Glee Star Matthew Morrison Wants Legacy of Performing Arts High Schools

By Karen Bliss 3/14/11 | www.samaritanmag.com

Matthew Morrison
Matthew Morrison
Glee’s leading man Matthew Morrison is now officially juggling two time-consuming careers, one playing high school teacher Will Schuester on the hit musical-comedy television series about a glee club; the other as a recording artist with an album due May 10; the single, "Summer Rain," has just been released. But when things settle down or he figures out how to find time, the triple-threat actor, singer and dancer wants to start his own arts school.

“My thing is arts education, which is always great for me. It always has been, but it coincides with my role on Glee,” Morrison tells Samaritanmag. “I’m a proud product of a public performing arts high school and my mission — and what I want my legacy to be — is to create a chain of accredited performing arts high schools.

“I’d love to do it all around the world because I was so lucky and fortunate to find my passion when I was really young, in theatre and singing and in the arts,” he explains. “A lot of people don’t get to experience that. So I’d love to have a place where people can actually go and see if that’s what they’d like to do and have a really great performing arts school.”

Morrison, who was born in Fort Ord, California, attended Orange County High School of the Arts, a charter school for grades seven to 12.  He then studied at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, landing his first role on Broadway at age 19 in Footloose, and becoming a regular performer on and off Broadway.

He has teamed up with Dr. Ralph Opacic to see if he can make his dream a reality.

“He’s the director of my performing arts high school that I went to and it’s something we’re in talks right now about opening a couple of different schools in the U.S.,” says Morrison.

Why he expects this to happen, he doesn’t know. “It’s hard. I’m keeping a very very busy schedule right now.”

Nike Air Jordan Retro 1 Red Black White - Buy Air Jordan 1 Retro (white / black / varsity red), Price: $60.85 - Air Jordan Shoes

* Samaritanmag.com is an online magazine covering the good deeds of individuals, charities and businesses.