Nick will miss 'Taking the Stage'

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By John Kiesewetter • jkiesewetter@enquirer.com • May 9, 2010

When MTV canceled "Taking the Stage" last week, co-creator Nick Lachey was philosophical: "These things happen."

In a guarded conversation, the 1992 School for Creative & Performing Arts graduate admitted he didn't like some changes MTV made for the second and final season, which ended April 15.

MTV cut it to 30 minutes from an hour and moved it from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., when many SCPA students were in bed.

"I wasn't in favor of the half-hour (format), or the 11 p.m. time slot," he says. "But at the end of the day, to make a few concessions to keep the show on the air (this year) were the right decisions."

He did not discuss MTV's casting. Six of the stars this year were transfer students new to SCPA.

The former College Hill resident said he tried "every way possible" to get MTV to order a third season showing SCPA's new $72-million Central Parkway building.

"We know the decision wasn't an easy one," says Lachey, who filmed another Cincinnati Bell TV commercial on Fountain Square Monday.

Lachey first pitched the series to a previous MTV regime. He praised MTV "for sticking with it," shooting two pilots, and airing two seasons.

A MTV official said Wednesday the network was "incredibly proud of the show. And we're very grateful to the city and schools to let us in and have so much access."

Under MTV's 2007 contract with Cincinnati Public Schools, the network paid $10,000 per episode and had rights to shoot six seasons.

Lachey said "Taking the Stage" accomplished all of his goals. It raised SCPA's profile, increased enrollment and made Cincinnati look beautiful to MTV's audience.

"We restocked the talent at the school. We showed the beauty of Over-the-Rhine and the city's incredible architecture," he says.

MTV showed "just how special that school is, and has given some students there the rare opportunity to... expose their talents to the world. I attribute a lot of (my) success to my personal experience in that school," he says.

Lachey boasts big talent for 'Taking the Stage'

It's like the Broadway musical 'Fame,' but in real life. That's how Nick Lachey describes the second season of 'Taking the Stage,' the reality show that follows high school students at The School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati.

Nick Lachey talks about new MTV show "Taking the Stage"

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By RYAN McLENDON • Associated Press Writer • January 28, 2010

EW YORK — It's like "Fame" — the movie that showcased the dreams and disappointments of high school performers — but in real life.

That's how Nick Lachey describes the second season of "Taking the Stage," the
reality TV show that follows high school students at The School for Creative and
Performing Arts (SCPA) in Cincinnati as they work to break in to the entertainment
industry. The show premieres Thursday at 11 p.m. EST on MTV.

"It's a great kind of learning ground for anyone who wants to be in entertainment
and anyone who loves performing," says Lachey, the show's executive producer. "I think the school really prepares you for what the business is all about."

Lachey, a pop singer and actor, attended the school himself and knows firsthand the how an aspiring entertainer struggles to make it. After graduating from SCPA in 1992, he formed the boy band 98 Degrees and launched a successful solo career. In 2003-2005, he starred with then-wife Jessica Simpson in the MTV reality series "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica."

Other notable SCPA alumni include Sarah Jessica Parker, Carmen Electra and Lachey's brother and 98 Degrees alum, Drew.

This season's "Taking the Stage" follows Tyler, now a senior at SCPA and Mia, who has been trying to get her new band off the ground since graduation. We'll also meet new students — including Adam, Emily Silber, Emily Sones, Carlton and Ian — who all try to navigate their way to fame by way of high school.

The show resonates with viewers, Lachey says. "People are attracted to good
performance and seeing young people follow their dreams," he says. "I think we see
some of ourselves in kids."

For Lachey, that dream is to become a sports talk radio host. Meanwhile, he has been working on the follow-up to his 2005 album, "What's Left of Me," which has been delayed, he says.

But, he says, "Music will always be my home base. It will always be my passion."

Taking The Stage Returns In Late January

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Posted by jkiesewetter December 1st, 2009, 5:13 pm
So says Nick Lachey. In a NBC conference call this afternoon for “The Sing-Off,” the a cappella competition he’s hosting starting Dec. 14, Lachey was asked when “Taking the Stage” would be back on MTV. His reply: “It’s coming back in late January.”

