Members of the Academy of Performing Arts will be debuting their talent in their upcoming performance entitled “The New Girls in Town” at the Performing Arts Center this Saturday at 6 p.m.

The Academy of Performing Arts is an umbrella of performing groups including: The Men in Black, men’s show choir, The Triple Threat Dancers, dance team as well as the Spotlight Jewels women’s show choir. The Spotlight Jewels will be performing in Saturday’s show.

The production is named after the group’s standing in the community, and will incorporate singing, dancing as well as acting, Tabitha Kenny vocal coach for the group and graduate student, said

“We are the new girls on campus,” Kenny said.

 The Academy of Performing Arts began their group with two directors. Charlene Bibeau, junior biology pre-medical major, leads the group alongside Adam Pulver, co-director and graduate student.

Though the group was only recently started on Valentine’s day of this year, they are already prepared to make a name for themselves.

“It’s kind of like our debut performance,” Pulver said.

Bibeau said she loves being a part of the Academy of Performing Arts family.

“The best part is we’re a family,” Bibeau said.

The Academy of Performing Arts began when both she and co-director, Pulver, began to consider the busy schedules of members of the Adrenaline Show Choir. The two wanted to encourage the creative outlets of students and maintain the balance between performer and student, thus they began the Academy of Performing Arts, Bibeau said

The group started as a group that met twice a week for two hours that could be more laid back, relaxed and fun at the same time, Bibeau said

“It’s good to have an outlet to be able to express yourself and be able to have fun and enjoy yourself,” Bibeau said.

The Academy of Performing Arts chose to debut themselves through volunteer work for Health Services as well as the Counseling Center in their efforts to raise funds for the sexual response organizations in Statesboro.

The Academy of Performing Arts's philanthropy includes: The Georgia Southern Sexual Response Team, The Statesboro Regional Sexual Assault Center and the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program, director of Health Services and adviser for the Academy of Performing Arts, Paul Ferguson said.

The performing arts group is volunteering for the cause of sexual assault because it is a reality for some of the group’s members Bibeau said.

“We try to choose (a philanthropy) that hits home to most people,” Pulver said, “It seemed like a perfect organization to help with.”

Bibeau also feels as though the charity performance will benefit the community.

Bibeau said, “I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to not only do a show, but to also benefit the community.