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[post_content] => If you do these things... Broadway is LIFE! Community list so add your submission!
[post_title] => Top 10+ Signs That Broadway Is Your Life
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[post_title] => Quiz: Movie, Book, Or Musical First?
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[post_content] => Women in contemporary musical theatre have become living legends. Idina Menzel, Alice Ripley, Sutton Foster and, more recently, Cynthia Erivo are forces with which to be reckoned for future generations. These women (among other great stars) have conquered some of Broadway’s most formidable, sought-after roles. These figures have made contemporary theatre a time of dynamic, proactive characters with demands reserved for only the cream of the crop.
For any ladies looking for a challenge, here are 15 of the most vocally challenging contemporary female roles. Disclaimer: For the purpose of this article, “contemporary” refers to musicals from “Rent” onward.
I’ve rarely ever come into contact with someone who didn’t have an idea for a musical. Everyone wants to write one or be in one or just be on the team. I read nearly every day about musicals that are being made based on beloved films, truly mediocre films or films amazingly inappropriate for a musical. However, ideas for musicals are not just confined to movies, plays and books. They come from board games, TV shows, rides at theme parks — anything. It’s “What I Had for Breakfast Today: The Musical.”
It seems no subject matter is off-limits when it comes to making a musical. However, it takes more than an idea to create something onstage that will capture and hold an audience’s attention and make them feel, or laugh or hate you.
Today, I will touch on the necessary steps (in my humble opinion) that it takes to create a musical your audience hopefully won’t hate you for.
Nothing is more important than the story you are telling. Whether it’s an idea out of your own head or based on already existing source material, this is the foundation of your show. Source material can be a novel, play, film or even a TV show — I’m sure someone is creating “Mr. Ed: The Musical” right now. If you’re too young to remember “Mr. Ed,” it was a sitcom in the ‘60s about a talking horse, and yes, someone somewhere thinks this is a good idea for a musical.
But still, even the worst idea imaginable will be a good idea to someone. And that’s the real point: All art is subjective. So, even if you really are planning to obtain the musical rights to “Mr. Ed,” you still have a shot at making it a good show if you do everything else right. It’s a very, very small shot, but a shot nonetheless.
The story you choose for your show is the story you will be living with for the next many years, if things go well, so it should be a story you love. It should involve characters you love (or hate for all the right reasons) and want to spend time with. It doesn’t matter whether you have a profound message to share with the world or if you just want to make people laugh and have a good time. That’s up to you. Just know that the story is everything. If you don’t have the story, you have nothing. It’s the foundation on which you will build everything else. If your foundation is shaky, your musical will be shaky. Make sure you get this part right.
Caution: I know the trend is to try to musicalize all the movies we love, and I believe film is a very valid choice for source material for musicals. But be careful. First, you’re going to have to acquire the film rights, and that takes lawyers and money. Unless you’re extremely well-connected, I do not suggest it. If you don’t have an original idea, I suggest taking a novel or play in the public domain and using that as your story. You can update it so that it feels more contemporary. Any novel or play 75 years after the death of the author is in the public domain, and you don’t need permission to adapt, sabotage or plagiarize the works of your favorite dead author.
I’ve adapted several works in the public domain. I started with “Jane Eyre.” I literally had no idea what I was doing. I read the novel, highlighted the parts I thought I should include and then just started writing the book and score. Amazingly, 10 years later, the show would go to Broadway (after 7 million rewrites, countless readings and out-of-town tryouts). Oh, did I mention writing musicals is all about rewriting them? We’ll get to that later.
Tip: Don’t try to guess what the audience wants. No one knows. It’s all a crapshoot. Yes, if you have Hugh Jackman starring in your show, you probably could do “Mr. Ed: The Musical” and it would kill. But we don’t all have Hugh on speed dial, so you’re better off choosing a story you love, whether it’s an original idea from your very own brain or based on previously existing material. If you have your foundation, you’re ready for the next steps.
One more thought: Here’s a very crucial question to always ask yourself when looking at source material: Do these characters sing? Look, I’m very opinionated. Personally, I don’t think Spider-Man sings. Maybe that’s just me (apparently it wasn’t just me). Some characters sing, and some don’t. How do we know? I’m not sure. To me, it’s intrinsic. I just know. I’m hearing about a musical being developed by Broadway producers right now that has characters I know shouldn’t sing. But often, Broadway is more interested in a brand than what makes a good musical. That’s why the world needs us. Notice how I’ve included all of you without knowing you — it’s my way.
The next most important step is deciding who your writing team is, and more specifically, what your role is.
Are you a musician? Are you a playwright? Are you someone who likes to eat ice cream and watch a lot of TV? (Don’t underestimate TV watching. We are in the Golden Age of TV, and you can learn a lot about dramatic structure. Also, it’s a little known fact that ice cream is essential to writing musicals.)
When I write a show, I write everything (at least in the first draft), including the book, music and lyrics. My background is in songwriting, so naturally, writing the score comes easiest to me. But even though I had very little experience writing the libretto to a musical, I decided to do it all myself for “Jane Eyre,” since at that time, I had no writing partner. This was done with the understanding that eventually, I would bring in a book writer. I did, but I had no idea it would be the director of “Les Misérables.” Holy shit.
This improved my skill at writing librettos. Though I did not end up writing the book for “Jane Eyre,” I did write the librettos for several of my other shows, including “Emma” and “Sense and Sensibility.” Working with John Caird was an education in creating musicals. I was very fortunate to have had that experience. But it started with my commitment to do it all myself. Just try to get the work out there so that it could be heard — eventually by John.
Tip: Figure out what you do. If you like to write music but you don’t feel you are strong with lyrics, collaborate with a lyricist. If you are the book writer and you think you can write lyrics, go for it! Do whatever it is you want to do, and find out whether you’re good at it. If not, so what? The biggest tip I can give anyone is this: Don’t be afraid to suck. We all have to start somewhere. And sucking is a reasonable place to begin. We’re here to grow and learn, and there’s no better way to learn than by doing. That’s what worked for me.
You still haven’t watched Season 3 of “Game of Thrones.” It’s a beautiful day outside, and if you had a dog, he would need to be walked right now. Your boss needs you for an extra shift, and working at Starbucks is sucking out your soul and all your creative juices.
Look, there’s no easy way to say this: Writing is hard. But getting started is harder. So do whatever it takes. Set a time of day where you have time to write and make sure you sit there. Even if nothing happens, it’s okay.
I read once that Paul Simon, one of my favorite songwriters, goes to work from “9–5” every day and just writes, whether he’s inspired or not. I thought that was pretty cool. So, find a system that works for you and stick with it. This game is all about self-discipline. Most of my work is not commissioned, and if I don’t force myself to write, I’m not going to have a career. If you can self-motivate, you are golden.
When adapting from a novel, I would strongly suggest reading the novel before you start to write your musical. I know this seems stupidly obvious, but believe me, I had to force myself to not start writing songs for “Jane Eyre” before I finished reading the book (that fucker took three weeks to read. So many pages). But I was so inspired by the early chapters that I was just bursting to start writing. But of course, that would be stupid. I didn’t know the story yet. I didn’t know the arc of the story. How would I know which bits to include and which bits to leave out? This is the key when adapting a novel — they’re long. When we did our first production of “Jane Eyre,” we basically performed the whole novel onstage. We were so true to the book, we didn’t leave anything out. The show was over three hours long.
Tip: When adapting a novel, the most important decision you can make is what to include and what not to include. With “Sense and Sensibility,” I wasn’t keen on telling the stories of the mother and the youngest Dashwood sister because I felt they were unnecessary to the plot. So, I killed them off, and it worked like a charm. In “Emma,” I got rid of Emma’s sister and brother-in-law. They bored me, so I left them out. The decision is all yours. These works are in the public domain, and you can do anything you want. However, if there really is an afterlife, I have an uncomfortable feeling that Charlotte Brontë, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens are going to kick the shit out of me.
I find that plays are the easiest to adapt to musicals. If you’re working with a good playwright, he or she has already done a lot of the heavy lifting already. Honestly, I would much rather adapt a play than a novel. With a play, I can focus entirely on the score because the story is already mapped out. Chances are, I’m just “musicalizing” the sections of the play I want sung instead of spoken. I am currently adapting the play “Reflections of a Rock Lobster” by Burgess Clarke. It’s based on the true story of two boys who wanted to go to the high school senior prom together in Rhode Island in 1980. After they were turned down by the high school principal, they sued the school and won. The play has so much pathos and heart, and it’s been a dream to take Burgess’ words and make them sing. I love putting myself in the heads of the characters and trying to find new ways to express different emotions. There is a tremendous joy and satisfaction in working with truly smart writers who push you to do your very best work. It doesn’t always happen, but if you have the rights to a great play, it’s a good place to start.
Making a musical based on an original story is the trickiest. When I am adapting Jane Austen novels, at least I know that my story is solid and has worked for almost 200 years. Almost no one is going to leave the theatre saying, “Weak story.” But with an original piece, you have your work cut out for you. Musicals are hard to get right to begin with, but original musicals are even harder. So if you do have an idea you love, then tell your story. Sing your story. Be original. Figure it out as you go.
Be sure to map your story out completely before you start writing songs. One of the biggest mistakes I constantly make is writing music before the idea has settled. Of course, writing the songs can often help expand the idea — and may help in discovering new places to go — but it’s generally a far better idea to have your story completely worked out and a good working draft of the script before you begin writing the score.
I play the game “Where’s Waldo?” when I’m working on a new musical (though honestly, I don’t know who Waldo is). Discovering what should be musicalized and what shouldn’t be is the key to writing a good musical.
When I first started working on “Emma,” I came to a place in the novel where Mr. Elton sends Emma and Harriet riddles, which Emma thinks provides clues about his romantic interest in Harriet (when he’s really interested in Emma). I saw many opportunities in this moment to write a great comic song for the three characters. It would have worked wonderfully, and the audience would have eaten it up. But I never wrote the song because it would not have moved the story forward. It wouldn’t have given the audience more insight into the characters. And we find out the same information later in another way. So the best decision I ever made was to not write that song.
“But if the song would have been as great as you say, wouldn’t it have helped the show anyway?”
No. Though it would be an audience pleaser in the moment, it would have made the first act five minutes longer. And then later, there’s a “double beat” in storytelling, which would have taken the air out of later scenes because things are feeling long when they didn’t have to. Everything is finely stitched together in a musical, and pulling one thread can change everything. That’s why musicals are workshopped so much. They are really complicated things to write, because there are so many parts of the puzzle. We never know how it will turn out until we’re up in front of an audience, where we find out everything immediately and it’s often very scary.
That’s so amazing! And you haven’t even finished this article yet! Bravo to you.
Okay, so you’ve written a first draft. That means you have a book and a score. That is amazing. Seriously, your first musical could be terrible, but you have a first draft and you should absolutely celebrate. Why? Because musicals are hard to write — even bad ones. And you finished something, which is big, especially since musicals take a ton of work. You’ll be rewriting this for the rest of your life, but you have a finished draft and that’s fantastic.
Here’s what’s really great about where you are now. Rewriting is everything. Rewriting is where most of the magic happens. Look at it this way — you are no longer staring at a blank page, which I’ve come to believe is one of the evils of the universe. But now you’re looking at a page that has actual words, and that’s good! You’ll be rewriting those words soon enough, but it’s all part of the ongoing process. You’re in good shape. Just back away from the TV and put down the ice cream.
Caution: Are you really done with that first draft? How is the structure? Don’t worry if it’s too long — it should be too long at first. It doesn’t have to be perfect in your mind yet, but just make sure you are mostly satisfied with this as a first draft. Then, go treat yourself. You deserve it.
Not only have you finished your first draft, but you’re so happy with yourself that you want all your friends to hear it. So you plan your first reading.
What’s a reading? In New York, we have what’s called a “29-hour reading.” This allows the creative team to work with a group of actors and present the material for either a small or large group of friends, family and industry peeps. You actually have about 26 hours or so to “rehearse,” and the other three hours is the actual reading itself.
However, before you put a reading together, you have to put a creative team together. You already have your writing team, whether it’s just you or you and one or two others. But now you need a director.
This is a big deal. You know how I said that the source material was a big deal? This is the next big deal. Your director will not only guide you through the production, but a good director will also be your dramaturge. A dramaturge is someone who really understands storytelling and will help guide you into making your story as clear as possible — and will lovingly inform you when you are writing something that is total crap. So, choose your director wisely. They are your new creative partner, and they run the show — literally. This needs to be one of your wisest decisions.
Sidebar: When John Caird heard my first demo of “Jane Eyre,” he was in Los Angeles directing “Les Misérables” and wanted to meet. I went to the house he was renting in Westwood. We sat in his backyard as he went through my script with a red pencil, correcting my spelling and occasionally muttering things like, “This isn’t 19th century,” and “This is American, not British.” I felt like an idiot, yet he still somehow asked if he could direct my musical. Yet to this day, I don’t know why the hell I didn’t just use spell check.
“Okay, so I have my director. Do I need anything else?”
I’m so glad you asked that. Yes. You need your next important creative partner: your music director. We call them the MD. (It’s really fun to call them MDs around your parents. It confuses them endlessly.)
Your MD will be the guardian of your score. They will make all the necessary notations and changes, keep the singers happy and make the composer's’ life much easier.
Sidebar: I’m a college dropout, and though I studied music, I don’t read music well. I deeply rely on my music director to be my conduit to the singers. Other composers, such as Jason Robert Brown, are brilliant musicians. They read and play extremely well and can do everything themselves, though they will still rely on great music directors to make their jobs easier.
I’m hopeless when it comes to reading my own scores, and I deeply depend on my music directors to save me and make me look good. They are an integral part of my work, and I’m grateful to all of them for validating my reason to drop out of college.
“Okay. Is that it? Do I need anyone else?”
Yes. You need a casting director, stage manager and someone to transcribe your score into Finale, if you’re anything like me.
Doing a reading of your musical is absolutely necessary for the development of your show. It will be the first time you hear the piece out loud, and it will inform you of the work you still have to do. People are generally not going to laugh if it’s not funny. Listen to how loud or soft the applause is after a given song. Hear when people start to cough during scenes or songs, since this is usually a sign of boredom.
Nothing whips your show into shape like a few good readings and hearing how an audience responds.
Tip: Be sure to cast your show well. One of the issues we always face when casting actors is whether to cast an actor who sings or a singer who acts.
The short answer? Find both. Yet in my opinion, Broadway-caliber performers are a unique breed. There is literally no one else in the world who can do what they do. To act brilliantly and sing brilliantly is a rare thing to find in one person (and we’re not even talking dancing). Often, an actor will audition for me and be a great singer, but their reading is weak. Or the opposite will happen — they embody the character perfectly, but their voice just isn’t quite up to it.
That’s why performers who both sing and act brilliantly are rare. I would argue that many celebrity performers on Broadway would not even be considered if not for their fame. And I mean that with no disrespect. It’s not like they don’t act and sing well — they do. But those who can take it to the next level — say a Sutton Foster or Brian D’arcy James — are the performers who make theatre magical. They are special, and no one can do what they do.
