SACHA ON BROADWAY

VIDEO CLIPS FROM DECO DRIVE INTERVIEW

ALSO CLIPS FROM ORLANDO PRODUCTION JUNE 2007

Click here to read more about the history of "SACHA" and see additional photos of previous productions.

The Magic Cookie Production Company

P.O Box 2044

Windermere, Florida 34786-2044

contact smorais1@bellsouth.net

In 1999 Philip Michael Thomas and Sandi Morais established a partnership and formed Sacha and the Magic Cookie Production Company. The company is a Miami based theatrical company designed to produce wholesome quality family entertainment through products such as, plays, books, art, video games and movies. For the past seven years Sacha on Broadway has touched the hearts of thousands of people ages ranging from 8 to 80 who have seen the stage play in places such as, Miami, Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Hollywood, Florida, Orlando, Florida, Ocean Reef, Florida, Hampton, Virginia and New York City. The positive effects of the play have been so overwhelming that most of the people who have seen the play once, come back over and over to see it again. They even want to purchase souvenirs. Sacha on Broadway has received rave reviews from major media, television, radio, newspaper and magazines. In 2005 Dr. Deborah Levy, a psychologist from North Miami states in her review, “This play is one of the most empowering literary pieces I have seen in decades.”

Ever so often an original play hits Broadway such as The Wizard of Oz, West Side Story and Hair with a powerful message through their story and music that touches the world and transcends time and culture. We believe that Sacha on Broadway’s message of love, hope, courage and the power within, will touch the world in the same way and transcend time and culture for this new generation.

Mission Statement:

The mission of Sacha and the Magic Cookie Company is to produce wholesome family entertainment to help reinforce family values. Also to educate through plays, books, video games, music and movies that help to stimulate the creative imagination, and encourage and inspire people of all ages never to give up on their dream.

"When you dare to dream and pursue your dream with passion, all things are possible."

I VOW MY LOVE WITH YOU from the NEW YORK PRODUCTION of SACHA ON BROADWAY 2005

SYNOPSIS:

Sacha on Broadway is a riveting story about magic, enchantment, hidden secrets, fears, spells, dreams and universal love. It is an original modern day musical fairy-tale about Sacha Goodman’s lifelong dream to become a Broadway star. The story begins four years after the Goodman family relocated from Miami, Florida to the dazzling lights of New York City to support Sacha’s dream. Ironically, Sacha has imprisoned herself in a cocoon by her own fears, self-doubt and insecurities. When Sacha is cast in the lead role of her first Broadway show, her hidden fears, doubts and insecurities surface and she becomes Closter Phobic, and decides to quit the show. Realizing that history is being repeated, her mother Olive Goodman is determined to stop her daughter from continuing on with the cycle of broken dreams. Olive reveals her secret past to Sacha in hopes of stopping the generation curse.

The story takes on another level when Sacha falls asleep and has a dream that turns into a living nightmare. She has to face her own fears, insecurities and self-doubts. All of her fears personify themselves as wild and crazy characters who are twisted and living under the Spell of Impossible such as, Ray Rat, Dolly the Duck, Sam the Snake, Old Geezer and the Polliwogs. Sacha meets Lula the Magic Goodmother who encourages her to follow her heart and find the Bridge to Forever. Lula the Magic Goodmother guides Sacha on a magical journey through the Forest of Imagination. Unfortunately, Sacha’s journey takes her from the magical part of the forest to the evil Place of Impossible where she meets Harriet the horrible Owl who has Martin the frog trapped under the spell of impossible. Harriet tries to put Sacha under the spell of impossible, but Sacha’s luck takes a turn when Martin the Frog risks his life to save her. When Sacha thanks Martin the frog with a kiss, the evil Spell of Impossible immediately breaks and Martin the Frog is magically transformed back into the Regal King Akaash. Sacha and King Akaash journey to the Kingdom of Akasha where she meets the Emperor of Akasha and finds out that she has the power within to master herself and control her own destiny. When Sacha wakes up from the dream she realizes she has the power within to break out of her cocoon. She fulfills her lifelong dream and becomes a Broadway star.