Of course, there’s no confirmation from MTV….. just as there hasn’t been any official word from MTV acknowledging the network has been shooting a second season of the musical reality show at the School for Creative & Performing Arts since May 7, when the first 8-week season ended. They continued to shoot Mia, Malik, Jasmine and Shaakira before they graduated. Filming resumed in early August before school started, Lachey announced at the time. And MTV cameras have been visible around town shooting Mia at the MidPoint Music Festival on Fountain Square in September, and the SCPA kids doing a number from “Fame” on Fountain Square in October.

If MTV is going to air new episodes next month, the network should finally make a ”Taking the Stage” announcement soon.

As for “The Sing-Off,” it will be mostly taped, unlike NBC’s live “Clash of the Choir” competition with Lachey and Team Cincinnati two years ago. Eight a cappella groups will perform in a two-hour taped shows (8-10 p.m.) on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 14-16. By the end of Wednesday’s show, only three groups will remain. Then viewers will select the winner, which will be revealed in a live 8-10 p.m. show on Monday, Dec. 21. Lachey will host and “support” the singers; he will not be a judge.

Full Episodes of "Taking The Stage" Season 1

Thanks to NickandNessaFan at Nickfanatic for these links

Premiere episode
Episode 2
Episode 3 With Nick & Vanessa Cameo
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7

Nick Lachey: I've Never Seen 'The Hills'

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I am a simple man of simple pleasures: "Lost," Kristen Bell, coffee and anything that involves watching people dance. I mean, it takes a real man to refer to "Center Stage" as one of his favorite movies ever.

So, hearing that Nick Lachey was developing a reality series that was like "Fame" channeled through "The Hills," I piddled.

After watching a preview of the premiere ep -- tonight at 10 pm on MTV -- I feel safe to say that "Taking the Stage" trumps MTV's amazing "Dancelife" in terms of sheer talent. The kids featured are remarkable, both in their dancing and their ability to avoid sounding like drones reading from a script. There is major drama, major talent and major upsets. And that's just week one.

I chatted with Nick, who returned to his alma mater, the School for Creative and Performing Arts, to film the series that, in truth, is nothing like "The Hills." Not that

Nick would know...

PopWrap: How did you go about selecting these kids?
Nick Lachey: It was an extensive process of interviewing and auditioning, but these kids not only had a lot of talent, but a lot of charisma. It was an easy show to cast, honestly, because they all shine on camera.

PW: While there are some "Hills"-like moments, I must say that the show feels genuinely real.
Nick: I can honestly say I've never seen "The Hills," so I have no idea what that comparison means, but it's reality. We captured certain moments that are more relevant to the show, but these kids are going through their lives as they would if the cameras weren't there. But we're lucky they all turned out to have such engaging stories develop.

PW: How important was it to you to have this show set at your alma mater?
Nick: It was extremely important and one of the big things I wanted to present about this school was the diversity. I took it for granted when I went there, but I really wanted to communicate through the show that at the end of the day it doesn't matter if you're white or black, straight or gay, rich or poor -- all that matters is how talented you are, and I'm happy the cast represents that.

PW: The first episode ends with the fall talent show -- did you compete in that when you attended?
Nick: The school has changed a bit because we didn't have talent shows. But we did big musicals and it was funny because there would also be two casts. Like, if we were doing "Annie," we'd have one cast with a white Annie and one with a black Annie. It teaches you to work your tail off because you're competing against everybody.

PW: Do you think if they had all these reality TV competitions -- "American Idol" or "So You Think You Can Dance" -- in your day, you would have gone that route?
Nick: Oh, absolutely. I think when you're at the point of getting discovered, there are no wrong choices. Shows like "Idol" have done huge things for people all across the country. Had a show like that been available when I was at school, I would have been all over it. It's an opportunity to showcase your talent and at the end of the day, that's the most important thing.

