Entertainment
“Ridgefield Band Jam”, a rock band competition created by kids, will take place at The Ridgefield Playhouse on Sunday, May 2
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Mar 12, 2010 - 4:07 AM

Ridgefield students (front left to right) Cole Butchen and Michael Rosamalia, and (rear left to right) Tucker Hearon and Richard Hume have joined forces to create “Ridgefield Band Jam”, a talent competition for aspiring bands that benefits The Ridgefield Playhouse.

It is their love of music and their community spirit that inspired some Ridgefield students to make a difference. After learning that the not-for-profit Ridgefield Playhouse was struggling, 8th grader Michael Rosamilia was determined to do something to help. Assisted by two other middle school boys, Tucker Hearon and Cole Butchen, along with high schooler Richard Hume, the idea to create a benefit event to help The Ridgefield Playhouse keep its doors opened was born -- “Ridgefield Band Jam”. The kids put together a project schedule which included entries due in March and tryouts in April with the actual band battle taking place on Sunday, May 2nd at 4 p.m. at The Ridgefield Playhouse.

The “Ridgefield Band Jam” talent contest is open not just to Ridgefield students but to any area high school and middle school bands. “We all feel great knowing that we are helping the Playhouse in a time when it needs us most,” says 7th grader Cole Butchen. Under Playhouse leadership, the entrepreneurial boys launched a logo design competition at Ridgefield High School, created a marketing strategy, printed t-shirts to sell, canvassed the area with posters and arranged for the event’s musical direction to be managed by the Music Shed of Redding.

The rock band competition will be hosted by i95 Radio and will feature celebrity judges including i95 morning show host Ethan Carey, Tony- Award winning actress Debbie Gravitte, internationally-acclaimed record producer Phil Ramone and the Senior Vice President of Marketing from SONY Music, David Griffith. “We are so appreciative for the encouragement we have received and believe this will be the American Idol of band competitions for our area,” says Michael Rosamilia.

For complete details on the event, visit ridgefieldBandJam.com. For tickets ($20) and more information about The Ridgefield Playhouse, call the box office at 203-438-5795, or go online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Playhouse is located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.

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