'Hamilton' force keeps Colts Neck woman's arts legacy alive

Ilana Keller | Asbury Park Press

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Katie's Art Project seeks to give kids suffering from life-threatening illnesses an outlet and a voice.

And sometimes a singular legacy.

That point was driven home recently by the deaths of two young patients, which shook the non-profit founded by Broadway performer/choreographer and Colt Neck native Stephanie Klemons as they always do, but also re-affirmed its mission.

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"You see these videos that were captured just weeks prior and every time I say 'Thank God we captured them.' Sometimes their lives are so fleeting — all of our lives are — but they were just right there. They were just there singing and dancing and making up lyrics, songs, and now forever, we have that captured. So more than ever, I feel like there's a sense of duty to raise the money now, not to wait, do as many projects as we can do because every day kids are lost to cancer and other illnesses. The more projects we can do, the more of them we can capture."

Katie's Art Project was founded by Klemons, currently global dance supervisor of Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton," after the death of her high school best friend, Katie Andryca, also of Colts Neck, from acute myeloid leukemia. Katie was an artist, and during her illness she and Klemons saw not only the ways that art could provide comfort, but the manner of comfort that came from consistent connection with volunteers, rather than those who came on a one-off basis.

And so, Katie's Art Project was born, with a mission to "connect kids facing life-threatening illness like cancer and other terminal illnesses with artists in their community to collaborate on art projects, whether music, fine art, dance — or they've asked for costuming workshops, so we're expanding our programming — and it's basically to create a lasting legacy through art and give the kids and artists a way to feel as if they're been heard," Klemons said.

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Katie's Art Project holds one major fundraiser a year, coming up on July 23 at Town Stages in Manhattan. Called "The Art Project," it's a pop-up museum curated by Broadway production designer David Korins, featuring live performances from Marinda Davis from "Dancing with the Stars" and recording artist Casey Jamerson, an art exhibit and sale, food and a silent auction.

"I was opening 'Hamilton' in London and I went to the ballet with ('Hamilton' choreographer) Andy Blankenbuehler and that particular evening at the ballet, there was a gala for the premiere of one of the pieces," Klemons said of the inspiration for the fundraiser. "It was just a bunch of really cool people, just hanging out before the ballet, having a glass of wine, sharing conversation, and I'm like there's something about the opening of art, the release, the exhibition of art and the excitement around the first time that something gets shown that creates a really cool atmosphere where people get inspired and people feel like they're part of something special. That's what I want to create in New York City, that's what I want our event to be."

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A VIP reception will feature live music from the Luminous Sounds String Ensemble and meet-and-greet with artists and performers, while the gallery will feature original cast member Jon Rua’s "love letter to 'Hamilton,' 'LoveFound,'" and the work of Taylor DiNapoli’s Think Tank NYC and Jaime Verizan, plant whisperer and designer of Broadway Botanist.

Not only does Katie's Art Project help the children and young adults facing these illnesses to express themselves and create, it also transforms the lives of the artists paired with them.

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"These are friends of mine, these are people that I've worked with, so I've seen their good days, their bad days and you think you know everything about a person and then you put someone in this unbelievable circumstance where they're working with one of these children and they call me up and they're like 'Stephanie, I had no idea. This changed my life.'

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"Just being able to hear that from friends of mine, whom I've known, people who were original company members of 'Hamilton,' you've seen so much .. to get into a recording studio with an 18-year-old girl that's just begun her chemotherapy and as you're recording with her, as the weeks are passing and her hair is falling out and she's saying these profound things, and that you feel like you're writing an album, but this could be one of the best songs you've ever written. That's insane to me, and all I did was connect them, and that magic happened where they were. I would say that's been really profound."

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Klemons says art creates such a comforting and empowering experience because of the vulnerability it brings to both kids and artists, boosting the voices of young people who may feel powerless throughout their illness.

"The art is definitely the way into making both parties equally vulnerable. These kids, they're always the vulnerable one, they're laying in the bed, the doctors are standing over them with all the power, the parents make all the decisions, they can't go to school even if they want to, and in this circumstance, we level the playing field for them. We put them across the table from professional artists, people who have some clout, and we say 'you guys are just the same.' When we're vulnerable, we're all the same. To me, only art does that."

Klemons, also an original cast member, currently serves as associate choreographer and global dance supervisor of "Hamilton," which sees her do work around the world as the smash-hit continues to grow. Her Broadway resume also includes work on "If/Then," "In the Heights" and "Bring It On."

Her other work includes the viral sensation Super Bowl LLI NFL commercial, “Dirty Dancing,” which starred Eli Manning, Odell Beckham Jr. and the offensive linemen of the Giants, as well as work on Victoria's Secret commercials, a remake of George Michael’s “Freedom,” "How I Met Your Mother," "Sesame Street" and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She is developing, directing and choreographing a new work for young audiences based on the book "This is Sadie."

"When I woke up this morning at 6:15, I had an email from London asking me a number of questions before they go into their rehearsal at 1 p.m., five hours ahead," Klemons said last week during a commute into the city to work on a new musical, "Only Gold," which was conceived, directed and choreographed by Blankenbuehler, with a score by pop star Kate Nash. "I have emails from all over the world at all times of the day. I have a dance supervisor that's resident in each company. I talk to every single one of them every week. I also fly out to check on all of the companies every month or two — flying around a lot, and now we're building a brand-new company."

Working with "Hamilton" from the ground up and seeing it grow into the global force it is has given Klemons time to reflect on its meaning and legacy. In addition to the impact the piece has made and continues to make around the world, Klemons is excited about what's yet to come.

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"Times are changing so fast, even now as 'Hamilton' is so relevant and it's going to be a classic. And yet it's opened the doors for all of these artists to say 'OK what's next?' How do you jump off the shoulders of 'Hamilton'? That piece of it is what I'm really excited about. The EduHam programs that happen throughout the world, where on a Wednesday matinee kids come in and create their own spoken word and dance and rap and songs. 'Hamilton' has been reigning as the show and I'm excited to see now, four, five years in, where the kids are going to take it from here."

"The Art Project" is set for 6 to 9 p.m. on July 23 at Town Stages, 221 W. Broadway, Manhattan. For tickets, or more information about Katie's Art Project, visit katiesartproject.org.

Ilana Keller: @ilanakeller; 732-643-4260; ikeller@gannettnj.com