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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Throughout September, The American Pops Orchestra is hitting the road for another completely free Children’s Outreach Tour, bringing professional live musical theatre directly into elementary schools in Kentucky, West Virginia, southeast Ohio and other underserved communities throughout Appalachia, according to a press release from the orchestra. Since launching this program in 2017, APO has worked to remove financial and geographic barriers to arts access by bringing original musical productions into school gyms, cafeterias and auditoriums at no cost to students or schools. For many children, these performances may be their first opportunity to experience professional singers, actors and musicians live.
This year’s tour stars Hilary Morrow, Audri Bartholomew and Mandy McGovern. Directed by Morrow, a veteran of The Second City, the production marks her ninth year appearing on every Children’s Outreach Tour since the program began. Bartholomew (The Voice Season 15; winner of APO’s 2022 NextGen Vocal Competition) has returned for multiple outreach tours and recently wrapped a national tour with 44: The Obama Musical. West Virginia native McGovern (2025 NextGen winner) recently starred as Bonnie Parker in Bonnie & Clyde and has performed with both Symphony of the Americas and APO over the past several seasons. Their participation creates a meaningful full-circle connection between APO’s programs for emerging collegiate artists and its work introducing younger students to the performing arts.
Over the years, APO’s educational programming has reached nearly one million students nationwide, carrying forward a mission that is deeply personal to APO Founder and Music Director Luke Frazier (a Parkersburg, W.Va., native), whose own love of music was sparked when professional musicians visited his elementary school.