Congratulations! You’ve just done a reading of your musical, and all your friends told you they absolutely loved it.
Caution: Not all of them really loved it. Some of them are just saying that because they don’t know what else to say. Also, some of your friends who “loved it” also loved Cheetos lip balm, celery jello and the McLobster (actually, the McLobster does sound sort of interesting).
However, let’s just say you got through this reading fairly unscathed and you’re ready for the next steps. If you have a proper team in place, your next step is to rewrite. Your director and/or dramaturge (or producer, or annoying neighbor) will inform you of what they think you need to change.
Tip: Everyone will have an opinion about what is wrong with your musical. Your mom. That weird dude at the grocery store. Ben Brantley (though his opinion will come when it’s much, much too late). The best advice I can give is to take everything in, weigh it and see what resonates for you. Somebody really will hate your work. But that doesn’t mean your work is bad. They just may not have the same taste as you.
Sidebar: One of the most frustrating moments in the evolution of “Jane Eyre”came right after our La Jolla Playhouse production. There was a negative review in a local publication called the LA Weekly. It’s not a major newspaper, but it was one I’d grown up reading. The first line of the review said, “I hate musicals,” and it went downhill from there. I’ll never forget that. I was furious, thinking, “Why the hell are you reviewing my musical that I’ve been passionately working on for the past 10 years if you hate musicals?” Clearly I have anger issues. But the point is, I should never have cared a whit what this guy thought. He didn’t like the medium I was working in. And that’s the point. You have to be confident enough in your own taste and sensibility so that inevitably, when someone of note says your work is crap, you don’t have to necessarily believe them. Unless your work really is crap. Then I’m afraid they have a point.
Sidebar: Opening night of “Jane Eyre,” John told the creative team and cast not to read the reviews. He said if you believe the reviews that tell you you’re a genius, you have to believe the ones that say you suck. It’s true.
So, once you’ve sifted through the critiques, the praise and the apathy — and you’ve done your rewrite — you’re on your way to creating your first full production.
“Okay. So how do I do that?”
That’s a long story, and we’ll cover that next time. But thanks for taking a moment to read my overly opinionated thoughts. I love musicals, and I’ve learned so much through this process. It’s a pleasure to be able to share my experiences with this community.
I hope in the future I can guide a few of you on your own musical journeys. Good luck, and remember: If you’re afraid to suck, then don’t even bother~
Learn more about Paul Gordon and his projects here: www.paulgordonmusic.com
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Daniel Quadrino[/caption]
Quadrino’s journey with Newsies has been nothing short of amazing. He originally auditioned for the pre-Broadway production at Paper Mill Playhouse, making it to final callback before being cut. “I didn’t end up getting it, which was fine. Looking back on it, I wasn’t ready to be part of it yet. My dancing was not ready maturity wise.” he tells me during his lunch break on his final day of tech before opening at The Muny.
Far from giving up, Quadrino continued to audition for the musical as it transferred to Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre in 2012. A lesson in persistence and perseverance, he auditioned upwards of 20 times before booking it. Each time he was the cut, the show’s creative team continued to encourage him and motivate him to work harder. “They kept giving me feedback on what to work on, but the last time I went in I was like, ‘You know what? If this doesn’t happen, maybe I’m just not supposed to be in Newsies and I have to accept that.' As soon as I let that go and stopped putting all that pressure on myself that I had to get the job, it happened.”
His final audition for the Broadway production is one that he’ll never forget.
"When I got the job, they called me back into the room after my final callback...and they were like, ‘We just have one more question. How would you like to be in Newsies?’ And I broke down and just started crying" Quadrino recalls, joy filling his voice.
Taking on the role of Albert while understudying Davey and Crutchie, Quadrino’s 11 months in the show were nothing short of spectacular. "My first performance was a blur, but it was definitely a dream come true."
After the show’s closing, Quadrino’s career brought him roles in Wicked and NBC’s Peter Pan Live!, but his time with Newsies wasn’t over quite just yet.
This summer, Quadrino has had the pleasure of reprising the role of Crutchie twice: with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera in July and now at The Muny.
Filmmaker Rick McKay’s 2004 documentary is a verifiable oral history book given to us by the Theatre Gods themselves. This truly wonderful film features interviews of more than 100 stars of the so-called “Golden Age of Broadway” conducted over a span of six years. It’s actually the first film of a planned trilogy and will be followed by “Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age” and “Broadway: The Next Generation.” This is a really special movie, not the least of which because many of the interviewees have now sadly passed on. We cannot recommend it enough.
A stunning documentary produced for HBO in 2013, “Six by Sondheim” documents the man himself by focusing on the backstory of six of his greatest songs. The film came from an idea from writer and former New York Times critic Frank Rich and was produced and directed by frequent Stephen Sondheim collaborator James Lapine.
What makes this documentary different from any others on this list is that it contains new, original stagings of the six songs along with typical interviews and archive footage. Highlights include Audra McDonald and husband Will Swenson performing “Send in the Clowns” and a smashing version of “Opening Doors” starring Darren Criss, Jeremy Jordan, America Ferrera, Laura Osnes and even Sondheim in a deliciously ironic cameo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ZUkx_gr0g
In 2004, PBS undertook a massive project when it attempted to document the history of American musical theatre from 1904 to the present day. Boy, did it deliver! This beautifully produced six-party documentary series was directed by Michael Kantor and narrated by Julie Andrews. Fascinating interviews and rare footage are interspersed with stunning photographs you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else. It’s a must-see for any serious theatre junkie!
An offshoot of the 2004 PBS series above, “Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy” was produced and directed by the same team. This time, Joel Grey, the master of ceremonies himself, serves as the narrator. It’s an absorbing look at the golden age of musical theatre in which just about every major composer and lyricist was Jewish (save for Cole Porter). The documentary aired on PBS in 2013 and is available on DVD.
Iconic punk-rock band Green Day and Broadway director Michael Mayer teamed up in 2010 and rocked Broadway with “American Idiot,” based on Green Day’s smash hit album of the same name. This awesome documentary follows the process of the creation of the show through to when Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong stepped into the role of St. Jimmy. This 2013 film is a rare chance to see a modern rock musical take shape, and it’s a great look at a big-name star making his Broadway debut. If you loved the show “American Idiot,” this movie is definitely for you.
Art truly imitates life in this documentary as thousands of actors audition for the 2006 revival of “A Chorus Line” on Broadway. Modern-day triumphs and heartbreak are layered with interviews of members of the original Broadway cast. The documentary debuted in 2008 at the Toronto Film Festival, earning great reviews. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film an A rating, calling it “a movie as layered and enthralling as its subject.” Though it’s hard to become emotionally invested in these performers’ lives and pull for them, since we know only a few will make the cut, this is still totally worth it.
Shortly before Sondheim’s landmark 1970 musical “Company” opened on Broadway, legendary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker had his camera rolling as the original Broadway cast recorded the original Broadway cast album. We get to see many of the show’s numbers, including “Another Hundred People,” “Being Alive” and “Not Getting Married Today.” The climax of the film is when Elaine Stritch struggles to record “Ladies Who Lunch” in the wee hours of the morning after everyone else had wrapped. Watching the legendary performer and Sondheim pursue perfection is a rare glimpse at the guts it takes to gain the glory. The documentary was meant as a pilot for a series in which several cast album recording sessions would be filmed, but sadly, this film was the only one ever produced.
When you open your Playbill and see that little slip of paper with the words “At today’s performance...” your heart naturally sinks a little. But for the person whose name is on that slip, it could be the moment their lifelong dream comes true. This wonderful 2012 documentary takes a look at the difficult and often misunderstood of standbys. It follows Broadway stalwarts Ben Crawford (“Shrek,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”), Merwin Foard (“Aladdin,” “The Addams Family”) and Aléna Watters (“West Side Story,” “Sister Act”) as they wait in the wings for their chance in the spotlight. Watch this one to get a look at this vital but often thankless role in the Broadway hierarchy.
The newest entry to the theatre documentary world is one of its best! “Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened” premiered in 2016 and tells the story behind the final Hal Prince-Sondheim collaboration, “Merrily We Roll Along.” Directed by original cast member and noted director Lonny Price, the film combines new interviews with the cast and creative team with newly discovered footage of the casting and rehearsal process. Few shows have had such a dramatic history as “Merrily,” which was one of the most anticipated shows of the 1980s and ended up only playing 16 performances. All of the triumphs and pain that Broadway can bring are shared with the audience like never before. The movie is currently available to stream on Netflix.
You knew this would be No. 1, didn’t you? Trust me, I get the struggle. You’re trying to cement those lines in your head while on the go, or sometimes you just need a friend to calm yourself down before an audition and you’re the only one around. Either way, to non-actors, you look 100 percent cray-cray. There’s nothing weirder than encountering a frazzled person reciting Shakespeare to themselves on the sidewalk.
Tip: Next time you memorize lines or rehearse in public, try pretending you’re talking on the phone. This is only half weird.
“I Wan’na Be Like You” from “The Jungle Book” should be our union theme song.
Actors are chameleons, or at least we try to be. Ideally, we should be able to slip into anyone’s shoes. Although this is a really fun process, it can definitely make us public nuisances. The second we hone in on someone interesting, not only do we want to study them unnoticed for hours as if we’re watching chimps at the zoo, but we immediately want to find out if we can be like them too.
So, you start mimicking their walk while you casually stroll behind them on 5th Avenue or try to get close enough to them in the checkout line so you can study how they speak. Just think to yourself, “WWMD?” (What would Meryl do?). The answer is probably not low-key stalk people.
Actors never want to walk into an audition totally cold. We all have some kind of prep activity to get our juices flowing. However, sometimes we’re in a rush and we have to conduct that weird routine while on the go.
We trill while running down the block. We sing scales to ourselves silently (we think). We do facial exercises that probably make it seem like we need help. And don’t even get us started on the stretching. Of course, at the end of the day, if you can walk into that audition room feeling comfortable and ready, it’s worth a few side-eyes on the subway.
Owning a car is a privilege for so many reasons, but having a private and transportable rehearsal studio is the best one.
Musical theatre nerds have all had our fair share of belting out audition songs while speeding down the highway. It’s like we have our own version of “Carpool Karaoke,” sans James Corden or any celebs. Most of the time, we get so into the emotional journey of our songs that we forget we’re even driving. Art is dangerous, right?
If you’ve never driven to an abandoned lot and recited your monologue to yourself, I don’t know if we can be friends.
Honestly, this never gets old, and it’s extremely helpful. Ordering that burger and fries in a foreign accent will either grant you a confused look or the burger and fries, no questions asked. If you get a weird glance, you know you have more work to do on your accent. If you get the food, then eat up! You clearly deserve it.
Being onstage or on set should ultimately feel real if you prepared enough and connected with your own experiences. Well, what if in real life you constantly feel like you’re on a stage or set? Do you ever have those moments where you tell a joke and hold for applause? Or what about coyly making a face to the camera when someone says something strange? It can be hard to shake being in the spotlight!
Enough said.
So, we’ve come to the end of this list of some of the many weird things actors do. If you know someone who acts, I hope this clarified some things. If all of these were too real for you, you’re probably an actor.
Making your Broadway debut is a dream many can’t seem to fathom without bursting into tears. The stage, the lights, the audience — it all seems so unreal. Now, imagine making your debut alongside theatre legends Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole. Crazy, right? Well, that’s just what happened to “War Paint’s” Barbara Jo Bednarczuk.
A dancer from age 2, Bednarczuk always longed for a career on the Great White Way. When she endured trials, such as being rejected from college musical theatre programs, she pushed through and worked harder than ever to make it to where she is now.
Bednarczuk was kind enough to sit down with us at the Nederlander Theatre, the current home of “War Paint,” to talk about her road to Broadway, working alongside icons and the incredibly relevant story of this new musical.
Theatre Nerds: Before “War Paint” came to Broadway, you were involved with the Chicago production. What was your audition like?
Barbara Bednarczuk: I lived in New York for a while, but I felt the city wasn’t serving me, so I moved to Chicago. That was a year ago in January, and the first audition I went to was for “War Paint” at the Goodman Theatre. I booked it, and I was like, “Is this really happening?” So Chicago was where I needed to be for this to happen. So now I’m back here with purpose, and god, what a great purpose it is!
TN: So, what was your reaction when the show announced it was moving to Broadway and you would be moving with the company?
BB: I was in Israel on a ship, and it was like 2 a.m. there, and I’m in the port trying to get decent internet connection to call back here to my agent, who was like, “I hope you’re sitting down. You’re going to be on Broadway.” I was literally in the middle of this abandoned port at two in the morning screaming my face off.
TN: As a swing, you’re ready at the drop of a hat to go on for any one of the roles you cover. What was it like the first time you got the call that you would be going on that afternoon?
BB: It was Easter Sunday, so I called my mom on my way to the train and was like, “Guess what the Easter Bunny brought me this year?” and I said, “My Broadway debut!” I got to the theatre at about noon, just for my brain, and walked through the staging just for myself so that it was in my body, then had to go to wardrobe and hair and have them tweak some things. Then, I talked through my costume changes with my dresser, since there are a lot in the show. Then, I got my face on and was ready to go. Everyone was so supportive, and it was just so amazing. When I was bowing, I was like, “I’m bowing on Broadway. Who am I?”
TN: The show centers on the cosmetic industry. Had you an interest in that world prior to being in the show?
BB: When I auditioned for the show, no one really knew much about it at all except for that these names were attached to it. So, I did a little research on my own before I went into that first dance call and found out a little about these two women and who they were, and that they had created these empires and created what is now a multibillion-dollar cosmetic industry that affects everyone.
TN: Let’s get real. What is it really like getting to perform with Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole every day?
BB: Before the process began, it was like an idolizing kind of thing, because they’re amazing. Seeing them and working with and just talking to them over lunch, they’re just humans, and this is what they do, and they do it so, so well. Just to see them work has been a masterclass every single performance and every single rehearsal. The caliber of everyone’s professionalism and dedication is jaw-dropping, and I feel so at home within it. I guess the nicest part of working with them is that they’re human and they’re lovely, and they just happen to possess this amazing talent.
TN: Why does Broadway and the community need to hear the story of “War Paint” right now?
BB: Right now, it seems imperative for such a story to be told and for everyone to realize that this situation has been happening for a very long time. It’s about women in business and women who were the titans of their companies, and that was not heard of during that time period at all. So we really grapple with that as well as the fact that both of these women were immigrants. They were not American, yet they were all about the American Dream and what it means to be an American woman. It’s nothing new, but people are now starting to be incredibly vocal about it.
TN: What advice would you give to your younger self about pushing through roadblocks and making it to Broadway?
BB: Keep doing what you love, always. When something doesn’t feel right, find what does and keep doing it. I was never afraid to travel for jobs, and I always put myself out there. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.
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[post_content] => We've all been there. We've met them. Which one are you?
nt. Play your part to the best of your ability, because even the smallest part can steal the show if done right. Plus, you never know who is watching. Your performance could lead to an even bigger opportunity.