New York Show bill - September 23, 2005

Show bill from the Orlando production - June 1, 2007

Character Analysis

Sacha Goodman: is a multi-talented twenty-two year old young woman who was born and raised in Miami, Florida. After she completed Lakeview Senior High School her family relocated to New York City where she attended Julliard School of the Performing Arts and graduated with honors. Her dream was always to become a Broadway star. However, Sacha is secretly trapped by fear, insecurity and self-doubt. Ironically, Sacha’s dream came to reality when she was cast as the lead in her first Broadway musical. But during the rehearsal before opening night Sacha’s fears, insecurities and self-doubt closed in on her and she became Closter Phobic. The director Ivan Augustus threatens to replace Sacha with her long-time nemesis Crystal Lynch who was her understudy. His decision gave Crystal the perfect opportunity to taunt and ridicule Sacha. The situation catapults Sacha into an emotional state where she breaks down and decides to quit the show. Caught up in her own internal conflict Sacha has no rational understanding as to why she made her decision. She became a butterfly imprisoned in her own cocoon.

Sacha’s emotional roller coaster ride continues when she falls asleep and has a vivid dream almost surrealistic that turns into a living nightmare. In her dream she has to face her own fears, insecurities and self-doubts which personify themselves as wild and crazy characters who are twisted and living under the spell of impossible such as, Ray Rat, Dolly the Duck, Sam the Snake, Old Geezer, the Polliwogs, Ego and Harriet the horrible Owl. Sacha also meets Martin the Frog and Lula the Magic Goodmother who guides and encourages her to follow her heart and find the Bridge to Forever. Throughout the dream Sacha goes from a meek, timid and insecure person with fears, insecurities and doubts to a stronger individual who faces these conniving characters. Sacha goes through a metamorphosis and finds the courage within to fight Harriet the Horrible Owl who is about to destroy Martin the Frog. Sacha saves Martin the frog and breaks the spell of impossible. In that magic moment Sacha falls in love with Martin the frog and her kiss miraculously transforms him into the Regal King Akaash. They both travel to the Kingdom of Akasha and meet The Emperor of Akasha and find out that love Supreme is the ultimate transforming power. When Sacha wakes up from the dream she realizes she has the power within to break out of her cocoon. She fulfills her lifelong dream and becomes a Broadway star.

Olive Goodman: is an attractive forty-five year old sophistacated corporate attorney who was born and raised in London, England. Her parents Dudley and Silvia Excell are of Jamaican heritage, but they migrated to London shortly after they got married. Olive studied ballet at Jacques School of Ballet from the age of three until she was sixteen years old when her parents relocated to Miami, Florida. Her dream was to become a prima ballerina. While living in Miami she attended Coral Gables High School and continued to study ballet. Upon graduation she attended Florida International University where she met Marcus Goodman in her freshman year. During that year Olive auditioned for the lead role in the Nutcracker at the Miami City Ballet, but her dream was shattered when the choreographer told her that her technique was not good enough. Crushed by the choreographer’s words Olive gave up her dream and decided to study law. After graduation Olive and Marcus got married and had two children Sacha and Marcus Jr. When Sacha graduated from high school Olive and her family relocated to New York City to support Sacha’s dream of becoming a Broadway star. When Sacha got the lead role in her first Broadway show and decided to quit, Olive saw history being repeated. She was determined to stop Sacha from continuing on with the cycle of broken dreams, so she revealed her secret past to Sacha in hopes of stopping the generation curse, but instead Sacha accused Olive of re-living her life vicariously through her.

Marcus Goodman: is a handsome forty-five year old architect. He was born and raised in Lawrence South Carolina. His parents Arthur and Marie Goodman are entrepreneurs who own and operate the Magic Cookie Factory bake Shoppe and Goodman’s antique doll shop. They specialize in hand crafted dolls and collectables. His mother is also a classic Jazz singer and music teacher. She taught Marcus to play the piano and sing when he was five years old. His father who is an architect and builder taught Marcus the art of designing and building. Upon graduation from high school Marcus relocated to Miami, Florida where he majored in architecture and minored in music theory and composition at Florida International University. Marcus met Olive Excell in his freshman year. They fell in love and got married after they graduated from college. They had two children, Sacha and Marcus Jr. After Sacha graduated from high school Marcus and the family relocated to New York City to help support Sacha’s dream of becoming a Broadway star. When Sacha got an opportunity to play the lead in her first Broadway show and decided to quit the night before the show opened, Marcus thought his daughter’s decision was irrational, selfish, irresponsible and disrespectful. He was furious.