PW: Jasmine and Tyler both put their burgeoning relationship on camera. Did you talk to the kids about that, having put your marriage on TV?
Nick: I didn't really speak to them about that until after filming was over because I didn't want to affect what was happening. But at the beginning I told them, be who you are and let your personality shine through because that's what makes you unique. I think Jasmine and Tyler are amazing -- when you see them on camera, it's almost like you're watching stars on the big screen.

PW: What can we expect to see over the course of season one?
Nick: Well, certainly it's not all roses. In life it's not that way and in the performing world it's not either. There are always challenges to overcome as you try and move forward. It's the story of life. And this is a big year for a lot of them -- their senior year -- so there's a lot at stake as they're preparing to try and have careers in this business. The stakes are high!

"Taking the Stage" premieres tonight at 10 pm on MTV.

Photo: Olaf Heine; Eric Johnston/MTV

Nick MTV Show Brings Cincinnati To You

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Published by Gil Kaufman on Friday, March 20, 2009 at 3:07 pm.

Here’s the thing. If you live in Los Angeles, New York, Miami or anywhere the “Real World” touches down, you’re used to seeing your city on TV. But if, like me, you live in, say, Cincinnati (or, as my colleagues in New York like to call it, Cleveland), not so much.

Which is why watching the debut episode of the Nick Lachey-produced “Taking the Stage” on Thursday night was so exciting. See, for years, I’ve been trying to convince the folks here at MTV that Cin-city is the kind of cultural magnet where major things happen all the time.

And not just because I live here. I didn’t go to the School for Creative & Performing Arts, which is featured in the show, but plenty of my good friends did, and I spent quite a bit of time there hanging out with them, in awe of their talents. I was back there in 2005 when former student and 98 Degrees member Justin Jeffre announced his (ultimately failed) bid for mayor of Cincinnati, with, of course, Lachey by his side.

And watching the first episode was exciting not just because I know the halls of the 99-year-old building by heart, or because a multimillion dollar new building is currently being constructed down the street and this might be a last longing look at the old one. It was thrilling to see shots of the Roebling Bridge spanning the Ohio River, the Reds’ Great American Ballpark downtown, the inside of Baba Budan’s Espresso Bar — where one of the show’s stars plays a gig, and which I’ve passed a million times — and the historic, colorful 19th-century architecture that surrounds the school in the perpetually on–the-cusp-of-being-revitalized Over-the-Rhine neighborhood where SCPA is located.

Taking The Stage | Ep. 1 | Dance Off

Taking The Stage - MTV Shows

The Definition: "Disturbia"

Taking The Stage - MTV Shows

Taking The Stage | Extended Performances | Ep. 1

Taking The Stage - MTV Shows

Nick Lachey is 'Taking the Stage' on MTV

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Posted by Brian Truitt

Nick Lachey is a busy man these days. His new single Patience is out now. He recently filmed an appearance on an upcoming episode of the CW drama One Tree Hill. And he's going back to high school — literally — for the new MTV reality series Taking the Stage, which premieres tonight at 10 p.m. ET. The series, conceptualized by Lachey, follows five high schoolers attending the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) in Cincinnati, Ohio — alma mater of both Lachey and his brother (and former 98 Degrees bandmate), Drew, as well as Sarah Jessica Parker and Carmen Electra. The 10-episode series is a combination of high school drama, singing and dancing, according to our Reyhaneh Fathieh. She describes it as The Hills meets American Idol meets America’s Best Dance Crew. Nick Lachey took time out of his increasingly hectic schedule to chat with Reyhaneh about the new show, so click read more for her report.

Photo by Olaf Heine

Tony Romo, Jessica Simpson's current beau, isn't Lachey's pick for the best quarterback in the NFL. Instead, the singer — Simpson's ex-husband and A-list sports fanatic — gives that award to the Colts' starting QB, Peyton Manning. Lachey actually had football ambitions of his own back in the day, but admits he had “no clue what [he] was doing” as a walk-on at tailback for the University of Southern California.

His most recent position, though, is that of executive producer for Taking the Stage, starring a host of talented youngsters from his Ohio high school. But, since SCPA is no jock school, Lachey says his football obsession almost prevented him from enrolling and pursuing music all together. “There were no sports at the school, and I had every intention of playing football. But my brother auditioned for the performing arts school, and my family was making a big to-do about how he was going to be a star. Honestly, it was pure jealousy that made me want to audition for the school myself and prove that I’m talented, too."