Didn’t get cast? Join the crew! Every part of a production is a learning experience. Show you are a good sport and a team player and let those in charge get to know you better. It could improve your chances the next time you audition.
This is bound to happen. Being in a show is like being part of a family, and families don’t always get along. You are welcome and entitled to your feelings, but make sure you keep them away from others involved in the show. Vent to your friends, family and even your cat, but don’t start airing your grievances to other members of the production. Disunity can divide a cast and affect the performance you give onstage. If the issue is something specific, speak to that individual away from prying eyes and resolve it directly. The more people are involved, the bigger the problem becomes.
The old adage applies here: The show must go on. Getting sick during a show run is pretty common. The long rehearsal hours coupled with physical wear and tear does eventually take its toll. Remember to hydrate and get as much rest as possible during downtime.
Too far to go home between shows? Find a spot backstage to curl up and take a quick nap. If your symptoms worsen, be sure to seek the advice of a physician.
If you’re well enough to still perform, be sure to give it your best. Emma Stone often tells the story of scoring her Oscar-winning role in “La La Land” when the soon-to-be director came to see her in a musical on a night when she was ill. In spite of being sick, she scored the part, and the rest is history. So, give it your 100 percent, because the audience will have no idea you’re sick and you never know who is in the crowd.
Life happens, and sometimes you miss a rehearsal. The best thing you can do is be proactive. Ensure you notify someone of your absence, since it can be frustrating for cast and crew when someone doesn’t show up and they have no idea why. Giving notice allows them time to regroup and even alter the rehearsal schedule, if necessary.
Also, ask someone who was present to catch you up on what you missed before the next rehearsal. Your fellow cast, crew and production team will appreciate that you took the initiative and helped save some time.
Improvise. Act like it’s a part of the show and keep going. It’s unlikely the audience even noticed. Unless someone has seen your production countless times and memorized every element, no one will have any idea it wasn’t part of the show.
Tech week especially can be a tense time. Try to take everything in stride. If you snap at someone, step back, find a place to take a breath on your own and get yourself centered again. Most of the time, you’ll realize right afterward that you didn’t mean what you said. Don’t let things get awkward — find that person and mend the fence.
If someone snaps at you, try not to take it personally. The best thing you can do is ask whether there is something they need or anything you can do to help. It’s possible something bigger is bothering them and you just caught them at the wrong time.
Don’t forget to thank your crew and production team regularly. They work hard during and after hours, often going unnoticed. Let them know you appreciate all they do
Finally, be preventative and help boost morale! Bringing in homemade cookies or giving someone an encouraging word are easy ways to keep spirits up when people are growing increasingly tired and stressed.
This can be a huge hurdle to overcome because being part of a show is rewarding yet demanding. Again, being proactive can help you avoid getting overwhelmed.
Get yourself a planner or agenda of some kind and write down all of your commitments. Your brain is full enough with your lines and choreography without having to remember when you have a dentist appointment or a paper due. Color-coding each item (such as rehearsal, school and social) can also be useful when you’re trying to reference your schedule on the fly.
Scheduling your free time if you have other projects on the go can help you to stay organized and maximize your efficiency. If you know you have scheduled two hours on Sunday afternoon to work on your history essay, you are less likely to be stressing out midweek about how you’ll find time to get it done.
Most importantly, don’t forget to schedule some time to relax and rest. This needs to be a priority, or you will be run down and unable to do anything.
Part of the fun of working on a show is that each one is different. Every production is a learning experience with something to be gained. You may get asked to perform a skill you are unfamiliar with, such as tap dancing, sword fighting or juggling. Even if you aren’t sure how, give it a go. As long as you are willing to learn, there is always a way. Be sure to identify any safety issues and ask questions if you are unsure.
If the task is something you really don’t want to do or causes you discomfort, speak to your director or production team in private. You can address your concerns and even politely decline, if need be. It’s OK to set limits and speak up if you’re uncomfortable.
Every experience is going to come with its own individual highs and lows. However, the beauty of it is that when it’s all over, you’ll get graduation goggles and only remember the good things — so much so that when audition time comes around, you will eagerly sign up for the madness all over again. In the end, there’s nothing like it.
[post_title] => 8 Show Dilemmas And How To Deal
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[post_content] => So, you’ve made a goal to read more this summer, right? Here are six thespian-written memoirs to add to your summer reading list:
In 2015, this king of the stage and screen wrote an intimate recount of his life growing up. Alan Cumming bares all in his memoir, discussing his complex relationship with his father and how it affected his success. If it’s an engaging and emotional read you seek, hunker down and grab this one off the bookshelf.
Buy the book here
Kristin Chenoweth might be known as a bright and bubbly Broadway blonde, but this autobiography proves there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye. “A Little Bit Wicked” is full of heart and humor as the actress discusses her journey with adoption, growing up in a small Oklahoma town and, of course, finding her way to the Big Apple.
Grab a copy here
The “Pitch Perfect” star’s memoir will satisfy your need for that easy-peasy summer read — plus, Anna Kendrick has a theatre background! “Scrappy Little Nobody” is the perfect book for lounging on the beach. You’ll be obsessed!
Buy the book here
If you consider yourself an old soul, dive into the life and career of a familiar face in both movies and the performing arts. You might know him as Captain Von Trapp in the iconic film “The Sound of Music,” but Christopher Plummer is also a prominent figure in theatre, starring in a number of Broadway shows, West End productions and lots of Shakespeare.
Get your copy here.
How do you solve a problem like finding a good summer read? Once you’ve finished Plummer’s book, it’s only fitting to snag a copy of this novel, written by Julie Andrews. While it doesn’t go in-depth about her movie career, the memoir focuses on Andrews’ childhood and time on the theatre stage.
Click here to read more about this queen.
Speaking of queens, Patti LuPone wrote a book aptly titled “Patti LuPone: A Memoir” because, well, she’s Patti LuPone. Why wouldn’t you read this?
Buy the book here
The “Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” star waited tables for her day job. One such instance included waiting on the Foxwoods cast of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” according to The New York Times.
Have your gorgeous face glistening on your homepage, since it’s the first thing onlookers should see. Make sure it looks like you and is welcoming — first impressions are everything. Let this photo wow your viewers and inspire them to peek through the rest of what you have to offer.
For example, Paul Thomas Ryan’s headshot on his homepage immediately showcases a website that says, “Hi!” to anyone who comes to take a look.
Your work represents what you’ve already done while giving an indication to the artistic creative member glancing at your site whether you are the talent for them. It’s fine to upload a hard copy as a jpg or PDF or just type it into the web program itself. Just make sure your resume is clear, concise and professionally formatted.
Kelly Reader gives us a fabulous example.
Your website does you no good if no one can reach out to you after they look at it. Make sure you have a direct email listed, preferably one you check regularly. Don’t put your personal phone number on your website, since you don’t want any strangers having your digits. Anyone who wants to contact you for work will reach out via email if they need to get in touch.
Also, remember to use an email that includes your name so everyone knows who is emailing them when it pops in their inbox. For example, someone named Joe Smith would want to use “JoeSmith@gmail.com” versus “iamagreatperformer@gmail.com.”
Dana Aber did something a bit different than email that also works perfectly. Give visitors the option to fill out a form to contact you if you don’t want to give your email out for the whole world to see.
Show off your talents by including performance videos, MP3s and anything else that demonstrates your performing talents and can get you hired. You never know who may be watching and who might want to hire you after watching them.
Dana K. Brown makes an amazing use of her video page with videos showcasing her performance work and specialty skills.
Let viewers know who you are by including a bio that tells people about yourself and shows off some of your personality and accolades. Think of this place as a way to give personal insight into you and your talents that may not be obvious through your resume. Don’t feel the need to write a long bio — short and sweet works just as well, especially when you’re just starting out.
Emy Holden’s bio certainly gives enough information to know she is a professional, while offering some insider information about where she came from.
Make sure your viewers know all your latest goings-on by creating a news feed or news page. Keep it up-to-date, since you never know who may be looking and who may want to venture out to see you in your latest show. Make sure each post contains all the information about your latest venture, such as where to purchase tickets, show times, location and any links to other applicable sites.
Carmen Vass has her newsfeed on her homepage, with the fabulous announcement that she has joined the Broadway national tour of “The Phantom Of The Opera.”
If you’ve got it, flaunt it! If you've been in the business for a while, you are bound to have positive reviews, accolades, an agent/manager, production photos, union membership and more. These all should be added to your website in an organized fashion. You can create separate pages for most of the above, then add your union status onto your homepage and your agent/manager onto your contact information page. Your website is always a work in progress, so expect to continue to add to it as you pursue your life in the business.
A website by yours truly (Kimberly Faye Greenberg) shows my interesting artistic entrepreneurial endeavors and accolades to ensure people see them right away.
When people visit your website, it should be a reflection of you while still remaining professional, clean and well-organized. This could mean you choose style of fonts, colors or even using graphics that give more insight into your personality and talents. Feel free to have some fun with it!
Bethany Kay has a great branding statement that shows exactly who she is. With a fun and welcoming introduction and design, the website really showcases her sassy personality.
Fast-forward a couple of years, and we were on a trip to London together. I excitedly browsed through West End shows before I remembered his theatre aversion and realized I’d have to attend a show alone if I wanted to go.
After some digging around for any alternative option, I discovered a performance of “The Great Gatsby” taking place at a secret location in London that was disclosed only after the purchase of tickets. But unlike regular theatre, this was an immersive experience in which theatregoers were guests of a party thrown by the infamous Jay Gatsby. Attendees were strongly encouraged to dress for the event, and in typical Gatsby fashion, drinks would be available for purchase and consumption during the party.
The concept of an interactive show piqued my partner’s interest, and like everyone does in relationships, we compromised and agreed to attend this if it meant he didn’t have to sit through a musical.
Arriving at the secret location on the night of the show, we were glad we had decided to take things seriously and adhere to the suggested dress code. It certainly added to the excitement. Between the flapper fashions, the stifling temperature due to a June heat wave and the number of gleeful guests packed into the pre-performance space, it was like falling into Fitzgerald’s world.
Actors appeared among the crowd, and Nick Carraway jumped on top of a chair to give a rousing speech. The whole thing ended in a big reveal of the main performance space, and guests were ushered into the famous Gatsby’s house. The aforementioned host and company invited everyone to drink, dance and take part in the action.
Throughout the show, actors drew groups of guests into other rooms for monologues and interactions with the characters. The action was nonstop, with parts of the story taking place in multiple locations with the various characters before the big finale in the main room. When the lights came up, my partner couldn’t believe how fast the night had gone and was even more shocked that he’d enjoyed himself.
This production of “The Great Gatsby” by The Guild of Misrule and The Immersive Ensemble has garnered quite the buzz, even receiving the stamp of approval from Neil Patrick Harris and Neil Gaiman. The success of the show has seen it extend its original run multiple times, and it’s not the only immersive theatre game in town.
Lin-Manuel Miranda recently hyped London’s immersive experience Secret Cinema on Twitter. Much like the “Gatsby” show, Secret Cinema invites attendees to dress up and take part in the action of the show as they bring cinema to life. Past performances include “Dirty Dancing,” “Star Wars” and the recently wrapped “Moulin Rouge.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7bouwv3YME
Hop across the pond to New York and find another burgeoning immersive theatre scene. Jump into a 1920s murder mystery at “Speakeasy Dollhouse: The Bloody Beginning,” but beware, this is not a kid-friendly show and guests are required to be 21 and over.
For an even higher price tag, adult theatregoers can attend “The Illuminati Ball.” This theatrical event is an extravagant evening modeled after the Surrealist Ball thrown by the dynastic Rothschilds in 1972. Not sure what that entails? Photos of the event make it feel like a racier version of the “Gilmore Girls” episode where Rory attends a party thrown in the woods by Yale’s secret society. However, unlike episodes of the fast-talking Gilmore ladies, this ball is not for anyone under 21.
For a tamer experience, where you can dip your toe into the world of immersive theatre instead of cannonballing in, there is the Broadway musical, “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.” The theatre is set up for a 360-degree experience, with the show taking place among the audience so viewers feel as if they’re involved in the scene. The innovative show has taken Broadway by storm, with positive reviews, sold-out shows and an impressive 12 Tony nominations. All of this success may mean more large-scale immersive shows in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7KcSEdz470
Immersive theatre performances have popped up more and more over the past few years, bringing attendees into the fold and creating unique experiences. Live theatre is already different every night, but interacting with audiences is even more unpredictable, as no two audiences will ever be the same. In an age of 3D and 4D movies, virtual reality technology and live tweeting, it’s clear that audiences are looking for more involved entertainment experiences. They want to feel like they are part of the event and get lost in another reality, if only for a few hours.
Having a group of fellow actors to meet with on the regular and share your rejection stories and audition mishaps is good for the soul. In this industry, you definitely need someone to laugh and cry with while forging your way to the top.
Tired of that old monologue? Give it away to someone in your posse who is perfect for it. They’ll relish the new material and hopefully send something wonderful in your direction.
Aside from emotional support, it’s just great to have a crew you can joke and laugh with through the ups and downs. Sometimes you just need to blow off steam by laughing at a few YouTube videos with your actor group, grabbing a coffee, swapping stories or just putting around in general on those slow audition days.
Putting yourself on tape has become the norm for many actors, which is exactly why it’s imperative to have a community of artists around. You have a built-in group of people to take turns recording you, reading off-camera for you and helping you with the technical stuff, such as lights, sound and editing.
So, your significant other loves you but not going to see shows? No worries — that’s why you have your actor group! These theatre nerds would love to take that extra ticket off your hands and comb over every detail of the first act over intermission.
Have a networking event to go to but you won’t know anyone there? Good news, you have an actor group full of plus-one prospects that you can bring along. Now you have someone to stand next to the punch bowl with, and hopefully, they’re also good at coming up with icebreakers to help you meet promising contacts.
You want to go to that casting workshop, but they’re asking for partner reads. Good thing you have a thespian hangout every other week. You now have many built-in options anytime you need a partner for a partner read. Aren’t you glad you started that group?
Sure, your mom thinks you look adorable in all your headshots, but an actor group will have more educated insights for you, such as “That looks great for commercials,” or “I love the smile, but not the lighting.” Not to mention, they’ll have opinions about the best casting workshops in town, photographers, classes and venues.
Thanks to your actor group, you have built-in audience members for your open-mic night, your one-person show, your cabaret — you name it. You’ll also be an active audience member by returning the favor, which will lead to the chance to see even more shows.
“Dear Evan Hansen” is breaking records and shattering conventions all over the place, from beginning to end.
This was my first theatre experience, and for a very long time I was convinced that 8th graders were the best actors.
This first one isn’t so much how it transformed the way I write musicals, it’s more like – what the hell is a musical? I was in the 5th grade and we were watching the 8th grade performance of Bye Bye Birdie and it blew my little 5th grade mind. People on stage singing. I’d never seen such a thing. “The Telephone Song” was a magical moment in my young life (and till this day remains a favorite song of mine, though the show itself, not so much).
Lesson: Musicals are cool.