Marcus Jr. was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He attended Lakeview Senior High School. Marcus Jr. is a chip off the old block. He is extremely gifted and talented in music. When he is not playing basketball, he is composing music and playing the piano. Marcus Jr. is easy going and gets along with just about everyone. He has a close relationship with his sister Sacha. When his family relocated to New York City to help support Sacha’s dream of becoming a Broadway star he attended the high school of performing arts. Upon graduated he was awarded a music scholarship to Columbia University.

Crystal Lynch: was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She attended Lakeview Senior High School. Her mother Elizabeth Valdez was born in Cuba and relocated to Miami as a teenager. Her father Charlie Lynch was a drill Sergeant in the army who was originally from Jacksonville, Florida and relocated to Miami, Florida where he met Elizabeth. Crystal’s father is bullheaded and controlling, but her mother is more warm and gentle. Crystal has a lot of her father’s personality traits. She is obnoxious, controlling, ego centric and headstrong. However, she is an extremely talented actress and all around performer. Crystal thinks she is the cat's meow. She became Sacha’s biggest nemesis at Lakeview Senior High School. She taunted and intimidated Sacha throughout high school. Upon graduation she was awarded a scholarship to Julliard School of the Performing Arts, the same school Sacha attended. When Sacha got the lead role for the Broadway show, Crystal became her understudy and her jealous nature created an atmosphere that was tense and uncomfortable,

Magic Goodmother: is gentle, warm, caring and compassionate. When she sings her melodious voice is like a sweet symphony playing softly in the air. She is an angelic, mystical Goddess from the Kingdom of Akasha. The Magic Goodmother represents love and light in the Forest of Imagination. She plays a crucial, pivotal role throughout the play because she is the mystical storyteller. The Magic Goodmother guides and nurtures Sacha on her journey through the forest of imagination. She encourages Sacha to follow her heart and find the Bridge to Forever in order fulfill her dream. She represents Sacha’s super consciousness.

The Emperor of Akasha: is the Sovereign king of kings and lord or lords over the Kingdom of Akasha. He vibrates on a high level of super consciousness. He has mystical, magical powers that allow him to appear and disappear at will. He is the personification of supreme love and light. Before he enthrones the Kingdom of Akasha to his son, he allowed his son King Akaash to undergo several tests in love, compassion, honesty, integrity, loyalty, heroism and kindness. The Emperor of Akasha is an integral part in the play because he is the one who made Sacha realize her potential by understanding that her true power lies within.

King Akaash: is a handsome, young, charismatic king. He is the son of the Emperor of Akasha, and the sole heir to the Kingdom of Akasha. His father made a sovereign agreement and promised him the golden key that would unlock the crown jewels to the Kingdom of Akaash. However, he has to triumphs over several tests in love, compassion, honesty, integrity, loyalty, heroism and kindness, and finds his true love. King Akaash confides his secret agreement to his best friend Ego who ultimately betrays him by stealing the golden key. When King Akaash banishes him from the palace, Ego cast an evil Spell of Impossible and turned King Akaash into Martin the old ugly hump back, bubbled eyed frog so that it would be impossible for anyone to love him. When Sacha enters the Place of Impossible she felt love for Martin the frog, and he in turn felt love for her. He risked his life to save Sacha from the Spell of Impossible and she risk her life to save him from being destroyed from Harriet the horrible Owl. Her kiss breaks the evil Spell of Impossible and sets him free. He makes a quantum leap from Martin the frog and transforms back into the regal King Akaash. He discovers that Ego had disguised himself as Harriet the horrible Old and kept him captive in the Place of Impossible. Ego was King Akaash’s ultimate test.

Martin the Frog: is the leader who is the instigator of change in the Place of Impossible. He represents the champion spirit that Sacha is lacking. Martin is held captive in the Place of Impossible by Harriet the horrible Owl, she wants to make him one of her puppets like the other creatures, but she cannot break his indomitable spirit. This struggle creates a constant battle between them. Even though Martin is trapped in the body of a frog deep down in his heart he believes he is not a frog. He feels he belongs in another time and place far away across the Bridge to Forever. He believes that one day he will escape from the Place of Impossible and live out his true destiny. When Martin meets Sacha in the Place of Impossible he is enchanted by her, and risks his life to save her from the spell of Impossible.

