 Roger Sheffield, local Atlanta businessman and theatre lover, was frustrated. Why? Because his daughter, a Pace Academy student and participant in Pace's theatre program, was unhappy. Given the limited number of leading roles in its theatrical productions each year, relative to the number of gifted students in the program, most students found themselves having to settle for bit parts and a wait-till-next-year attitude. Sheffield, whose frustration was shared by parents of talented high school performers at many schools around Atlanta, decided to create a special event that would offer leading roles to a far larger number of promising "rising talents."
In February, 2004, the idea came to life when Libby's Cabaret, a well-known Atlanta entertainment venue, hosted an unusual and exciting entertainment review. The evening, A Pace Night at Libby's, showcased a select group of vocal performers from Pace Academy, performing music of their own choosing - drawn from Broadway and pop genres. A standing-room-only audience of wildly enthusiastic and loving friends, family, and other Libby's patrons cheered the performers as they took their turns under the lights.
For the audience, it was a unique and thrilling event; for the dedicated performers, it was all that and a wonderful growth experience. And unlike the typical high school musical production with two or three leading roles, everyone got their equal-billing moment of fame!
The event was such a hit that it was repeated again in 2005 and 2006. Mr. Sheffield has now expanded the concept of a musical variety entertainment event to the next level by including involvement from Atlanta’s professional music and theater communities and adding a multifaceted educational program for the selected students.
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