I think I was about 17 when I saw my first production of Godspell. This was the first professional production of a musical I’d ever seen and it was the perfect show for me to take in. I’d grown up with pop music and the rock score was easy for me to assimilate. I loved the humor, the silliness, the nonlinear story line and the counterculture feel of the show. I was already writing songs at this point in my life and this production gave me the bug to write musicals. I still love this show and Stephen’s score.
Lesson: Musicals can have rock music and they can be fun.
I remember one day asking my high school friend, Debbie Gravette (who’d win a Best Supporting Actress Tony for Jerome Robbins on Broadway just a few years later) who the new composers were writing musicals these days? I had been soaking up the scores to the classics, but living in Los Angeles didn’t give me any insight into what was going on in contemporary New York theatre. I didn’t even know there was contemporary New York theatre. Debbie told me that Leonard Bernstein’s lyricist on West Side Story had a new show called A Little Night Music and it was really good. The guy’s name was “Stephen Sondheim.” I was skeptical but curious. I wasn’t convinced a lyricist was going to be much of a composer. I purchased the LP the next day to hear for myself (yes, we still had LP’s). Needless to say my life changed forever. From the first downbeat to it’s glorious last note, A Little Night Music quickly became my favorite score of all time. It was smart. I’d never heard anything like it. When the touring company of the show came to LA I had an opportunity to finally see Hal Prince’s production for myself. I saw it ELEVEN TIMES (I would have gone back several more times but the touring company, sadly, had other cities to go to). The experience was so powerful for me I literally couldn’t get enough of it.*
*Side bar: Very late in the run of JANE EYRE on Broadway in 2000, a young man approached me after the show and told me he had seen my show 53 times. I was not shocked. I knew the feeling.
This show is a master class taught by the theater’s greatest genius. I personally believe that librettist, Hugh Wheeler, was Sondheim’s strongest book writer and both this show and Sweeney Todd, stand out to me as his very best musicals.
For anyone interested in writing musicals, I would suggest studying this show. The elegance and efficiency of the book. The brilliant score that captures each character’s irony and pathos as only Mr. Sondheim can...and the music is simply magnificent.
When I wrote my musical Emma, based on the Jane Austen novel, I paid keen attention to A Little Night Music. Its use of reprises and how the score weaves in and out of the dialogue so that you hardly know when one stops and the other begins. Just a truly perfect musical in every way for me.
Lesson: This musical taught me HOW to write musicals.
A few years later I went back to the Schubert Theater in LA and saw A Chorus Line. God help me, I’d never seen anything like it. This show knocked me out in a completely different way than A Little Night Music. A Chorus Line continued my education in musical theatre. Here was a show about an audition with people standing on stage talking about themselves and the only through line was they really hope they got it. And that was all they needed. That and Michael Bennett and Marvin Hamlish.
Unlike A Little Night Music, seeing a A Chorus Line, did not inspire me. It depressed me. My ego was convinced I would never come close to writing a show like this. (Sorta true, I never did, only I’m not actually depressed about it. Oh, if only I could talk to young me.) Every aspect of the production blew me completely away. Though the show is slightly dated now (very much a musical of its time), its impact on all of us will be felt forever. Definitely a life changing event for me.
Lesson: I suck, I can’t do this (but I would eventually recover).
On my first trip to New York I had the great fortune to see the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd. I actually feel very lucky to say that Sweeney Todd was my “first.” And I can truthfully say that I have never seen a better musical since. Maybe a few as good or nearly. But this show is a masterpiece. In every way. Hugh Wheeler’s book moves the story forward at such a smart pace, you hardly notice his work at all (and I mean that in a positive way. Like a great film score – you don’t notice it if it does its job right). Mr. Sondheim was clearly at the top of his game when he was writing for these deliciously wicked characters.
I am especially moved by the deep harmonic textures of the score highlighted by orchestrator Jonathan Tunick’s gut wrenching strings. Mr. Sondheim’s brilliance at writing strong melodies which he peppers with the perfect amount of harmonic dissonance is a composer’s instruction book. It feels like I will never stop learning from this man.
Lesson: Go further. Push myself. Musicals can be rich, complex, dark and funny. Never play down to your audience.
When I saw the first touring production of John Caird and Trevor Nunn’s Les Miserables, I distinctly remember walking out of the theatre humming the stagecraft. I didn’t particularly care for the show itself (on first viewing), but I was enthralled by everything else.*
*Sidebar: I remember thinking to myself, “I want to work with these people one day”. A few years later I would be working with the director, the scenic designer and the costume designer and we would be nominated for 5 Tony awards for Jane Eyre. But I’ll save that for another time.
A this point in my life, I was a staff songwriter at Warner-Chappell Music and I had no connections to the theatre world. But one of the demo singers I worked with at the time was in the touring company of Les Miz and understudying Eponine. One night she called me and said she was going on – So I had to go back and see that show again that I didn’t particularly care for, aside from the dazzling stagecraft.
Experiencing the show a second time, I got it. The music -- that I thought sounded bland and monotonous the first time, on second listening, felt inspired. Though I will always be challenged by too much unnecessary resistive in the score, there is no denying the genius in the storytelling.
John and Trevor along with the rest of the creative team expertly adapted a classic novel for the stage in a way that made it resonate and sing. They knew which beats of the story to tell and which not to tell. Adapting a novel into a musical is no easy task. John and I would later adapt Jane Eyre and Daddy Long Legs together, and I tackled a few Jane Austen novels on my own. There is no doubt that Les Miz led the way for me.
Lesson: A tutorial on how to adapt a novel to the stage.
All I really wanna say about this one is: I love this show so much. It reminds me a bit of A Little Night Music though its tone is completely different. When the musical was broadcast on PBS from Lincoln Center several years ago, I must have watched it about 15 times before my DVR actually broke. Adam Guettell is the theatre’s current resident musical genius (though Jason Robert Brown’s Bridges and Last Five Years are also exquisite, and don’t get me started on David Yazbek and his brilliance).*
*Sidebar: I should have lost the Tony to David Yazbek instead of Mel Brooks. Sorry Mel.
Piazza, with its minimalistic sets, astounding score and romantic story reminds us that there is a place for sophisticated shows that break musical boundaries. We may not walk out of the theatre “humming” these songs on first listening, but with further investigation the listener will be delighted to discover the deep layers of harmonic brilliance in Adams music.
Lesson: You don’t need to leave the theatre “humming the songs” to make a masterpiece. Sometimes we are challenged by writers to see and hear things differently -- and we must evolve ourselves in order to appreciate their genius.
I really loved this show when it was at the Public a few years back. Directed by the brilliant Alex Timbers, Bloody broke new ground and paved the way for the likes of Hamilton and other shows. Spring Awakening was the first “period” show that used the device of “contemporary language” integrated in a 19th century play. In that show, characters spoke in the vernacular of the time but they “sang” in contemporary language. The result was powerful and stunning on stage in the original production. Bloody took things much further. While the characters were sort of dressed in the attire of the era –if everyone was in a punk rock or emo band – the language is completely contemporary and works brilliantly and hilariously. I don’t think this show gets the credit it deserves. It’s a true trailblazer. The musical inspired me to play with language, loosen the rules and basically – hate Andrew Jackson forever.
Lesson: Anything goes. Play with language. Play with sets and costumes and break every rule. Theatre is fun and wild and hit and miss. Don’t worry about it and try new things.
I’m always learning. I’m always listening. Sometimes we see a show and it’s not so great. And it doesn’t inspire us. But then that gives us the opportunity to learn, why it didn’t inspire us. And we learn from that too.
We all have opinions. Thanks for letting me share some of mine.
Cheers,
Paul
Learn more about Paul Gordon and his projects here: www.paulgordonmusic.com
[post_title] => 8 Musicals That Transformed The Way I Write Musicals
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[post_content] => If you listen to Broadway music, the following situation should sound familiar: a sudden explosion of sound and movement as you begin to yell and interpretive dance to your favorite song. Take this quiz to find out what Hamilton character you are based on what song part you sing in group numbers!
[post_title] => Which Hamilton Person are You Based on Your Song Preference?
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[post_content] => Based on the film of the same name, “Groundhog Day the Musical” opened on Broadway in April. This London transfer was nominated for seven Tony Awards this season and is one of the most talked-about new shows. Though it did not win at the Tonys, it did take home Olivier Awards for Best New Musical and Best Actor, for Andy Karl’s performance as Phil Connors.
Though this musical was a bit lost in the shuffle this season among fellow nominees “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Come From Away” and “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,” this is a brilliant musical and should not be missed.
It sounds weird, but this person in a groundhog suit does actually show up at the perfect times and provides comedic relief when needed. And he can play the drums.
The “Groundhog Day” movie is known for being a great comedy, and though the musical is definitely filled with tons of laughs, it also gets dark at times. The whole idea of mortality and one’s purpose is really pushed throughout the show. The musical does a better job at rounding out Phil Connors’ inner conflicts, so it’s no wonder the book was nominated for a Tony.
Take this quiz to figure out if you know this beloved new musical as well as you think you do!
[post_title] => Hardest Dear Evan Hansen Lyrics Quiz Ever
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[post_content] => I would hope this is not a story that has been particularly overdone, but in case it is, I apologize.
My name is Reagan Drury, and I have spent the last 5 years of my life living in a town of about 900 people in rural Missouri. I know, I know, that sounds like a hick town, and all ingenues come from somewhere like Ohio or Iowa, right?
You will be right about that if I make it in the theatre world. Time will tell on that aspect. I have been doing theatre since I was in 4th grade, and I immediately fell in love with it. I have now graduated high school and am attending a private college in Minneapolis in the fall to study theatre.
But I'm not here to talk about me necessarily. I am here to be relatable to all the kids that want to do theatre but their school is too small, or sports overtake everything. Because, believe me, I've been there.
So, I'm going to tell you about how I got through it, and how you can too.
1. Elphaba in ‘Wicked’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g4ekwTd6Ig The Wicked Witch of the West in Stephen Schwartz’s hit musical is arguably Broadway’s most coveted role. The character, for which Menzel won a Tony, has four solo numbers, numerous duets and a dynamic descent into darkness.2. Veronica Sawyer in ‘Heathers: the Musical’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EyDyxGZn_Y The protagonist of “Heathers” has a candy store rich with superb vocal writing, including countless riffs, jaw-dropping high notes and rock singing that tests each mezzo-belter’s stamina.3. Angelica Schuyler in ‘Hamilton’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0EqxnWxlvY The eldest Schuyler sister accomplishes a broad range of demands, such as rapping, to keep her audience satisfied.4. Elle Woods in ‘Legally Blonde’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br50XFvrsp8 Originated on Broadway by Laura Bell Bundy, Elle sings for almost the entire show. In between all the bends and snaps, the vocal demands for this daughter of Delta Nu are so much better than you could ever imagine!5. Vivienne Kensington in ‘Legally Blonde’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYjv7UACdmo Capping her big eleven o’clock number with a high A-flat, Elle’s Harvard rival Vivienne wins the case every time.6. The Lady of the Lake in ‘Spamalot’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgX_Q7wz0GQ Sara Ramirez won a Tony for her epic performance as the main female character of “Spamalot.” Her two solo numbers are tributes to ‘90s ballad singers and musical theatre divas.7. Sour Kangaroo in ‘Seussical’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT6MkaULtKA As the main antagonist of “Seussical,” the Sour Kangaroo mocks Horton for supporting the Whos, who she does not believe are real. The Sour Kangaroo’s music is full of soul, sass and commanding personality.8. Aimee McPherson in ‘Scandalous’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqUFVCIzb0E In this musical, Carolee Carmello portrayed the real-life Aimee McPherson, an evangelist who created the Foursquare Church. The role is so demanding that Carmello went on vocal rest in the middle of its run, according to Playbill.9. Celie in ‘The Color Purple’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2ok14OZhdg This musical tells the story of Celie’s journey as an African-American woman living in the deep south as she learns to love herself. The role was originally created on Broadway by LaChanze, and Erivo won a Tony for her performance as Celie in the musical’s 2015 revival.10. Diana Goodman in ‘Next to Normal’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOsg2w-l59U Originally performed by Ripley, Diana is a suburban mom who has bipolar disorder and has delusions from it.11. Maureen Johnson in ‘Rent’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX1oa9maIAM Maureen is a performance artist who cannot stay faithful to any lover. A belt-heavy role, her most famous interpreters include Menzel, Eden Espinosa and Nicole Scherzinger.12. Princess Fiona in ‘Shrek’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubBN38hL9KY A self-declared “Morning Person,” Princess Fiona is eager to end her mysterious curse with “True Love’s First Kiss.” Throughout the musical, she belts and sings fluttery soprano phrases.13. The Hilton Twins in ‘Side Show’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44hByhSwqn0 Based on the real-life Daisy and Violet Hilton, “Side Show” tells the story of the famous performing conjoined twins. The plethora of duets that the twins share climaxes in their eleven o’clock power ballad “I Will Never Leave You.”14. Nina Rosario in ‘In the Heights’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC2n_GG6X_E A soprano character who belts, Nina has dropped out of Stanford University and falls in love with Benny, who works for Nina’s parents.15. Phoebe D’Ysquith in ‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMCjOpxe49g A member of the wealthy D’Ysquith family, Phoebe marries a distant cousin, Monty Navarro. She sings notes that even “Phantom’s” Christine Daae would envy!Did we leave out your favorite role? Let us know in the comments below...
[post_title] => 15 Most Vocally Challenging Contemporary Female Roles [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 15-vocally-challenging-contemporary-female-roles [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-11 09:54:41 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-11 13:54:41 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10584 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 42 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10454 [post_author] => 807 [post_date] => 2017-08-10 15:08:13 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-10 19:08:13 [post_content] =>High school can be tough.
Chris Colfer in his "laugh-out-loud funny, deliciously dark, and remarkably smart" novel, "Struck by Lightning" said it best:[It's] "Society’s bright idea to put all their aggressive, naive youth into one environment to torment and emotionally scar each other for life."Now do I think this is a bit of a stretch? Most defiantly. But do I believe kids are lost until they find their "thing?" Of course. Some students are drawn to the math wing of their school where they will find a club to fulfill their heart's desire for everything numbers. Others become student-athletes and build their high school career off of the friends they make on their team and the sense of pride they feel when they walk through the school in their jersey on game day.
And then, there are the kids like us, who, since we have walked through the doors the first day of our Freshman year, have lived or more or less hid out, in the music wing and auditorium, and it's made our past three years worth it.
It's the only place you will see a girl pull a blanket and pillow out of her locker and take a nap in the middle of the hall because of her exhaustion from "Hell Week" (@me). It's the only place where it will seem like two students are fighting when they're actually cast members practicing their stage combat. And it's the only place that a true second family can blossom over sharing dinner from Subway or helping someone zip, button, Velcro, or clasp the ugliest costume in the world. We're all just some high school students, but we share the same passion of the incredible art form that is musical theatre. This upcoming year, as a senior, I will perform in my final two shows for the high school, as will you. No more late night rehearsals, costume fittings, or cuddle puddles between scenes. This year we will say goodbye to the educators and directors and musicians that have changed our lives for good (sorry, I had too) and our lives as "High School Theatre Nerds" will come to a close. But those memories will never leave us.The moments you cherish in the theater are ones you cannot and will not forget.