The former boy-band member’s efforts to prove himself as an artist continue with his next solo album, Coming Up for Air, out in May. Lachey, now a 35-year-old divorcee, says the new music reflects his own maturity. “I’m in the 'I guess it’s time to grow up' phase. I’d like to see a family and kids happen sooner than later,” he says. If you’re betting on Lachey’s future children’s hair color, put your money down on brunette. “I’ve covered both [blonde and brunette],” says Lachey, who was married to famous blonde Simpson and is now dating a beautiful brunette, Vanessa Minnillo. “I’m more of a brunette guy, to be honest with you. It’s right up my alley.”

Taking the Stage Facebook Page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Taking-the-Stage/54035698285?v=posts&viewas=1460970417

Mtv Taking the Stage *Main Page*

I know many of you land on this page looking for info on the cast members an info on Mtv's Highly Anticipated *TAKING THE STAGE* Mtv finally has the main page done now go HERE for cast bios/episode guides etc....
I was a dancer growing up & a HUGE fan of the Step Up movies. So you can be sure I'll be watching every week. Just to have the opportunity to go to a school like that is amazing.
I'm going to do my best to keep you guys out there upated in 98lan on the show..We may not see much of Nick. But this is his show....So I will be posting everything i can on it here!!

Mtv Taking the Stage

Nick Lachey conceptualized the series, Taking the Stage, and is one of the executive producers. He is also an alum of the school where the show takes place, Cincinnati’s School for Creative and Performing Arts. “Taking the Stage” features 5 main characters – 4 of which are dancers and 1 who is a singer/songwriter and it will premiere on Thursday, March 19 at 10pm ET/PT on MTV.

MTV Shows

► About the Show

In the heart of Cincinnati is a place where talented kids from all walks of l if e come to pursue their dreams. It is the School for Creative and Performing Arts. Gaining acceptance to SCPA and Taking the Stage here is an honor and talented dancers, musicians and actors have to audition to get into the school. Once they're there, students spend most of their waking hours honing their skills for a chance to prove they've got what it takes to make it.

Kids who attend SCPA go on to study arts at prestigious universities and pursue careers on Broadway, in Hollywood and all facets of the entertainment business. Among the performers who have attended SCPA are actress Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City), actor/director Todd Luiso (High Fidelity, Love Liza), actor Rocky Carroll (NCIS) and singer Nick Lachey.

Right now, five students Taking the Stage at SCPA are on the cusp of greatness:

(Photos credit goes to Eric Johnson/MTV)

	Jasmine is a prima ballerina who dreams of dancing with the famed Alvin Ailey dance troupe. "I want to be one of the best professional dancers of my generation," she says. Jasmine hopes to attend New York performing arts conservatory Juilliard after graduating from SCPA.
	Mia is a singer-songwriter whose talent is matched only by her drive. "My whole l if e I've had the same goal, to make music and get a record contract by the time that I'm 18," Mia says. "I know I have what it takes to make it happen."
	Malik -- Jasmine's best friend -- leads the school's only hip-hop dance group, The Definition. "When I dance," he says, "people notice. I want to inspire." In addition to his formidable dance skills, he is also a talented choreographer and a singer/songwriter.
	Shaakira is a dancer and aspiring actress. "I want to be an all-around entertainer. I have really big dreams," she says. "I will do whatever it takes to be famous." Shaakira is an accomplished ballet dancer -- one of the best SCPA has ever produced -- but prefers hip-hop dance and is an integral member of Malik's team.
	And, finally, there's Tyler, a gifted hip-hop dancer. Along with his little brother, Chris (also a dancer), he's new to the School for Creative and Performing Arts, and he's about to shake things up. "Dancing is my world; it just comes out of me," he says. "I am hip-hop dance. Hip-hop dance is me."

