Show Bizness - 01/05/12

Officials at Mad Cow Theatre announced that construction of the new facility, a two-theater complex at 54 W. Church St. in downtown Orlando, is slated to open this fall. The new location also will include a spacious lobby and wine bar, and is conveniently located near numerous dining and nightlife options.

Warner Bros. and Universal Parks and Resorts representatives announced they will be bringing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Universal Studios Hollywood. Plans to significantly expand The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort also were announced. Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s book series, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter features multiple themed attractions, shops and a restaurant.

Just Dance Studios, a new state-of-the-art studio that employs faculty members who have dance degrees, will host open houses Jan. 7 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Jan. 8 from noon-4 p.m. Located in Suite 103 at 5911 Turkey Lake Road in Orlando, the studio offers dance instruction in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, musical theater and more for age 18 months through adult.

For more information, visit www.justdancestudios.info on the Web.

St. Luke’s School of the Arts, which offers children a school devoted to training in music and fine arts, will begin registering new students Jan. 9. Music ensemble, dance and art classes are now forming; and private music instruction is available for new students. Classes are held at 4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road in Orlando.

For more information, call 407-876-5226 or visit www.st.lukes.org/soa on the Web.

Lakes of Windermere resident Noah Schnacky performed at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre in both Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, starring American Idol’s Anthony Fedorov, and Fiddler on the Roof. Immediately following that, the 14-year-old completed a weeklong shoot for Travel Channel’s TV show Got Home Alive. He is well-known in the Southeastern market for commercial/film/print; however, he now is making regular trips to the West Coast.

Represented by Abrams Artists Agency in Los Angeles, Schnacky recently co-starred in 20th Century Fox’s How I Met Your Mother as the son of Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders. The episode aired last month. The Razor & Tie Kidz Star USA Talent Search 2010 finalist and top male vocalist currently is preparing to head to Nashville to record his first two original singles.

For more information, visit www.noahschnacky.com on the Web.

Thornebrooke Elementary School’s dance team members, under the direction of performing arts teacher Cyndi Litz, participated in the sixth annual Orange County Public Schools Dance Exposé that was held at Dr. Phillips High School. The team was awarded a superior rating, as well as a newly created Most Likely to Bring Down the House award for its high-energy performance.

Kristen Reisig, a 2007 Dr. Phillips High School graduate, earned a Grammy nomination for her performance with Seraphic Fire & Firebird Chamber Orchestra, a Miami-based professional chamber choir.

As part of the Professional Choral Institute held at the University of South Florida this past summer, Reisig recorded Johannes Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 with Seraphic Fire. The recording was presented for Grammy consideration, and Seraphic Fire received a nomination for Best Choral Performance. The recording is available for purchase on iTunes.

Reisig earned her bachelor’s at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and she currently sings with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus. She and her family will travel to Los Angeles next month to attend the 54th annual Grammy Awards.

 Wintermere Pointe resident Emma Heistand flew to Sibiu, Romania, last month as one of the 18 dancers selected from Central Florida Ballet — Studio Company to dance in a performance tour of The Nutcracker. Held in collaboration with the Ballet Sibiu of Romania, performances took place in Orlando, as well.

This year marked Heistand’s seventh year dancing with Central Florida Ballet.