SILER CITY, N.C. — Zachary D. Wills, a music educator currently teaching general music and band at Silk Hope School, has been named orchestra pit director for the North Carolina high school premiere of “Frozen: The Broadway Musical” at Jordan-Matthews High School.

The school in Siler City was selected to present the statewide premiere in a nationwide competition sponsored by Educational Theatre Association, Disney Theatrical Group and Music Theatre International. Centering on the theme “Love Is An Open Door,” the competition was designed to promote inclusion and outreach in high school theater programs.

As part of that outreach, the pit orchestra will be open by audition to high school musicians throughout Chatham County Schools. Auditions will be held in mid- to late-January.

Wills is a strong proponent of artistic collaboration, working with other area music directors and performing with the West Chatham Jazz Ensemble.

He has served in the Marine Corps bands as an instrumentalist and small ensemble leader for 12 years, and has taught music for more than two decades to students from kindergarten through graduate school. He is a doctoral candidate in music education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

“I am excited to be part of ‘Frozen,’” Wills says. “As Jordan-Matthews is the only high school in North Carolina authorized to perform this extremely popular Broadway show, our community will have a unique opportunity to experience a high school-based development and performance of a recent, modern musical — a capstone event for the year for all of those involved.

“This musical will provide a collaborative platform for our county’s arts students, leaders and programs to grow and develop in the spirit of our district’s vision of One Chatham.”

“Frozen” performances are April 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. and April 21 at 3 p.m. at the Jordan-Matthews High School Auditorium. Tickets will available in a presale to JMArts members in late fall and then in a public sale early in the new year.

Several free community events associated with the production will be held through April. Details will be announced on JMArts social media and listed on a web page dedicated to the “Frozen” production at jmarts.org/frozen.

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