Despite being in one of the most creative environments a talented kid could ask for, there are obstacles standing in between them and their dreams of Taking the Stage. In some cases, it's a focus on discipline and perfecting the skills that could lead them to professional careers in the performing arts. Because they are so focused on their goals, a lot of "normal" things like dating or even just hanging out with friends are sacr if iced to make time for performances, rehearsals and hours upon hours of practice.

Still, these face the typical pitfalls of high school -- from the pressures of studying hard to making grades, to navigating the treacherous waters of attraction and young love and dealing with the same insecurities that every teenager faces -- that prove to be substantial stumbling blocks for many.

The question is, will Jasmine, Malik, Shaakira, Mia and Tyler give their all to chase their dreams? If they do, they'll be Taking the Stage with the confidence of knowing they are among the best at what they do.

► Taking the Stage Bios

Jasmine
An incredibly driven ballet dancer, Jasmine is the pride of the School for Creative and Performing Arts dance program. The envy of many other students, Jasmine balances rehearsals for school productions of "Cats" and "The Nutcracker" with her school curriculum. As if that wasn't enough, this SCPA senior is also somehow finding time to fit in extra dance classes as she prepares for an audition for Julliard. Jasmine hopes to attend the famed performing arts conservatory after she graduates from SCPA.

Tyler
The new kid in school, Tyler shakes things up the minute he steps through the doors of Cincinnati's School for Creative and Performing Arts. An outstanding hip-hop dancer, Tyler's got something to prove to the other kids, most of whom have grown up in the SCPA halls. He knows he needs to focus on developing his talent into marketable professional assets if he wants to make it. He also needs to work hard to maintain his role model status in the eyes of his little brother Chris, who is enrolled at SCPA.

Mia
An incredibly driven singer/songwriter, Mia makes no excuses for her ambitions. Early in her life she set a goal of making music for a living and having a recording contract by the time she was 18 years old. Constantly writing and rehearsing, Mia also takes every opportunity to perform, playing her original material in local coffee shops and anywhere she'll be allowed onto the stage. At the School for Creative and Performing Arts, she leans on the guidance of jazz teacher Mr. Stuckey, who has become a mentor to Mia's obvious abundance of talent.

Shaakira
Shaakira is a skilled ballet dancer and a respected hip-hop dancer who also has a passion for acting. She is feeling the pressure in her senior year at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. Shaakira hopes to go to college and she views dance as her ticket out of Cincinnati. She hopes to win a dance scholarship, but will have to overcome her fears and self-doubt if she's ever going to make her dreams come true. Shaakira is also an integral part of Malik's hip-hop dance group, The Definition.

Malik
Malik's dream is to be a star on Broadway, and he's got enough moves, talent and drive that it will be a huge surprise to everyone who knows him if he doesn't eventually see that dream come true. A standout student, dancer, choreographer and a natural leader, Malik founded The Definition, the School of Creative and Performing Arts' only hip-hop dance group, an extracurricular activity that includes his good friends Jasmine and Shaakira.

JJ
A senior who is one of Tyler's closest friends, JJ is part of his pal's dance group, Black Rain. He is also a talented musician and singer who oozes style and charm. JJ's diverse talents include being a piano prodigy and roller-dancer. He teams up with his friend Mia to collaborate musically, and although their two styles are very different, they end up creating a cool mash-up.

Aaron
An in-demand drummer at the School for Creative and Performing Arts, Aaron is a senior who has always been as equally passionate about music as he is about girls ... but sometimes he's distracted by both to the point that he struggles academically. A close friend of Mia and a frequent collaborator, he often invites her to jam with him and their friend Jesse.

Matthew
Though he is only a junior, Matthew exudes a maturity which belies his age. Matthew often helps out with Malik's hip-hop group, The Definition. Matthew is a singer, but says he will be a music mogul one day. This self-assurance comes through in Matthew's friendships ... he is not afraid to speak his mind.

Jesse
A senior who is friends with Mia and Aaron, Jesse is in love with music. Writing and performing are Jesse's life and he often gets together with Mia and Aaron to jam. Jesse is a very talented singer/songwriter, but sometimes his passion for music distracts him from attending school. Jesse will have to find the balance between music and school work if he's going to stay at SPCA.