Ego: is a back stabbing, evil, dishonest, untrustworthy, cunning and conniving warlock who live in the palace. He pretends to be an angel of light and a friend to King Akaash, but in truth he is a deceiver and represents pure darkness. He is jealous and envious of King Akaash. Ego deceives and betrays King Akaash by stealing the golden key to prevent King Akaash from ruling over the Kingdom of Akasha. When King Akaash banishes him from the palace, Ego cast the evil Spell of Impossible and turns King Akaash into an ugly, old, hump back, bubbled eyed frog. Ego is a true chameleon who disguises himself as Harriet the horrible Old so he can keep King Akaash imprisoned in the body of a frog. Ego is obsessed with power and will try to obtain it no matter the cost. Ego is King Akaash’s ultimate enemy and ultimate test

Harriet the Owl: is the ruler of the Place of Impossible in the Forest of Imagination. She is mean and evil. She is ruthless, corrupt and controlling. She keeps Dolly the Duck, Sam the Snake, Ray the Rat, Old Geezer and Martin the Frog trapped in the Place of Impossible. She intimidates them and treats them as her puppets. She is obsessed with power and control. The more people Harriet seduces, the more powerful she becomes. When Sacha enters the Place of Impossible Harriet entices Sacha to participate in her masquerade talent show. When Sacha falls for her trick, she traps Sacha and tries to put her under the Spell of Impossible. When Martin the Frog tries to save Sacha from the Spell of Impossible Harriet becomes furious and attempts to destroy him.

Old Geezer: has been living in the Place of Impossible for four thousand years. He walks with a limp, his hair is wild and crazy, and he speaks with a strange voice. He is Harriet the horrible Owl's henchman, and the gatekeeper to the dungeon. He represents the dark and evil side of the Forest of Imagination.

Ray the Rat: is the leader of the pack who is under the Spell of Impossible. He wants to be king of the mountain. He is sneaky, devious and deceitful. Ray the Rat is controlling and egocentric. He loves to be the center of attention. He enjoys intimidating Dolly the Duck and giving orders to the group. He is full of words with sound and fury that have no meaning. He conjures up a scheming fake plan to escape from Harriet the Owl, but when he gets caught he becomes a two-face lying Rat and puts the blame on Dolly the Duck. When Ray meets Sacha in the forest he takes center stage and becomes very braggadocios about him being a real Cool Cat. He is an imposture.

Sam the Snake: is a creature that is under the Spell of Impossible in Forest of Imagination. He represents one of the physiological manifestations of Sacha’s subconscious mine. He is beguiling, vile, unscrupulous and despicable. He enjoys being mischievous. When Sacha meets Sam the Snake at the edge of the forest and ask him for directions to the Bridge to Forever, Sam the Snake manipulates Sacha and sends her in the wrong direction deep into the forest where she gets lost. Sam the Snake and the Polliwogs enjoy sending Sacha on a wild goose chase.

Dolly the Duck: is another creature that is under the Spell of Impossible in the Forest of Imagination. She represents the weak and timid side of the physiological manifestations of Sacha’s subconscious mind. Dolly the Duck is schizophrenic and confused. Dolly the Duck is always afraid and thinks about everything. Because of her weak and timid personality she becomes the perfect target for Ray the Rat to intimidate and control. When Ray the Rat conjures up the plan to escape from Harriet the Owl and he got caught, Ray puts the blame on Dolly, and she takes it.

Polliwogs: They work in unison. They are creatures in the Forest of Imagination. They are also are under the Spell of Impossible. The Polliwogs are clones without a mind of their own. They agree with everything Ray the Rat does, and follow along with all his plans. They also went along with Sam the Snake when he sent Sacha on a wild goose chase..

THE OLIVE EXCELL FOUNDATION

Philanthropic Endeavors:

We strongly believe that theater builds character as a result we have established the Olive Excell Foundation in collaboration with the Philip Michael Thomas Foundation for the Arts. The foundation was established to celebrate the life and continue the legacy of Olive Excell, mother of Sandi Morais. The Olive Excell Foundation/Philip Michael Thomas Foundation of the Arts will help to provide scholarships to students in Jamaica and the United States to assist them in pursuing their dream in the area of arts and education. The first scholarship from the Olive Excell/Philip Michael Thomas Foundation of the Arts was awarded to the Arts Academy of Hollywood in 2005.

Click here to see read more about the history of "SACHA" and see additional photos of previous productions.