I will always remember when our Danny in "Grease" slipped on stage from a spilled "wine" bottle and twisted his ankle and the nightmare of hand prints on the school wall from all that white paint during "The Addams Family." And the inside jokes, of course (we all have them), are unforgettable even if we try. Each and every production for us is unique in it's own way and although our days of performing on our high school stage will soon be over, a little piece of all those characters we've played over the years will remain in our hearts. Thanks to theatre, we might have found who we are; a purpose. High school isn't as tough as it could be when you're doing what you love. For me, as for many of you, it's an escape. Without it, I don't know how I would get through the trials of high school. In the words of Oscar Wilde,"It was only in the theatre that I lived."So Class of 2018, this is it. Love your cast hard, enjoy every moment of singing and dancing to the songs you love, keep calm in the present and don't rush it away for dreams about your future. It'll come soon enough and everything will work out how it's supposed to. So let's enjoy our Senior year! Let's make the best out of it, work hard, have fun and always go out of our way to be a leader and friend to the underclassmen. We all were that new freshman aspiring for a lead or trying to hit that note once, and that's where our journey began. We are "High School Theatre Nerds," and we love what we do. So break legs my darlings, shine bright and don't cry too hard on closing night, we're all in this together ;) See you backstage. Musically Yours, Bailey Thompson [post_title] => To The Class Of 2018 - The Life Of A High School Theatre Nerd [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => class-2018-life-high-school-theatre-nerd [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-10 15:08:13 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-10 19:08:13 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10454 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [4] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10354 [post_author] => 928 [post_date] => 2017-08-10 14:19:45 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-10 18:19:45 [post_content] => Find your inner tech and confirm it! [post_title] => Quiz: What Type Of Stage Technician Are You? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => type-stage-technician [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-09-02 10:59:44 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-09-02 14:59:44 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?post_type=snax_quiz&p=10354 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => snax_quiz [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [5] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10534 [post_author] => 819 [post_date] => 2017-08-10 00:10:51 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-10 04:10:51 [post_content] =>
I’ve rarely ever come into contact with someone who didn’t have an idea for a musical. Everyone wants to write one or be in one or just be on the team. I read nearly every day about musicals that are being made based on beloved films, truly mediocre films or films amazingly inappropriate for a musical. However, ideas for musicals are not just confined to movies, plays and books. They come from board games, TV shows, rides at theme parks — anything. It’s “What I Had for Breakfast Today: The Musical.”
It seems no subject matter is off-limits when it comes to making a musical. However, it takes more than an idea to create something onstage that will capture and hold an audience’s attention and make them feel, or laugh or hate you.
Today, I will touch on the necessary steps (in my humble opinion) that it takes to create a musical your audience hopefully won’t hate you for.
Step 1: Source Material
Nothing is more important than the story you are telling. Whether it’s an idea out of your own head or based on already existing source material, this is the foundation of your show. Source material can be a novel, play, film or even a TV show — I’m sure someone is creating “Mr. Ed: The Musical” right now. If you’re too young to remember “Mr. Ed,” it was a sitcom in the ‘60s about a talking horse, and yes, someone somewhere thinks this is a good idea for a musical.
But still, even the worst idea imaginable will be a good idea to someone. And that’s the real point: All art is subjective. So, even if you really are planning to obtain the musical rights to “Mr. Ed,” you still have a shot at making it a good show if you do everything else right. It’s a very, very small shot, but a shot nonetheless.
The story you choose for your show is the story you will be living with for the next many years, if things go well, so it should be a story you love. It should involve characters you love (or hate for all the right reasons) and want to spend time with. It doesn’t matter whether you have a profound message to share with the world or if you just want to make people laugh and have a good time. That’s up to you. Just know that the story is everything. If you don’t have the story, you have nothing. It’s the foundation on which you will build everything else. If your foundation is shaky, your musical will be shaky. Make sure you get this part right.
Caution: I know the trend is to try to musicalize all the movies we love, and I believe film is a very valid choice for source material for musicals. But be careful. First, you’re going to have to acquire the film rights, and that takes lawyers and money. Unless you’re extremely well-connected, I do not suggest it. If you don’t have an original idea, I suggest taking a novel or play in the public domain and using that as your story. You can update it so that it feels more contemporary. Any novel or play 75 years after the death of the author is in the public domain, and you don’t need permission to adapt, sabotage or plagiarize the works of your favorite dead author.
I’ve adapted several works in the public domain. I started with “Jane Eyre.” I literally had no idea what I was doing. I read the novel, highlighted the parts I thought I should include and then just started writing the book and score. Amazingly, 10 years later, the show would go to Broadway (after 7 million rewrites, countless readings and out-of-town tryouts). Oh, did I mention writing musicals is all about rewriting them? We’ll get to that later.
Tip: Don’t try to guess what the audience wants. No one knows. It’s all a crapshoot. Yes, if you have Hugh Jackman starring in your show, you probably could do “Mr. Ed: The Musical” and it would kill. But we don’t all have Hugh on speed dial, so you’re better off choosing a story you love, whether it’s an original idea from your very own brain or based on previously existing material. If you have your foundation, you’re ready for the next steps.
One more thought: Here’s a very crucial question to always ask yourself when looking at source material: Do these characters sing? Look, I’m very opinionated. Personally, I don’t think Spider-Man sings. Maybe that’s just me (apparently it wasn’t just me). Some characters sing, and some don’t. How do we know? I’m not sure. To me, it’s intrinsic. I just know. I’m hearing about a musical being developed by Broadway producers right now that has characters I know shouldn’t sing. But often, Broadway is more interested in a brand than what makes a good musical. That’s why the world needs us. Notice how I’ve included all of you without knowing you — it’s my way.
Step 2: Who’s Writing This Thing?
The next most important step is deciding who your writing team is, and more specifically, what your role is.
Are you a musician? Are you a playwright? Are you someone who likes to eat ice cream and watch a lot of TV? (Don’t underestimate TV watching. We are in the Golden Age of TV, and you can learn a lot about dramatic structure. Also, it’s a little known fact that ice cream is essential to writing musicals.)
When I write a show, I write everything (at least in the first draft), including the book, music and lyrics. My background is in songwriting, so naturally, writing the score comes easiest to me. But even though I had very little experience writing the libretto to a musical, I decided to do it all myself for “Jane Eyre,” since at that time, I had no writing partner. This was done with the understanding that eventually, I would bring in a book writer. I did, but I had no idea it would be the director of “Les Misérables.” Holy shit.
This improved my skill at writing librettos. Though I did not end up writing the book for “Jane Eyre,” I did write the librettos for several of my other shows, including “Emma” and “Sense and Sensibility.” Working with John Caird was an education in creating musicals. I was very fortunate to have had that experience. But it started with my commitment to do it all myself. Just try to get the work out there so that it could be heard — eventually by John.
Tip: Figure out what you do. If you like to write music but you don’t feel you are strong with lyrics, collaborate with a lyricist. If you are the book writer and you think you can write lyrics, go for it! Do whatever it is you want to do, and find out whether you’re good at it. If not, so what? The biggest tip I can give anyone is this: Don’t be afraid to suck. We all have to start somewhere. And sucking is a reasonable place to begin. We’re here to grow and learn, and there’s no better way to learn than by doing. That’s what worked for me.
Step 3: How Do I Start Writing?
You still haven’t watched Season 3 of “Game of Thrones.” It’s a beautiful day outside, and if you had a dog, he would need to be walked right now. Your boss needs you for an extra shift, and working at Starbucks is sucking out your soul and all your creative juices.
Look, there’s no easy way to say this: Writing is hard. But getting started is harder. So do whatever it takes. Set a time of day where you have time to write and make sure you sit there. Even if nothing happens, it’s okay.
I read once that Paul Simon, one of my favorite songwriters, goes to work from “9–5” every day and just writes, whether he’s inspired or not. I thought that was pretty cool. So, find a system that works for you and stick with it. This game is all about self-discipline. Most of my work is not commissioned, and if I don’t force myself to write, I’m not going to have a career. If you can self-motivate, you are golden.
When adapting from a novel, I would strongly suggest reading the novel before you start to write your musical. I know this seems stupidly obvious, but believe me, I had to force myself to not start writing songs for “Jane Eyre” before I finished reading the book (that fucker took three weeks to read. So many pages). But I was so inspired by the early chapters that I was just bursting to start writing. But of course, that would be stupid. I didn’t know the story yet. I didn’t know the arc of the story. How would I know which bits to include and which bits to leave out? This is the key when adapting a novel — they’re long. When we did our first production of “Jane Eyre,” we basically performed the whole novel onstage. We were so true to the book, we didn’t leave anything out. The show was over three hours long.
Tip: When adapting a novel, the most important decision you can make is what to include and what not to include. With “Sense and Sensibility,” I wasn’t keen on telling the stories of the mother and the youngest Dashwood sister because I felt they were unnecessary to the plot. So, I killed them off, and it worked like a charm. In “Emma,” I got rid of Emma’s sister and brother-in-law. They bored me, so I left them out. The decision is all yours. These works are in the public domain, and you can do anything you want. However, if there really is an afterlife, I have an uncomfortable feeling that Charlotte Brontë, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens are going to kick the shit out of me.
I find that plays are the easiest to adapt to musicals. If you’re working with a good playwright, he or she has already done a lot of the heavy lifting already. Honestly, I would much rather adapt a play than a novel. With a play, I can focus entirely on the score because the story is already mapped out. Chances are, I’m just “musicalizing” the sections of the play I want sung instead of spoken. I am currently adapting the play “Reflections of a Rock Lobster” by Burgess Clarke. It’s based on the true story of two boys who wanted to go to the high school senior prom together in Rhode Island in 1980. After they were turned down by the high school principal, they sued the school and won. The play has so much pathos and heart, and it’s been a dream to take Burgess’ words and make them sing. I love putting myself in the heads of the characters and trying to find new ways to express different emotions. There is a tremendous joy and satisfaction in working with truly smart writers who push you to do your very best work. It doesn’t always happen, but if you have the rights to a great play, it’s a good place to start.
Making a musical based on an original story is the trickiest. When I am adapting Jane Austen novels, at least I know that my story is solid and has worked for almost 200 years. Almost no one is going to leave the theatre saying, “Weak story.” But with an original piece, you have your work cut out for you. Musicals are hard to get right to begin with, but original musicals are even harder. So if you do have an idea you love, then tell your story. Sing your story. Be original. Figure it out as you go.
Be sure to map your story out completely before you start writing songs. One of the biggest mistakes I constantly make is writing music before the idea has settled. Of course, writing the songs can often help expand the idea — and may help in discovering new places to go — but it’s generally a far better idea to have your story completely worked out and a good working draft of the script before you begin writing the score.
Step 4: Where Do the Songs Go?
I play the game “Where’s Waldo?” when I’m working on a new musical (though honestly, I don’t know who Waldo is). Discovering what should be musicalized and what shouldn’t be is the key to writing a good musical.
When I first started working on “Emma,” I came to a place in the novel where Mr. Elton sends Emma and Harriet riddles, which Emma thinks provides clues about his romantic interest in Harriet (when he’s really interested in Emma). I saw many opportunities in this moment to write a great comic song for the three characters. It would have worked wonderfully, and the audience would have eaten it up. But I never wrote the song because it would not have moved the story forward. It wouldn’t have given the audience more insight into the characters. And we find out the same information later in another way. So the best decision I ever made was to not write that song.
“But if the song would have been as great as you say, wouldn’t it have helped the show anyway?”
No. Though it would be an audience pleaser in the moment, it would have made the first act five minutes longer. And then later, there’s a “double beat” in storytelling, which would have taken the air out of later scenes because things are feeling long when they didn’t have to. Everything is finely stitched together in a musical, and pulling one thread can change everything. That’s why musicals are workshopped so much. They are really complicated things to write, because there are so many parts of the puzzle. We never know how it will turn out until we’re up in front of an audience, where we find out everything immediately and it’s often very scary.
Step 5: I’ve Written the First Draft. Now What?
That’s so amazing! And you haven’t even finished this article yet! Bravo to you.
Okay, so you’ve written a first draft. That means you have a book and a score. That is amazing. Seriously, your first musical could be terrible, but you have a first draft and you should absolutely celebrate. Why? Because musicals are hard to write — even bad ones. And you finished something, which is big, especially since musicals take a ton of work. You’ll be rewriting this for the rest of your life, but you have a finished draft and that’s fantastic.
Here’s what’s really great about where you are now. Rewriting is everything. Rewriting is where most of the magic happens. Look at it this way — you are no longer staring at a blank page, which I’ve come to believe is one of the evils of the universe. But now you’re looking at a page that has actual words, and that’s good! You’ll be rewriting those words soon enough, but it’s all part of the ongoing process. You’re in good shape. Just back away from the TV and put down the ice cream.
Caution: Are you really done with that first draft? How is the structure? Don’t worry if it’s too long — it should be too long at first. It doesn’t have to be perfect in your mind yet, but just make sure you are mostly satisfied with this as a first draft. Then, go treat yourself. You deserve it.
Step 6: I’m Ready for My First Reading — I Think
Not only have you finished your first draft, but you’re so happy with yourself that you want all your friends to hear it. So you plan your first reading.
What’s a reading? In New York, we have what’s called a “29-hour reading.” This allows the creative team to work with a group of actors and present the material for either a small or large group of friends, family and industry peeps. You actually have about 26 hours or so to “rehearse,” and the other three hours is the actual reading itself.
However, before you put a reading together, you have to put a creative team together. You already have your writing team, whether it’s just you or you and one or two others. But now you need a director.
This is a big deal. You know how I said that the source material was a big deal? This is the next big deal. Your director will not only guide you through the production, but a good director will also be your dramaturge. A dramaturge is someone who really understands storytelling and will help guide you into making your story as clear as possible — and will lovingly inform you when you are writing something that is total crap. So, choose your director wisely. They are your new creative partner, and they run the show — literally. This needs to be one of your wisest decisions.
Sidebar: When John Caird heard my first demo of “Jane Eyre,” he was in Los Angeles directing “Les Misérables” and wanted to meet. I went to the house he was renting in Westwood. We sat in his backyard as he went through my script with a red pencil, correcting my spelling and occasionally muttering things like, “This isn’t 19th century,” and “This is American, not British.” I felt like an idiot, yet he still somehow asked if he could direct my musical. Yet to this day, I don’t know why the hell I didn’t just use spell check.
“Okay, so I have my director. Do I need anything else?”
I’m so glad you asked that. Yes. You need your next important creative partner: your music director. We call them the MD. (It’s really fun to call them MDs around your parents. It confuses them endlessly.)
Your MD will be the guardian of your score. They will make all the necessary notations and changes, keep the singers happy and make the composer's’ life much easier.