Aubrie
A junior who is all about the drama, Aubrie is the school gossip and always knows everyone's business. A close friend of Mia, Aubrie is a talented actress who performs in all of the SCPA plays. She has great comedic timing and hopes to audition for Chicago's legendary Second City comedy troupe and one day end up as a player on "Saturday Night Live".

MTV sends Nick Lachey back to his old high school for 'Taking the Stage'

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By Cristina Kinon
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Wednesday, March 11th 2009, 4:00 AM

Shaakira Sargent (l.) Malik Kitchen, Jasmine White Killins, Tyler Nelson and Mia Curruthers star in MTV's 'Taking the Stage'

Folks on "The Hills" and other reality shows have often been accused of performing for the cameras.

The stars of MTV's latest series, "Taking the Stage," would take such a comment as a compliment.

Set in Cincinnati's famed School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA), "Taking the Stage" features a cast of kids from all walks of life trying to launch professional careers in dance, music and acting, all while dealing with typical teenage drama.

The show is produced by Nick Lachey, a school alumnus. He brought the idea for the show to MTV because he says SCPA played a large part not just in his career, but in his life.

"That school is not like any other place in the world," he told the Daily News. "It creates a whole world of learning that you don't see very often in this country, and especially on MTV."

"Taking the Stage" premieres Thursday night at 10. And like every other school, has a wide variety of characters.

Among the students are ballerina Jasmine, who dreams of dancing with Alvin Ailey but becomes distracted by her budding relationship with Tyler, a hip-hop dancer who wants to be in music videos. There's Malik, Jasmine's best friend, who does not approve of her interest in Tyler. And there's Shaakira, a dancer and aspiring actress who's trying to make it on behalf of her struggling family. And there's Mia, a singer-songwriter who wants a record deal by the time she's 18.

While Lachey insists that the show is "reality," he doesn't doubt that some of the cast members might be turning it on for the cameras.

"At the end of the day, they are performers," Lachey said. "But at the same time, I went to that school and I can vouch for what that experience is like, and whether there is a camera crew there or not, you are performing."

Unlike such other MTV reality series as "Laguna Beach," "Taking the Stage" is actually filmed inside the school. It also has a much more diverse cast.

"There are white kids, black kids ... but you don't see people for their color, or their sexuality or their economic background; you see people for their talent," said Lachey. "That's what I wanted to show - that there was a school out there, an experience out there, that was not about money or who's entitled, it was about talent."

ckinon@nydailynews.com

Nick Lachey vs. The Hills: The Reality Battle at MTV

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Mon., Mar. 9, 2009 3:05 PM PDT by Marc Malkin

MTV; Larry Busacca/Getty Images

You'd think after starring alongside his now ex-wife, Jessica Simpson, in Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica, Nick Lachey would have had it with reality television.

But this time, he's not showcasing his private life.

Lachey is the producer and creator behind Taking the Stage, a 10-episode series on MTV (premiering March 19) that follows five students at Cincinnati's School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Lachey, along with Sarah Jessica Parker and Carmen Electra, are among the Fame-like school's former students.

"I saw these shows that MTV does, whether it is Laguna Beach or The Hills and they're very, very glossy and glamorous—rich kids in southern California," Lachey tells me. "I thought, 'That's not really representative of the entire country.' "

Taking the Stage, Lachey promises, shows "kids from a very urban environment and a very gritty environment."

In other words, he says, "the antithesis of what you saw with Laguna Beach."

Although Lachey has been very involved with the school since graduating (he hosts an annual Labor Day Weekend fundraiser, among other things), his reality show pitch wasn't welcomed right away. "It took a little bit of convincing," he said. "Their responsibility is to protect the students and protect the schools. So when they hear I'm coming with MTV, I can understand the resistance from the school board and from the parents."

Lachey admits returning to reality TV was the furthest thing from his mind when Newlyweds ended in 2005 after four seasons. "It's funny because I never thought I'd be in the reality-show business again," he said. "But this is a special circumstance. It's not like I'm going out there and beating the bushes for another reality idea."

We guess that means we won't be seeing Nick & Vanessa anytime soon.