On Monday, May 21, Ben Cook, Academy Alum, will join us for the 5th Anniversary celebration of the Academy at Metropolitan School of the Arts, Feed the Passion of Young Artists.

Join us, support the Academy and meet Ben Cook!

Ben Cook, a 2015 graduate of the Academy, is a member of the original cast of Broadway’s “Mean Girls.” He started at the Academy, taking classes online while on the road with the first national tour of “Newsies.” Since graduation, he has appeared in the film version of “Newsies: The Broadway Musical,” in the Broadway musical “Tuck Everlasting,” and on television in “Law & Order: SVU” and HBO’s “Paterno.”

“I started my training at Metropolitan (then Metropolitan Fine Arts Center) when I was 6 and have been part of the community since then. I started working when I was 9, and would train at Metropolitan between shows. After finishing the ‘Billy Elliot’ tour in 2013, I moved back home to Virginia and spent my sophomore year at Lake Braddock Secondary School. That entire year, the first year the Academy opened, I trained at Metropolitan and auditioned for ‘Newsies.’

Ben Cook performing in Metropolitan School of the Arts’ production of Footloose in 2014.

“When I got ‘Newsies, Ben said, “I knew I had to take classes online because Fairfax County Schools does not make that option available, so we enrolled at the Academy. It was difficult doing school work on the road, but I was fortunate because Mrs. Collier and Melissa Dobbs knew that — eventually — I would get the work done. Because I wasn’t on campus, we had to meet periodically via Skype to discuss my progress. I was lucky because the folks at MSA were patient and understanding of the job I was doing while traveling the country with the show, and we managed to make it work.”

What was Ben’s favorite memory of the Academy? “Graduating, finally getting it done and being told that I was done. My experience at the Academy was different than most of the students. I spent most of three of my four years of high school on the road with two shows, and getting the schoolwork completed was tough at times. I was lucky that my tutor on ‘Billy Elliot’ (Bernadette Jusinski) also was on the ‘Newsies’ tour, and she and Mrs. Collier (from MSA) made sure I had what I needed to graduate.”

Ben Cook (far left) performing in Broadway’s “Mean Girls”

Ben’s Dad, Glenn Cook also shared his appreciation of Metropolitan with us. “I’ve worked with MSA and the Academy since it opened, and have enjoyed watching all of the students grow and mature. The academics are tough and the training I’ve seen is truly second to none for the on-campus students. Even though the Academy was a new proposition when we enrolled Ben, we knew the quality that MSA provides and the commitment on the part of the staff, so it was a no-brainer for us as he went through this transition.”

“Our children* spent, to varying degrees, their entire K-12 experience at Metropolitan. I have long appreciated the integrity that the staff brings to the instruction in the arts, and since the Academy opened, the academics. It is incredibly comforting to know that your child is training and participating in activities in a safe and supportive environment. Whether it’s training in the studio or the academy setting, or the academic consultation you receive from Mrs. Collier and the staff, you know the people there are looking out for what’s best for your child’s future,” said Glenn.

*Ben Cook’s twin sister, Emma Cook, did not attend the Academy, but was immersed in many studio dance classes at Metropolitan and is currently attending Point Park University as a double major in Dance and Sports & Entertainment Management. Metropolitan School of the Arts is equally proud of Emma!

 

We are celebrating our 5th year of the Academy at Metropolitan School of the Arts this year with a fundraising campaign, culminating in a student and alumni showcase on May 21st.  This campaign, titled “Feed the Passion of Young Artists” has two goals: 

1. Raise awareness in the community and among industry professionals of the Academy.

2. Raise finances to support the Academy for current and future expenses.

Your support matters to Feed the Passion of Young Artists, like Ben Cook!