Sidebar: I’m a college dropout, and though I studied music, I don’t read music well. I deeply rely on my music director to be my conduit to the singers. Other composers, such as Jason Robert Brown, are brilliant musicians. They read and play extremely well and can do everything themselves, though they will still rely on great music directors to make their jobs easier.
I’m hopeless when it comes to reading my own scores, and I deeply depend on my music directors to save me and make me look good. They are an integral part of my work, and I’m grateful to all of them for validating my reason to drop out of college.
“Okay. Is that it? Do I need anyone else?”
Yes. You need a casting director, stage manager and someone to transcribe your score into Finale, if you’re anything like me.
Doing a reading of your musical is absolutely necessary for the development of your show. It will be the first time you hear the piece out loud, and it will inform you of the work you still have to do. People are generally not going to laugh if it’s not funny. Listen to how loud or soft the applause is after a given song. Hear when people start to cough during scenes or songs, since this is usually a sign of boredom.
Nothing whips your show into shape like a few good readings and hearing how an audience responds.
Tip: Be sure to cast your show well. One of the issues we always face when casting actors is whether to cast an actor who sings or a singer who acts.
The short answer? Find both. Yet in my opinion, Broadway-caliber performers are a unique breed. There is literally no one else in the world who can do what they do. To act brilliantly and sing brilliantly is a rare thing to find in one person (and we’re not even talking dancing). Often, an actor will audition for me and be a great singer, but their reading is weak. Or the opposite will happen — they embody the character perfectly, but their voice just isn’t quite up to it.
That’s why performers who both sing and act brilliantly are rare. I would argue that many celebrity performers on Broadway would not even be considered if not for their fame. And I mean that with no disrespect. It’s not like they don’t act and sing well — they do. But those who can take it to the next level — say a Sutton Foster or Brian D’arcy James — are the performers who make theatre magical. They are special, and no one can do what they do.
Step 7: That Went Well! What Happens Now?
Congratulations! You’ve just done a reading of your musical, and all your friends told you they absolutely loved it.
Caution: Not all of them really loved it. Some of them are just saying that because they don’t know what else to say. Also, some of your friends who “loved it” also loved Cheetos lip balm, celery jello and the McLobster (actually, the McLobster does sound sort of interesting).
However, let’s just say you got through this reading fairly unscathed and you’re ready for the next steps. If you have a proper team in place, your next step is to rewrite. Your director and/or dramaturge (or producer, or annoying neighbor) will inform you of what they think you need to change.
Tip: Everyone will have an opinion about what is wrong with your musical. Your mom. That weird dude at the grocery store. Ben Brantley (though his opinion will come when it’s much, much too late). The best advice I can give is to take everything in, weigh it and see what resonates for you. Somebody really will hate your work. But that doesn’t mean your work is bad. They just may not have the same taste as you.
Sidebar: One of the most frustrating moments in the evolution of “Jane Eyre”came right after our La Jolla Playhouse production. There was a negative review in a local publication called the LA Weekly. It’s not a major newspaper, but it was one I’d grown up reading. The first line of the review said, “I hate musicals,” and it went downhill from there. I’ll never forget that. I was furious, thinking, “Why the hell are you reviewing my musical that I’ve been passionately working on for the past 10 years if you hate musicals?” Clearly I have anger issues. But the point is, I should never have cared a whit what this guy thought. He didn’t like the medium I was working in. And that’s the point. You have to be confident enough in your own taste and sensibility so that inevitably, when someone of note says your work is crap, you don’t have to necessarily believe them. Unless your work really is crap. Then I’m afraid they have a point.
Sidebar: Opening night of “Jane Eyre,” John told the creative team and cast not to read the reviews. He said if you believe the reviews that tell you you’re a genius, you have to believe the ones that say you suck. It’s true.
So, once you’ve sifted through the critiques, the praise and the apathy — and you’ve done your rewrite — you’re on your way to creating your first full production.
“Okay. So how do I do that?”
That’s a long story, and we’ll cover that next time. But thanks for taking a moment to read my overly opinionated thoughts. I love musicals, and I’ve learned so much through this process. It’s a pleasure to be able to share my experiences with this community.
I hope in the future I can guide a few of you on your own musical journeys. Good luck, and remember: If you’re afraid to suck, then don’t even bother~
Learn more about Paul Gordon and his projects here: www.paulgordonmusic.com
[post_title] => So You Want To Write A Musical? 7 Steps To Getting Started
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[post_content] => Daniel Quadrino[/caption]
Quadrino’s journey with Newsies has been nothing short of amazing. He originally auditioned for the pre-Broadway production at Paper Mill Playhouse, making it to final callback before being cut. “I didn’t end up getting it, which was fine. Looking back on it, I wasn’t ready to be part of it yet. My dancing was not ready maturity wise.” he tells me during his lunch break on his final day of tech before opening at The Muny.
Far from giving up, Quadrino continued to audition for the musical as it transferred to Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre in 2012. A lesson in persistence and perseverance, he auditioned upwards of 20 times before booking it. Each time he was the cut, the show’s creative team continued to encourage him and motivate him to work harder. “They kept giving me feedback on what to work on, but the last time I went in I was like, ‘You know what? If this doesn’t happen, maybe I’m just not supposed to be in Newsies and I have to accept that.' As soon as I let that go and stopped putting all that pressure on myself that I had to get the job, it happened.”
His final audition for the Broadway production is one that he’ll never forget.
"When I got the job, they called me back into the room after my final callback...and they were like, ‘We just have one more question. How would you like to be in Newsies?’ And I broke down and just started crying" Quadrino recalls, joy filling his voice.
Taking on the role of Albert while understudying Davey and Crutchie, Quadrino’s 11 months in the show were nothing short of spectacular. "My first performance was a blur, but it was definitely a dream come true."
After the show’s closing, Quadrino’s career brought him roles in Wicked and NBC’s Peter Pan Live!, but his time with Newsies wasn’t over quite just yet.
This summer, Quadrino has had the pleasure of reprising the role of Crutchie twice: with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera in July and now at The Muny.
The fact that I get to play a role that is so close to my heart that was truly one of my dream roles is incredible,” he exclaims. “I love getting to do Crutchie’s song, ‘Letter From the Refuge,’ that was added because it was fun knowing Crutchie, but having new material to work on and make my own was really fun.In the midst of musical theatre excellence, Quadrino is soaking in each moment with his crutch and gang of newsboys. "This group of boys is incredible; I’m in awe of watching them dance. Jay Armstrong Johnson, who is playing Jack, is so great and has a fresh new take on the Jack Kelly that we all know, which is so good. The whole cast is just so, so good. And it’s cool because I do know the show so well, but I kind of rerouted everything that I know and started from scratch to find Crutchie again." Especially now, with the current political and social state of the country, Quadrino is thrilled to be sharing this story with The Muny’s 11,000 seat house. "It’s really cool because it’s a whole new take on the show, but it still stays true to all the themes. It stays true to what the show is about: a bunch of people standing up to what is right. The story is so relevant and I’m so happy that we’re doing it here at the Muny this year with everything going on. I think that it will forever be relevant, and the fact that it will be in front of this many people is amazing." Looking back on his long path with Newsies and the persistence he showed over 20 times, Quadrino’s words of advice for his younger self are short, yet potent. "I always tell people this: it’s not a matter of if it’s going to happen, but when." For more information about The Muny’s current production of Newsies, visit www.Muny.org. Follow Danny on Instagram & Twitter @dannyquad91 [post_title] => Carrying The Crutch Once More: Daniel Quadrino’s Inspirational Journey In 'Newsies' [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => carrying-crutch-daniel-quadrinos-inspirational-journey-newsies [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-09 17:34:59 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-09 21:34:59 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10348 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [8] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10345 [post_author] => 930 [post_date] => 2017-08-09 08:49:33 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-09 12:49:33 [post_content] => I have opinions. I like dark roast coffee over the lighter versions, even at the risk of being snubbed by my hipper caffeine cohorts. I prefer driving the speed limit too, which is why I probably wouldn't be welcome in LA. Super spicy foods also land on my no-go list. Any food whose primary appeal is pain is a food I'll pass on. I also generally dislike rap. Of course, if somebody came up with an urban, ear-thumping version of Robert Frost's poetry I might reconsider. No, probably not. But I am a word fanatic. I love grammar and really good writing. Words matter to me, which is why I have this tiny little issue with the way things get spelled, notably how we spell "theater." Since I don't have a real job, I've spent some time thinking about this, and though I know there are other perspectives out there, I figured I'd just put my cards on the table and let the chips fall where they may. Denotatively, theatre and theater mean the same thing. Theater is the Americanized spelling of the Anglicized theatre. (Think color vs colour or humor vs humour.) Technically, theatre and theater are interchangeable in any context, except perhaps in London’s West End where they’re still sensitive about the American independence thing. For the record, I always prefer the Americanized spelling; it feels less pretentious. Connotatively, however, I think there is a difference. I think of theater as referring to the specific space where something is performed: She spends most of her free time at our community theater. The show opened at the Broadway Theatre, which is a Broadway theater. (I personally think that, as an American institution, the real Broadway Theatre in New York should use the “-er” ending. But they didn’t ask me.) For me, theater refers to a definite place. Theatre, on the other hand, signifies the abstract concept that is the performing arts: Theatre is an imitation of life. There is so much theatre in her personality. He goes to the local theater to experience theatre. But even in this case I have my reservations. I’d prefer American universities to offer theater programs and for American kids to be introduced to the theater arts. But, again, nobody asked me. On the whole, and in most cases, I prefer the Americanized theater. I can’t help it. The Anglicized theatre always feels a bit posey to me. You are, of course, entitled to your own opinion in this matter, even if it’s wrong. This is America after all. [post_title] => Theater vs Theatre: An Absolutely Definitive Opinion Maybe [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => theater-vs-theatre-absolutely-definitive-opinion-maybe [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-09 20:33:40 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-10 00:33:40 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10345 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 1 [filter] => raw ) [9] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10285 [post_author] => 717 [post_date] => 2017-08-08 09:36:05 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-08 13:36:05 [post_content] => Theatre is the most amazing art form in the world by far, right? However, it can also be the most frustrating because each show is essentially “written on water,” as they say. What’s there in front of your eyes on that stage is gone forever by 11 p.m., and that exact performance will never happen again. It’s what makes theatre so unique and vital. Sometimes, though, we are lucky enough that someone grabs a camera and lets us into the crazy world of Broadway to highlight the amount of collaboration and conflict it takes to make magic happen every night. Though this is by no means a complete list, here are nine essential documentaries every theatre nerd should see:
1. ‘Broadway: The Golden Age’
Filmmaker Rick McKay’s 2004 documentary is a verifiable oral history book given to us by the Theatre Gods themselves. This truly wonderful film features interviews of more than 100 stars of the so-called “Golden Age of Broadway” conducted over a span of six years. It’s actually the first film of a planned trilogy and will be followed by “Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age” and “Broadway: The Next Generation.” This is a really special movie, not the least of which because many of the interviewees have now sadly passed on. We cannot recommend it enough.
2. ‘Six By Sondheim’
A stunning documentary produced for HBO in 2013, “Six by Sondheim” documents the man himself by focusing on the backstory of six of his greatest songs. The film came from an idea from writer and former New York Times critic Frank Rich and was produced and directed by frequent Stephen Sondheim collaborator James Lapine.
What makes this documentary different from any others on this list is that it contains new, original stagings of the six songs along with typical interviews and archive footage. Highlights include Audra McDonald and husband Will Swenson performing “Send in the Clowns” and a smashing version of “Opening Doors” starring Darren Criss, Jeremy Jordan, America Ferrera, Laura Osnes and even Sondheim in a deliciously ironic cameo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ZUkx_gr0g
3. ‘Broadway: The American Musical’
In 2004, PBS undertook a massive project when it attempted to document the history of American musical theatre from 1904 to the present day. Boy, did it deliver! This beautifully produced six-party documentary series was directed by Michael Kantor and narrated by Julie Andrews. Fascinating interviews and rare footage are interspersed with stunning photographs you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else. It’s a must-see for any serious theatre junkie!
4. ‘Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy’
An offshoot of the 2004 PBS series above, “Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy” was produced and directed by the same team. This time, Joel Grey, the master of ceremonies himself, serves as the narrator. It’s an absorbing look at the golden age of musical theatre in which just about every major composer and lyricist was Jewish (save for Cole Porter). The documentary aired on PBS in 2013 and is available on DVD.
5. ‘Broadway Idiot’
Iconic punk-rock band Green Day and Broadway director Michael Mayer teamed up in 2010 and rocked Broadway with “American Idiot,” based on Green Day’s smash hit album of the same name. This awesome documentary follows the process of the creation of the show through to when Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong stepped into the role of St. Jimmy. This 2013 film is a rare chance to see a modern rock musical take shape, and it’s a great look at a big-name star making his Broadway debut. If you loved the show “American Idiot,” this movie is definitely for you.
6. ‘Every Little Step’
Art truly imitates life in this documentary as thousands of actors audition for the 2006 revival of “A Chorus Line” on Broadway. Modern-day triumphs and heartbreak are layered with interviews of members of the original Broadway cast. The documentary debuted in 2008 at the Toronto Film Festival, earning great reviews. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film an A rating, calling it “a movie as layered and enthralling as its subject.” Though it’s hard to become emotionally invested in these performers’ lives and pull for them, since we know only a few will make the cut, this is still totally worth it.
7. ‘Original Cast Album: Company’
Shortly before Sondheim’s landmark 1970 musical “Company” opened on Broadway, legendary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker had his camera rolling as the original Broadway cast recorded the original Broadway cast album. We get to see many of the show’s numbers, including “Another Hundred People,” “Being Alive” and “Not Getting Married Today.” The climax of the film is when Elaine Stritch struggles to record “Ladies Who Lunch” in the wee hours of the morning after everyone else had wrapped. Watching the legendary performer and Sondheim pursue perfection is a rare glimpse at the guts it takes to gain the glory. The documentary was meant as a pilot for a series in which several cast album recording sessions would be filmed, but sadly, this film was the only one ever produced.
8. ‘The Standbys’
When you open your Playbill and see that little slip of paper with the words “At today’s performance...” your heart naturally sinks a little. But for the person whose name is on that slip, it could be the moment their lifelong dream comes true. This wonderful 2012 documentary takes a look at the difficult and often misunderstood of standbys. It follows Broadway stalwarts Ben Crawford (“Shrek,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”), Merwin Foard (“Aladdin,” “The Addams Family”) and Aléna Watters (“West Side Story,” “Sister Act”) as they wait in the wings for their chance in the spotlight. Watch this one to get a look at this vital but often thankless role in the Broadway hierarchy.
9. ‘Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened’
The newest entry to the theatre documentary world is one of its best! “Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened” premiered in 2016 and tells the story behind the final Hal Prince-Sondheim collaboration, “Merrily We Roll Along.” Directed by original cast member and noted director Lonny Price, the film combines new interviews with the cast and creative team with newly discovered footage of the casting and rehearsal process. Few shows have had such a dramatic history as “Merrily,” which was one of the most anticipated shows of the 1980s and ended up only playing 16 performances. All of the triumphs and pain that Broadway can bring are shared with the audience like never before. The movie is currently available to stream on Netflix.
