East Elementary’s Charlie Kate Farrell has been accepted into the Denver School of the Arts (DSA) in the Theatre Department, taking a big step toward her dream of eventually performing under the bright lights of Broadway. Charlie will begin at DSA in the fall of 2018.

East Principal Kelly Card was excited to share the news about Charlie’s acceptance, noting how the partnership between East Elementary and Saint Luke’s Performing Arts Academy is changing lives. The Performing Arts Academy collaborates with East for two shows each school year, providing scholarships so that students have an opportunity to learn about choreography, voice, stage-presence and all of the components that it takes to put together a musical. Charlie has had leading roles in productions of 101 Dalmatians, Aladdin, Jungle Book, Suessical and The Lion King.

Charlie at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City

Special thanks go to East music teacher Amy Gonzales, Dr. James Ramsey with the Saint Luke's Performing Arts Academy, Mandy Leensvaart and Nicolette Vander Velde for helping Charlie follow her passion.

DSA is recognized among the nation’s best 21st century schools and is home to more than 1,000 6th - 12th grade students. DSA offers eleven different art programs in which students can major: Band, Creative Writing, Dance and Movement, Guitar, Orchestra, Piano, Stagecraft and Design, Theatre, Video Cinema Arts, Visual Arts, and Vocal Music.