The French Heritage Language Program (FHLP) held auditions last Thursday at International High School at Prospect Heights for an original francophone musical comedy project.

Many students hailing from countries such as Haiti, Senegal, the Ivory Coast and Togo showed off their singing and dancing talents before program directors, hoping to gain a coveted spot in the show.  The musical will speak to the diverse experiences of these students and their families.

“This musical will tell your own stories,” professional musician and FHLP teacher Yacine Boularès told students in French.  “It will be about young francophone immigrants, just like all of you, and how they integrate into American society.”

Boularès will write and compose the original musical using the personal stories of students as inspiration.  This unique project is an integral part of the French language and culture classes offered by the FHLP at Prospect Heights this year.  A group of professional musicians will play the music for the show, and additional expert instructors in voice and choreography will train the students.

The project will showcase the rich diversity of francophone culture in America.  Significant populations of francophone people originating from the Caribbean and West Africa live in New York, and the production will feature their heritage through unique music and theatrical performance.

The musical will provide participating students the chance to explore their personal cultural identities through the arts by promoting personal expression and helping students gain self-confidence.  The project fits in with the FHLP mission of linking French language education to participatory cultural and social activities grounded in the backgrounds of the students themselves.

The musical will debut in June 2014 as part of the FHLP’s end-of-year “Color My French” Festival.  The FHLP, a branch of the non-profit French American Cultural Exchange, has helped over 2,500 children, students and adults improve their French language skills and connect with their francophone heritages since it began in 2005.  The program holds French language and culture courses throughout the city for under-served francophone populations.  

For more information please visit the web site at http://www.facecouncil.org/fhlp/, connect on Facebook, or contact program coordinator Benoît Le Dévedec at heritageprogram@facecouncil.org or 212-439-1438.