How many on the list have you seen? Which of your favorites weren’t mentioned? Let us know in the comments...
[post_title] => 9 Amazing Theatre Documentaries Every Theatre Nerd Should See [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 9-amazing-theatre-documentaries-every-theatre-nerd-see [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-08 09:36:05 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-08 13:36:05 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10285 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 2 [filter] => raw ) [10] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10276 [post_author] => 712 [post_date] => 2017-08-07 09:13:12 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-07 13:13:12 [post_content] => There’s an old saying, “If you spot someone in public you think is crazy, they’re probably just an actor.” Okay, okay, I just made that quote up, but I feel like it should be real. Actors are part of an odd breed of people. We have the power to create extremely inspiring and important work, but it’s no secret we also have the ability to attract mountains of judgemental looks. Although we’re each packed with countless and (don’t get me wrong) fantastic quirks, here are seven weird things you’re guilty of doing if you’re an actor:1. Talking to Yourself
You knew this would be No. 1, didn’t you? Trust me, I get the struggle. You’re trying to cement those lines in your head while on the go, or sometimes you just need a friend to calm yourself down before an audition and you’re the only one around. Either way, to non-actors, you look 100 percent cray-cray. There’s nothing weirder than encountering a frazzled person reciting Shakespeare to themselves on the sidewalk.
Tip: Next time you memorize lines or rehearse in public, try pretending you’re talking on the phone. This is only half weird.
2. Doing Extreme People-Watching
“I Wan’na Be Like You” from “The Jungle Book” should be our union theme song.
Actors are chameleons, or at least we try to be. Ideally, we should be able to slip into anyone’s shoes. Although this is a really fun process, it can definitely make us public nuisances. The second we hone in on someone interesting, not only do we want to study them unnoticed for hours as if we’re watching chimps at the zoo, but we immediately want to find out if we can be like them too.
So, you start mimicking their walk while you casually stroll behind them on 5th Avenue or try to get close enough to them in the checkout line so you can study how they speak. Just think to yourself, “WWMD?” (What would Meryl do?). The answer is probably not low-key stalk people.
3. Commencing in Warmups That Definitely Make It Look Like You’re Not Okay
Actors never want to walk into an audition totally cold. We all have some kind of prep activity to get our juices flowing. However, sometimes we’re in a rush and we have to conduct that weird routine while on the go.
We trill while running down the block. We sing scales to ourselves silently (we think). We do facial exercises that probably make it seem like we need help. And don’t even get us started on the stretching. Of course, at the end of the day, if you can walk into that audition room feeling comfortable and ready, it’s worth a few side-eyes on the subway.
4. Using Your Car as Your Rehearsal Space
Owning a car is a privilege for so many reasons, but having a private and transportable rehearsal studio is the best one.
Musical theatre nerds have all had our fair share of belting out audition songs while speeding down the highway. It’s like we have our own version of “Carpool Karaoke,” sans James Corden or any celebs. Most of the time, we get so into the emotional journey of our songs that we forget we’re even driving. Art is dangerous, right?
If you’ve never driven to an abandoned lot and recited your monologue to yourself, I don’t know if we can be friends.
5. Attempting a New Accent in a Public Place
Honestly, this never gets old, and it’s extremely helpful. Ordering that burger and fries in a foreign accent will either grant you a confused look or the burger and fries, no questions asked. If you get a weird glance, you know you have more work to do on your accent. If you get the food, then eat up! You clearly deserve it.
6. Acting Like You Constantly Have an Audience
Being onstage or on set should ultimately feel real if you prepared enough and connected with your own experiences. Well, what if in real life you constantly feel like you’re on a stage or set? Do you ever have those moments where you tell a joke and hold for applause? Or what about coyly making a face to the camera when someone says something strange? It can be hard to shake being in the spotlight!
7. Performing a One-Person Show at Home for Whoever Will Watch
Enough said.
So, we’ve come to the end of this list of some of the many weird things actors do. If you know someone who acts, I hope this clarified some things. If all of these were too real for you, you’re probably an actor.
Do you have any other things to add? Let us know in the comments below...
[post_title] => 7 Weird Things Actors Do That Make Them Seem Totally Nuts [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 7-weird-things-actors-make-seem-totally-nuts [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-07 11:48:29 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-07 15:48:29 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10276 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 6 [filter] => raw ) [11] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10051 [post_author] => 774 [post_date] => 2017-08-05 11:02:24 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-05 15:02:24 [post_content] =>Come with me, And you'll be, In a world of pure imagination
Today we will be making a 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' Laptop Case!
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="31T971f1" upload-date="2019-05-08T14:02:03.000Z" name="Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Laptop Case-DIY" description="Charlie and the Chocolate Factory DIY"]What you will need:
- White paint
- Brown paint
- Gold paint
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- White pencil
- Paint Brushes
- Laptop Case
Instructions:
First, you will want to start by painting both edges of the case gold to create the golden ticket. Paint both sides about 2 inches wide. After finishing, allow it to completely dry. Using the Wonka Bar logo as reference, take your white pencil and begin to trace out the font of the label of the candy bar onto the laptop case. This will help create a guideline for us later. After you have drawn your complete “Wonka Bar” label, plug in your hot glue gun and begin to trace and fill it in completely. Helpful tip: Use a Popsicle stick to help smooth out the hot glue. Please be careful while using the hot glue gun, they can get extremely hot. Once your Wonka Bar has been completely filled in, allow it to dry completely. Onto the painting! We will be breaking down each section into different colors. “Wonka” will be in white, “Bar” in gold, and Mr.Wonka’s hat will be painted brown. Paint each section in their correct color until it is completely covered. Set aside so it can completely dry. After the laptop case has dried, you are done! You are ready to show off your new laptop case to all of your friends. But be careful, you may forever crave chocolate when you carry this around. And don’t forget, you are more than welcome to take creative freedom of this project-switch up colors, different font-whatever YOU want! It is your project! Have fun! Send us your DIY projects and we will share them on our social media page! Follow Katie on Instagram for more fun projects @kbettiniart Happy Crafting~ [post_title] => 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' Laptop Case DIY [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => charlie-chocolate-factory-laptop-case-diy [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-05-08 10:03:11 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-05-08 14:03:11 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10051 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [12] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10100 [post_author] => 68 [post_date] => 2017-08-05 10:31:55 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-05 14:31:55 [post_content] =>Think of meme... think of meme fondly! Enjoy the 18 best Phantom of the Opera memes on the interwebs...
[post_title] => Think Of Meme Fondly: 18 Memes All Phans Will Definitely Appreciate [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => think-meme-fondly-18-memes-phans-will-definitely-appreciate [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-06 15:03:50 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-06 19:03:50 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10100 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 1 [filter] => raw ) [13] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10047 [post_author] => 7 [post_date] => 2017-08-04 09:42:40 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-04 13:42:40 [post_content] =>Making your Broadway debut is a dream many can’t seem to fathom without bursting into tears. The stage, the lights, the audience — it all seems so unreal. Now, imagine making your debut alongside theatre legends Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole. Crazy, right? Well, that’s just what happened to “War Paint’s” Barbara Jo Bednarczuk.
A dancer from age 2, Bednarczuk always longed for a career on the Great White Way. When she endured trials, such as being rejected from college musical theatre programs, she pushed through and worked harder than ever to make it to where she is now.
Bednarczuk was kind enough to sit down with us at the Nederlander Theatre, the current home of “War Paint,” to talk about her road to Broadway, working alongside icons and the incredibly relevant story of this new musical.
Theatre Nerds: Before “War Paint” came to Broadway, you were involved with the Chicago production. What was your audition like?
Barbara Bednarczuk: I lived in New York for a while, but I felt the city wasn’t serving me, so I moved to Chicago. That was a year ago in January, and the first audition I went to was for “War Paint” at the Goodman Theatre. I booked it, and I was like, “Is this really happening?” So Chicago was where I needed to be for this to happen. So now I’m back here with purpose, and god, what a great purpose it is!
TN: So, what was your reaction when the show announced it was moving to Broadway and you would be moving with the company?
BB: I was in Israel on a ship, and it was like 2 a.m. there, and I’m in the port trying to get decent internet connection to call back here to my agent, who was like, “I hope you’re sitting down. You’re going to be on Broadway.” I was literally in the middle of this abandoned port at two in the morning screaming my face off.
TN: As a swing, you’re ready at the drop of a hat to go on for any one of the roles you cover. What was it like the first time you got the call that you would be going on that afternoon?
BB: It was Easter Sunday, so I called my mom on my way to the train and was like, “Guess what the Easter Bunny brought me this year?” and I said, “My Broadway debut!” I got to the theatre at about noon, just for my brain, and walked through the staging just for myself so that it was in my body, then had to go to wardrobe and hair and have them tweak some things. Then, I talked through my costume changes with my dresser, since there are a lot in the show. Then, I got my face on and was ready to go. Everyone was so supportive, and it was just so amazing. When I was bowing, I was like, “I’m bowing on Broadway. Who am I?”
TN: The show centers on the cosmetic industry. Had you an interest in that world prior to being in the show?
BB: When I auditioned for the show, no one really knew much about it at all except for that these names were attached to it. So, I did a little research on my own before I went into that first dance call and found out a little about these two women and who they were, and that they had created these empires and created what is now a multibillion-dollar cosmetic industry that affects everyone.
TN: Let’s get real. What is it really like getting to perform with Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole every day?
BB: Before the process began, it was like an idolizing kind of thing, because they’re amazing. Seeing them and working with and just talking to them over lunch, they’re just humans, and this is what they do, and they do it so, so well. Just to see them work has been a masterclass every single performance and every single rehearsal. The caliber of everyone’s professionalism and dedication is jaw-dropping, and I feel so at home within it. I guess the nicest part of working with them is that they’re human and they’re lovely, and they just happen to possess this amazing talent.
TN: Why does Broadway and the community need to hear the story of “War Paint” right now?
BB: Right now, it seems imperative for such a story to be told and for everyone to realize that this situation has been happening for a very long time. It’s about women in business and women who were the titans of their companies, and that was not heard of during that time period at all. So we really grapple with that as well as the fact that both of these women were immigrants. They were not American, yet they were all about the American Dream and what it means to be an American woman. It’s nothing new, but people are now starting to be incredibly vocal about it.
TN: What advice would you give to your younger self about pushing through roadblocks and making it to Broadway?
BB: Keep doing what you love, always. When something doesn’t feel right, find what does and keep doing it. I was never afraid to travel for jobs, and I always put myself out there. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.
[post_title] => Interview With ‘War Paint’s’ Barbara Jo Bednarczuk
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[post_content] => We've all been there. We've met them. Which one are you?
1. THE NEWBIE
Just like Chris meeting Kim for the first time, the newbie doesn’t know what he’s in for. The newbie may be a kid, or someone who won the tickets by chance, or someone who was brought by a friend with promises that musicals would change their lives. He’s someone who knows almost zilch about the musical’s background and its cast. Newbies are always fun to have around because you get to see their perspectives change. By the end of Act 1, they’ve fallen in love with the set, the orchestra, and the actors. They’ll be singing show tunes with you on the way home. After the show, the newbies will be asking their veteran peers for musical recommendations and lists, hungry for more.2. THE VETERAN AND SELF-PROCLAIMED EXPERT
If you’ve heard how fast Lin Manuel Miranda can rap, then you'll know what it sounds like when a musical veteran starts talking. The veteran knows everything there is to know about the show. From the musical’s composers and lyricists to the West End, Broadway, and International Tour performers, the veteran knows it all. He almost always tries to wear an outfit inspired by the musical, or at least with its color schemes. The veteran tries his best to buy a souvenir. He knows the lyrics by heart. The expert can be kind of annoying to his companions who only know the basics about the musical because he’ll be the one spouting out facts a mile a minute. Once the show starts, however, the expert pipes down and focuses on the production.3. THE SILENT POLITE AUDIENCE
Ever wonder what Christine felt like when The Phantom swept her away and took her to his underground fortress? That's what it's like for them. The silent type claps at the appropriate moments. He seems emotionless and unimpressed but suddenly you’ll see him wiping away tears during a particularly emotional number, or beaming during the end of an act. The silent polite audience is caught in his own little world – just him and the musical. It’s as if the other audience members don’t exist and it’s just him with Eponine, Jack Kelly, or Elphaba.4. THE OVERENTHUSIASTIC FAN
If he could go onstage and do the Newsies jump along with the cast, he would. He applauds after every song, mouths the lyrics and lines along with the actors, and grips the arms of his companion to keep from screaming. The overenthusiastic fan is always on the edge of his seat, his eyes shining with pleasure at what he’s seeing. Every high note, every complex dance movement, makes him want to cheer. This is the fan who probably saved his allowance for months, or who joined every online contest there was just to see the show. He may be disruptive at times, he unknowingly bumps into the people next to him because of his enthusiasm, but the other members of the audience forgive him because he’s a fan and they understand.5. THE "I DON'T REALLY CARE BUT I HAVE THE MONEY SO I'LL GO SEE IT"
Yes, Marius' family was rich, just like this type. They’re not fans, they don’t really know anything about the musical. They just have the money and the means. Or worse, they only want to see the musical because it’s popular and “in” and all the rage these days and they think it makes them seem “cultured”. Sometimes they're also the ones who are too busy with their phones. Sometimes we forgive them, sometimes we don't. After all, everyone’s welcome in the theater. And who knows? Maybe they’ll grow to love it for real. [post_title] => The 5 Types Of Audiences You Meet When Watching A Musical [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 5-types-audiences-meet-watching-musical [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-03 08:40:49 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-03 12:40:49 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10006 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [15] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9480 [post_author] => 440 [post_date] => 2017-08-03 08:00:54 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-03 12:00:54 [post_content] => Being part of a production can sometimes feel like joining a secret society. There is a whole set of unwritten rules they don’t hand out at the door and you won’t know existed until they are happening to you. No one prepares you for what will unfold. Experience becomes your greatest teacher, and with each show, you become a little wiser. So, if you are new to #theatrelife, allow us to be your spirit guide.Here are eight dilemmas you may face and some ideas for how to handle them:
1. You Didn’t Get the Part You Wanted
This will happen to you. A lot. And it’s natural to get upset when you are disappointed. But remember, every part of the show is just as importa
nt. Play your part to the best of your ability, because even the smallest part can steal the show if done right. Plus, you never know who is watching. Your performance could lead to an even bigger opportunity.
Didn’t get cast? Join the crew! Every part of a production is a learning experience. Show you are a good sport and a team player and let those in charge get to know you better. It could improve your chances the next time you audition.
2. You Have a Disagreement With Another Member of the Show
This is bound to happen. Being in a show is like being part of a family, and families don’t always get along. You are welcome and entitled to your feelings, but make sure you keep them away from others involved in the show. Vent to your friends, family and even your cat, but don’t start airing your grievances to other members of the production. Disunity can divide a cast and affect the performance you give onstage. If the issue is something specific, speak to that individual away from prying eyes and resolve it directly. The more people are involved, the bigger the problem becomes.