REVIEW:

SACHA ON BROADWAY:

Stellar Performance in Orlando, Florida

ONYX MAGAZINE

By Denise Y. Mose Hip & Happening Talk Show Host

The power of your imagination can take you anywhere. If you don’t believe that, just ask Felichia Wright, the star of Sacha on Broadway. Ms. Wright is an upcoming junior at the University of Central Florida. But, her main job these days is portraying the lead character in, Sacha on Broadway. Who is Sacha? Well, I’m so glad that you asked. A story about a young woman who has big dreams of performing on Broadway is the focal point of this play. She ultimately realizes that the power from within is the key to success. However, like any goal in your life, obstacles are sure to follow.

Enter the villains.

There would be no real story without the villains, right? In this play, there are plenty that challenge Sacha and discourage her from making it to Broadway. These people reminded her that she was not good enough and that she was wasting her time. Like any group, there is a leader. Harriet the Owl is truly mean. It is her job to scare Sacha and it works. Believe me; if you saw Harriet the Owl; you’d be afraid, too! Harriet the Owl is scary, but not her alter ego, Phedre M. Brown is a loving mother and a promising actress in her own right. Mrs. Brown plays a dual role in this play as Sacha’s mother and Harriet the Owl. She has been performing for many years, including having been classically trained in voice at the famed Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. “Working with this play has been a blessing and I am challenged more and more by portraying two roles. At one point I am helping Sacha as her mother, but then Harriet the Owl tries to destroy her,” says Phedre.

Luckily Sacha has a Magic Goodmother. Don’t we all need that? That special someone who is right there just when we are about to give up makes all the difference. Sound like a fairytale story? Well, it really is. The vocal talents of Rita Kay are undeniable. What a powerful voice! Believe me, the singing between Phedre and Rita makes this play worth it.

What would a play be without a supporting cast? Through Sacha’s imagination, she meets many characters that help and hurt her in her quest to Broadway. The talents of Robert Beharry (Martin the Frog), Natalie Irizarry (Rita the Rat), Laura LaLanne (Dolly the Duck), Shaylin Mack (Polliwog), Brittany Cheek (Polliwog), James Brown (King Akaash), and Ronald Diltz (Ego) complete this amazing play.

A special bonus for the Orlando audience was the talent of Dewayne Barrett who served as the choreographer for Sacha on Broadway. Having choreographed all over the world for A Chorus Line and West Side Story, Mr. Barrett didn’t disappoint. No one will forget the fancy foot work by Rita the Rat any time soon.

Central Florida is becoming a performing arts haven for many artists who are looking to expand their horizons in this very lucrative field. Dr. Ruth Joyce Colbert-Barnes is truly serving as one of the advocates for the arts. Her company, the Colbert Group brought this play to Orlando. To top it off, the play was held at the famous Jones High School, a local celebrity on its own. “Keeping our heritage alive through the arts helps so many of our students ascertain scholarships for college.” says Dr. Barnes. Dr. Barnes, along with local sponsors made Sacha on Broadway a reality. Dr. Barnes has plans to bring more plays to Orlando and although she can’t reveal them yet, you’ll see them very soon.

So, behind every great play, is a visionary who sees potential before reality. Sandi Morais, Director and Co-writer of this family musical is more than a professional fitness expert, teacher and actress. And, she’s more than a pretty face, too. She has a passion for people who aspire to go for their dreams and does her best to get them there. Before she knew it, Sacha on Broadway was born.

“Everyone can relate to Sacha on Broadway. It’s not just for young girls. Men can identify with having a dream and all the work that comes along with it,” chimes in Phillip Michael Thomas. Yes, THAT one.

Having been business partners for more than twenty years, Sandi Morais and Philip Michael Thomas are in a way…Sacha’s parents. After all, they gave her life. They made her real and she’s been growing for almost seven years now, including having performed at Hampton University.

Philip Michael Thomas is no stranger to the stage. He is the renowned 1980s icon from the hit television series, Miami Vice. Ricardo Tubbs earned him a permanent place in history as the sexy, good-looking detective who wore pastels like no other. Sandi, Dr. Barnes and Philip have been doing several interviews and they even stopped by my talk show, Hip & Happening to discus the show. After twenty years, he’s still gorgeous.

Philip serves as the Executive Producer and Co-writer for Sasha on Broadway and he is the composer of all the music and lyrics featured in the play.

