmy Award nominee for Homeland)
- Andrea Bowen, actress (Desperate Housewives, Les Misérables)
- Tru Collins, singer and actor (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
- Lana Condor, actress (X-Men: Apocalypse)
- Billy Crawford, singer, actor and Television Host(It's Showtime)
- Julia Cumming, singer, songwriter, bassist (Sunflower Bean), model and activist
- Claire Danes, actress (My So-Called Life, Primetime Emmy Award winner for Homeland)
- Melonie Diaz, actress (Raising Victor Vargas, Fruitvale Station)
- Max Ehrich, actor and dancer (Daytime Emmy Award nominee for The Young and the Restless)
- Jesse Eisenberg, actor (Academy Award nominee for The Social Network)
- Jessica Lee Goldyn, actress and dancer (A Chorus Line)
- Sarah Hyland, actress (Modern Family, Lipstick Jungle)
- Paul Iacono, actor and director (The Hard Times of RJ Berger, Fame)
- Mark Indelicato, actor (Ugly Betty, White Bird in a Blizzard)
- Alicia Keys, actress, singer and pianist (multiple Grammy Award winner)
- Christy Knowings, actor, musician, writer and dancer (All That, Sesame Street)
- Gregori Lukas, singer and dancer (The Nutcracker, New York City Ballet)
- Paul McGill, actor and dancer (Bullets Over Broadway, Fame)
- Taylor Momsen, actress and singer (Gossip Girl, The Pretty Reckless)
- Asher Monroe, actor, dancer and singer (V Factory, Fame)
- Eric Nelsen, actor and dancer (All My Children, 13: The Musical)
- Connor Paolo, actor (Gossip Girl, Revenge)
- Karina Pasian, singer and pianist (Grammy Award nominee for First Love)
- Josh Peck, actor and comedian (Drake & Josh, The Amanda Show)
- Justin Peck, dancer and choreographer (New York City Ballet)
- Danielle Polanco, dancer and choreographer (Step Up film series)
- Victor Rasuk, actor (How to Make it in America, Fifty Shades film series)
- Alisa Reyes, actress (All That, The Proud Family)
- Elena Satine, actress and singer (Magic City, Revenge)
- Max Schneider, singer and actor (How To Rock, Rags)
- Britney Spears, singer and dancer (Grammy Award winner)
- Rebecca Harrell Tickell, actress, producer and director (Prancer, FUEL, The Big Fix)
- Addison Timlin, actress (Derailed, Zero Hour)
- Louie Torrellas, actor and comedian (Sponk!, Jumper)
- Chris Trousdale, actor and singer (The Biggest Fan, Dream Street)
- Daniel Ulbricht, dancer (New York City Ballet)
- Jeremy Allen White, actor (Shameless, Twelve)
- Jamila Velazquez, actor (Empire, Twisted)
- Lee Thompson Young, actor (The Famous Jett Jackson)
- Nadia Azzi, pianist
- Christian Navarro, actor (Vinyl, 13 Reasons Why)
Partnerships
- The Actors Institute
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
- The Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet
- Juilliard Pre-College
- National Chorale
- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre
- Rosie's Theater Kids
- School of American Ballet
- Waterwell
External links
- Informational site of Professional Performing Arts School
References
