| The Junior Guilders of Jamestown | |
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The Junior Guilders posing for a picture in their traditional red, white, and blue sequin outfits. |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Junior Guilders |
| Origin | Jamestown, New York |
| Genres | Show tunes, folk, jazz, blues, rock and roll |
| Years active | 1983–Present |
| Associated acts | ABBA; Lucille Ball Little Theatre; Children Sing |
| Website | juniorguilders.webs.com |
The Junior Guilders are a singing group associated with the Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown, New York. Founded in 1983 by Helen Merrill and Lucille Miller, the Guilders get together each week to practice their singing, dancing, and acting. Their ages range from 7-16 and they use a wide variety of styles, including folk, jazz, blues, and rock and roll. Merrill, an actress, believed that "the kids were destined for greatness".
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The Guilders were originally an idea by longtime Little Theatre director Fredricka Woodard. Woodard gave the idea to Helen Merrill, an actress at the Little Theatre, in 1982. Merrill established the group in 1983. Since that time, the group has grown from a dozen children to almost 40 performers. Helen Merrill remains its director. She also established and directs Children Sing, a minor organization of the Junior Guilders. Most Junior Guilders were formerly Children Sing members.
The Junior Guilders have performed in many locations, most commonly in Elderhostels. The shows at Elderhostels are generally from 20 minutes to two hours long. The Junior Guilders also perform with an ABBA tribute act at the Chautauqua Institution. During these performances the songs "Thank You for The Music" and "I have a dream are sung", with the latter accompanied by Sign Language. The Junior Guilders have also been invited to Walt Disney World's Magic Music days celebration numerous times. Their most recent show was in April 2010 at Downtown Disney. The Guilders have performed for 25 years at the Chautauqua County Fair in Dunkirk, New York, Walt Disney World, and Opryland, USA, performing 3 times with an ABBA tribute act, as back up chorus for the late Sheri Lewis in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; they got a standing ovation at the Mel Tillis Theater. They have also been featured at the White House honoring Congressman Amo Houghton. The Guilders have performed in numerous shows at the Lucille Ball Little Theatre. The most recent Junior Guilders show is Disney's The Jungle Book Kids.