If Broadway and the Great American Songbook are a religion, Kathleen Mucciolo-Kolins is a prophet who has made it her personal mission to bring these twin passions of hers to children who might not otherwise get a chance to experience the magic of live performance. Through the auspices of the nonprofit Music and Theatre Legacy Foundation (MTLF) that she founded back in 2009, the Floral Park native has done lots of good in letting local kids know that there’s life beyond social media and video games. MTLF has not only awarded scholarships, mentored children with dreams of performing and donated instruments and sheet music to a public school music program, it’s also given choruses from a number of schools the chance to get on stage and sing with professional performers. The next kids on deck are the chorus from Long Beach Middle School who’ll be joining Irish America’s Favorite Son, Andy Cooney, on Monday, March 16 at NYCB Theatre at Westbury. In the weeks leading up to the show, these young performers are being put through the paces of rehearsal and working hard outside of their comfort zone with material many of them aren’t familiar with. And while there may not be an Idina Menzel or Neil Patrick Harris in the bunch, the lessons of discipline and the fulfillment of experiencing the magic of being onstage are a primary driver in what Mucciolo-Kolins is admirably trying to achieve.
—Dave Gil de Rubio