Opening night was complete with a Red Carpet Interviews sponsored by Jericho Broadcasting Networks and ONYX Magazine. On Friday, June 1, 2007 all eyes were headed to Jones High School. A crowd of over 700 enjoyed Sacha and her journey through her imagination. Roy M. Eavins, CEO of Jericho also provided a live streaming broadcast during the red carper that you can view at www.jerichobraodcastnetworks.com

If you are not enticed by now, I don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Dr. Barnes, Philip Michael Thomas and Sandi Morais are bringing this enchanting musical love story Sasha on Broadway back to Orlando soon. They even plan to take Sacha on Broadway on a mini tour to Daytona, Tampa and Jacksonville. So, check local listings for details.

What are your dreams? If you catch Sacha on Broadway she’ll help you get there!

Philip & Sand's interview with host Micky Burns - New York City Profiles - September 2005

Miami Vice star, Philip Michael Thomas along with co-writer Sandi Morais have been busy with the New York debut of their original musical, "Sacha on Broadway". Philip composed all the music for the play that one critic called both "Uplifting and inspring".

Sandi with Ashford & Simpson at the opening night for Sacha on Broadway- The Theater of the River Church New York September 23, 2005

(Click on photo for story)

Ft. Lauderdale Children's Theater

Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre was honored when Philip Michael Thomas, star of stage and screen, contacted us to produce his original children's musical, written in collaboration with local artist, Sandi Morais. This imaginative tale with its beautiful music and touching story came to life on our stage January 12, 2001 and played to sold out houses for its 4 week run. Click Here to Read Full Story >

CLICK HERE & LISTEN TO THE SONG IMAGINATION... FROM HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PRODUCTION October 2001

(click here for a larger image)

"Once upon a time ago there lived a little girl named Sacha. Sacha lived in a little village named Hollyrocks with her Daddy and Mommy and her big sister Monica. Sacha had a dog named Chow Chow and a cat named Black. Sacha loved cookies. Chocolate chip cookies were her favorite."

Join Sacha and her friends in a magical adventure...and read the other short stories in this wonderful coloring story book. You will also enjoy the original music written and produced by Philip Michael Thomas.

SACHA AND THE MAGIC COOKIE MAKER MAKER Illustrated by Imajhananda Thomas (Age 11)

CLICK HERE TO SAMPLE A PAGE FROM THE COLORING BOOK TO COLOR!

Click here to read about IMAJHANANDA the Illustrator of the "COLORING STORY BOOK"

Philip Michael Thomas & Sandi Morais

Sharing Similar goals in children's education has created a perfect match. "We love to inspire, encourage and empower the minds of children. As destiny took its course, we teamed up to create The Young Readers Sacred Circle Ed-You-Tainment 2000 (Education Through Entertainment). This series of stories comes with music and fun activities that will help stimulate auditory skills, critical thinking and enhance the creative imagination."

C lick here to read about the authors, Philip Michael Thomas & Sandi Morais

HU WELCOMES PHILLIP MICHAEL THOMAS

Hampton, VA - Miami Vice star is artist-in-residence.

Phillip Michael Thomas is the artist -in -residence in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Hampton University.

Thomas became internationally recognized for his five-year starring role in the television series "Miami Vice." Thomas is also an actor of stage and screen, as well as an accomplished singer and writer. Other television credits include starring roles in "Perry Mason", "Starsky & Hutch", "Good Times", "Roots: The Next Generation" the NBC Movie of the Week and "Nash Bridges."

Thomas will teach theatre classes, hold lectures and present seminars during the next two semesters at HU.

"I love teaching classes here at HU," said Thomas "It is a wonderful experience."

Thomas owns a theatre in Miami where he teaches performing arts. He has had over 15 years of teaching experience at the theatre.

While at HU Thomas plans to help the Department of Fine and Performing Arts improve its curriculum which will help students become better equipped for their work in the arts.

"I have started experimenting in my class to better prepare students for their future and I have had some positive feedback from the students," said Thomas.

"I tell my students you have to read to lead. It is very important to study the best and the brightest of the business and to put yourself in that category," Thomas said.

While at HU Thomas hopes to provide an example for his students to follow. "Kids learn more by the way you teach them than the textbooks," said Thomas.

Thomas co-wrote "Sacha and the Magic Cookie Maker" with Sandi Morais, which was presented by Hampton University's Department of Fine and Performing Arts from Oct. 26-28. "Sacha and the Magic Cookie Maker" was originally a children's jingle that was transformed into a storybook for classes Morais taught in Miami. The storybook later became a play, which was HU's opening theatrical production performed in the Little Theatre of Armstrong Hall.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------