3. You Get a Cold During the Show Run
The old adage applies here: The show must go on. Getting sick during a show run is pretty common. The long rehearsal hours coupled with physical wear and tear does eventually take its toll. Remember to hydrate and get as much rest as possible during downtime.
Too far to go home between shows? Find a spot backstage to curl up and take a quick nap. If your symptoms worsen, be sure to seek the advice of a physician.
If you’re well enough to still perform, be sure to give it your best. Emma Stone often tells the story of scoring her Oscar-winning role in “La La Land” when the soon-to-be director came to see her in a musical on a night when she was ill. In spite of being sick, she scored the part, and the rest is history. So, give it your 100 percent, because the audience will have no idea you’re sick and you never know who is in the crowd.
4. You Missed a Rehearsal
Life happens, and sometimes you miss a rehearsal. The best thing you can do is be proactive. Ensure you notify someone of your absence, since it can be frustrating for cast and crew when someone doesn’t show up and they have no idea why. Giving notice allows them time to regroup and even alter the rehearsal schedule, if necessary.
Also, ask someone who was present to catch you up on what you missed before the next rehearsal. Your fellow cast, crew and production team will appreciate that you took the initiative and helped save some time.
5. You Made a Mistake Onstage
Improvise. Act like it’s a part of the show and keep going. It’s unlikely the audience even noticed. Unless someone has seen your production countless times and memorized every element, no one will have any idea it wasn’t part of the show.
6. Cast and Crew Are Stressed and Short-Tempered
Tech week especially can be a tense time. Try to take everything in stride. If you snap at someone, step back, find a place to take a breath on your own and get yourself centered again. Most of the time, you’ll realize right afterward that you didn’t mean what you said. Don’t let things get awkward — find that person and mend the fence.
If someone snaps at you, try not to take it personally. The best thing you can do is ask whether there is something they need or anything you can do to help. It’s possible something bigger is bothering them and you just caught them at the wrong time.
Don’t forget to thank your crew and production team regularly. They work hard during and after hours, often going unnoticed. Let them know you appreciate all they do
Finally, be preventative and help boost morale! Bringing in homemade cookies or giving someone an encouraging word are easy ways to keep spirits up when people are growing increasingly tired and stressed.
7. You’re Trying to Balance the Show and Your Real Life
This can be a huge hurdle to overcome because being part of a show is rewarding yet demanding. Again, being proactive can help you avoid getting overwhelmed.
Get yourself a planner or agenda of some kind and write down all of your commitments. Your brain is full enough with your lines and choreography without having to remember when you have a dentist appointment or a paper due. Color-coding each item (such as rehearsal, school and social) can also be useful when you’re trying to reference your schedule on the fly.
Scheduling your free time if you have other projects on the go can help you to stay organized and maximize your efficiency. If you know you have scheduled two hours on Sunday afternoon to work on your history essay, you are less likely to be stressing out midweek about how you’ll find time to get it done.
Most importantly, don’t forget to schedule some time to relax and rest. This needs to be a priority, or you will be run down and unable to do anything.
8. You Are Asked to Do Something Unfamiliar
Part of the fun of working on a show is that each one is different. Every production is a learning experience with something to be gained. You may get asked to perform a skill you are unfamiliar with, such as tap dancing, sword fighting or juggling. Even if you aren’t sure how, give it a go. As long as you are willing to learn, there is always a way. Be sure to identify any safety issues and ask questions if you are unsure.
If the task is something you really don’t want to do or causes you discomfort, speak to your director or production team in private. You can address your concerns and even politely decline, if need be. It’s OK to set limits and speak up if you’re uncomfortable.
Every experience is going to come with its own individual highs and lows. However, the beauty of it is that when it’s all over, you’ll get graduation goggles and only remember the good things — so much so that when audition time comes around, you will eagerly sign up for the madness all over again. In the end, there’s nothing like it.
[post_title] => 8 Show Dilemmas And How To Deal
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[post_content] => So, you’ve made a goal to read more this summer, right? Here are six thespian-written memoirs to add to your summer reading list:
1. ‘Not My Father’s Son: A Memoir,’ by Alan Cumming
In 2015, this king of the stage and screen wrote an intimate recount of his life growing up. Alan Cumming bares all in his memoir, discussing his complex relationship with his father and how it affected his success. If it’s an engaging and emotional read you seek, hunker down and grab this one off the bookshelf.
Buy the book here
2. ‘A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages,’ by Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth might be known as a bright and bubbly Broadway blonde, but this autobiography proves there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye. “A Little Bit Wicked” is full of heart and humor as the actress discusses her journey with adoption, growing up in a small Oklahoma town and, of course, finding her way to the Big Apple.
Grab a copy here
3. ‘Scrappy Little Nobody,’ by Anna Kendrick
The “Pitch Perfect” star’s memoir will satisfy your need for that easy-peasy summer read — plus, Anna Kendrick has a theatre background! “Scrappy Little Nobody” is the perfect book for lounging on the beach. You’ll be obsessed!
Buy the book here
4. ‘In Spite of Myself,’ by Christopher Plummer
If you consider yourself an old soul, dive into the life and career of a familiar face in both movies and the performing arts. You might know him as Captain Von Trapp in the iconic film “The Sound of Music,” but Christopher Plummer is also a prominent figure in theatre, starring in a number of Broadway shows, West End productions and lots of Shakespeare.
Get your copy here.
5. ‘Home: A Memoir of My Early Years,’ by Julie Andrews
How do you solve a problem like finding a good summer read? Once you’ve finished Plummer’s book, it’s only fitting to snag a copy of this novel, written by Julie Andrews. While it doesn’t go in-depth about her movie career, the memoir focuses on Andrews’ childhood and time on the theatre stage.
Click here to read more about this queen.
6. ‘Patti LuPone: A Memoir,’ by Patti LuPone
Speaking of queens, Patti LuPone wrote a book aptly titled “Patti LuPone: A Memoir” because, well, she’s Patti LuPone. Why wouldn’t you read this?
Buy the book here
Have another stage actor autobiography to recommend? Share in the comments below...
[post_title] => 6 Stage Actor Autobiographies You Need On Your Reading List [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 6-stage-actor-autobiographies-need-reading-list [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-01 10:10:43 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-01 14:10:43 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9942 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 6 [filter] => raw ) [17] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9474 [post_author] => 391 [post_date] => 2017-07-31 15:20:28 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-31 19:20:28 [post_content] => With the Broadway successes of “Legally Blonde” and “Bring It On,” as well as the Off-Broadway cult following for “Heathers,” teen movies are increasingly becoming a basis for composers and librettists to create new musicals. In fact, the recent La Jolla production of “Freaky Friday” and upcoming D.C. premiere of the “Mean Girls” musical seem super fetch for potential New York runs. However, what about some other teen films that, while loved by many, are continually passed over when it comes to Broadway adaptations? Here are 15 adolescent films we feel could rock the stage:1. ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81ZtmBAA_NE The classic 1986 film about a high schooler who skips school while pretending to be sick gave Matthew Broderick his breakout role. Who wouldn’t want to see a massive parade onstage?!2. ‘A Walk to Remember’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v27UT5sEZiI Based on the eponymous Nicholas Sparks novel, this breakout film for Mandy Moore is a tragic love story between a rebellious teenager and a leukemia patient. Already a successful recording artist at the time, Moore would later voice Rapunzel in Disney’s “Tangled.”3. ‘The Notebook’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EemLsTG5fX8 Based on another Nicholas Sparks novel, this 2004 movie cemented Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as Hollywood royalty. “The Notebook” is one of the most popular romance films of its decade, and we would love for this movie to receive the “Bridges of Madison County” treatment.4. ‘John Tucker Must Die’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvn8RCxGauQ This 2006 film is about three women who attempt to take down a manipulative athlete who has secretly been dating all three of them at the same time.5. ‘The Breakfast Club’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2WZrxuwDhs This 1985 Brat Pack film about five teenagers who meet for detention and discover that they are more than their stereotypes was a groundbreaking portrayal of the teenage psyche. It continues to be cherished by teenagers of every generation.6. ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wd5KEaOtm4 Based on the graphic novel series, this 2010 film features the musician Scott Pilgrim trying to win the love of Ramona Flowers by defeating her seven evil exes.7. ‘She’s the Man’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofIzQbTGQ2E Based on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” this movie tells the story of Viola Hastings, who disguises herself as a boy to join her brother’s school’s soccer team. It’s one of Amanda Bynes’ better-known movies.8. ‘Easy A’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZtMR9PZcmI In this movie based on “The Scarlet Letter,” Emma Stone plays a high schooler who takes pride in her new status as the school tramp. Considering Stone’s stint in the Broadway revival of “Cabaret” and her Oscar win for “La La Land,” we’d love to see her play a role in a possible Broadway production of this film.9. ‘Jennifer’s Body’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC3tkheD5gc This 2009 horror comedy film starring Megan Fox is about a high schooler who kills her classmates, while her best friend tries to stop her.10. ‘The Edge of Seventeen’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgN2mdEvei4 One of Hailee Steinfeld’s more recent films, this movie is about a high schooler who tries to navigate her way through adolescence after her father’s death. Steinfeld earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Nadine.11. ‘Spring Breakers’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaeVPdsVkyA This 2012 dark comedy film is about four young women on spring break who meet a drug dealer and descend into a world of drugs and crime. It is considered one of Selena Gomez’s earliest ventures into more adult roles.12. ‘The Bling Ring’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4LzhgExvrc This 2013 crime film starring Emma Watson and Taissa Farmiga is based on a true story about a group of burglars who robbed various celebrities in 2008 and 2009.13. ‘Crossroads’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb398BOlv0Q This 2002 movie was Britney Spears’ first feature film and was promoted with the hit single “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman.”14. ‘10 Things I Hate About You’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rore790l_sk Based on Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew,” the movie is about two high school students, Cameron and Patrick, who try to win the hearts of fellow students Bianca and her sister, Kat.15. ‘The House Bunny’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-RmuzppVuM In this 2008 comedy, a former Playboy Bunny (Anna Faris) becomes house mother to an unpopular college sorority. The film also features a Stone before “Easy A.”Which teen movie would you love to see hit the stage? Let us know in the comments below...
[post_title] => 15 Teen Movies That Deserve Their Own Stage Version [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 15-teen-movies-deserve-stage-version [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-31 19:14:49 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-31 23:14:49 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9474 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 1 [filter] => raw ) [18] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9867 [post_author] => 857 [post_date] => 2017-07-30 23:25:27 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-31 03:25:27 [post_content] => Ever wondered which Dear Evan Hansen character you are? [post_title] => Which Dear Evan Hansen Character Are You? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => dear-evan-hansen-character [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-30 23:28:54 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-31 03:28:54 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?post_type=snax_quiz&p=9867 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => snax_quiz [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [19] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9844 [post_author] => 798 [post_date] => 2017-07-27 15:19:30 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-27 19:19:30 [post_content] => Hello everyone, I'm Lydia Wills, and I'm a singer, actress, and dancer from Pennsylvania. I have just finished up my most recent show "Bye Bye Birdie" with Servant Stage Company, and recently played Hermia in "A Midsummer's Night Dream" with Aleithia Players. I have a total of eight years of dance training, including two years of pointe, eight years of ballet, two years of basic tap, and two years of basic jazz. I have been in many school plays and I am currently considering professional and community auditions for the coming year. My dream is to make it to Broadway, hopefully as a musical theatre actress.Triple Threat - A Overview
As theatre actors and actress, I'm sure we've all heard it before - "You need to be a triple threat to make it on Broadway." But what is a triple threat, and is being one really gong to help one break onto the Great White Way? I heard it said once that being a triple threat highly increases your chance of getting to perform Broadway. However what is a triple threat?Simply put, a triple threat performer is someone who excels at acting, singing, and dancing, and is fluent is all three aspects.You may be asking, especially if you mostly do plays, "Is being a triple threat only needed for musicals? What if I don't want to do musicals and only want to do plays?" Well, too bad for you because only doing plays will lessen the chance of you making it as theatre actor anywhere, yet alone on the B-way. Musicals are a large part of the live theatre industry and you don't want to be waiting tables your entire life just because you don't know how to dance. Taking dance classes or voice lessons is a simple way to assist yourself and is normally fairly inexpensive.
Being a Double Threat
This being said, however, it is possible to become a Broadway performer, and have miminal or no training in dancing. However it is possible to make it too the big stage being what I like to call a "Double Threat".A double threat performer is someone who excels at acting and singing, however have little to no dance experience.There are many performers who don't have a strong dance background, and have still had extremely successful Broadway careers. I have selected two performers who were/are on the casts of hit musicals to talk about for this section.
- Ben Fankhauser: Broadway: Newsies; National Tours: Spring Awakening, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical.
- Ben Platt: Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen, The Book of Morman; Movies: Pitch Perfect, Pitch Perfect 2.
Dancing is not his strong suit, but he worked his butt off to be the best dancer he could possibly be, giving to the role what it needed. He just plain worked hard. -- Ted Walch, LA Times Article on Platt.Above is a quote from a former teacher of Ben Platt, in an interview he did for the Los Angles Times. (1) Now, Ben has stolen peoples hearts with the extremely emotional performance in "Dear Evan Hansen", but his ability to dance has had nothing to do with his success. Though his musicals haven't been dance heavy, his ability to perform in the areas of singing and dancing are providing his as much and a strong background in dance could.
The Finale Scene
These talented actors just prove that you can indeed have a successful career in live theatre without having triple threat training. Though I would highly suggest some dance classes for up and coming performers, if that is not an option for you, then it is possible to continue to purse your dreams. So go out there and keep working, training, auditioning, and hopefully performing because you never know what might happen in the theatre. Break a leg! (1: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-ben-platt-high-school-days-20170611-story.html) [post_title] => Being A Triple Threat - Is It Really Required? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => triple-threat-really-required [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-27 15:19:30 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-27 19:19:30 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9844 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [20] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9123 [post_author] => 391 [post_date] => 2017-07-27 08:22:19 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-27 12:22:19 [post_content] => As any working performer can tell you, employment in musical theatre can be rather spotty. Actors can go several months without employment once a show is over, and most of them will take day jobs while auditioning for their next project. No matter how long they’ve been in the field, most actors have worked odd jobs before their big break.Here are 15 famous Broadway actors and their pre-Broadway jobs!
1. Lin-Manuel Miranda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBQ5YILNGXE Before his massive hit musicals “In the Heights” and “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda was a seventh-grade English teacher at his former high school, according to Playbill. Later, he played a substitute teacher in a “Saturday Night Live” skit.2. Jenn Colella
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2k200Bc0G8 Before blowing away audiences in “If/Then” and “Come From Away,” Jenn Colella was a skate guard at a roller skating rink, according to TheaterMania. In 2012, she appeared in the Broadway production of “Chaplin: The Musical,” which used a lot of roller skating, reports NJ.com.3. Andrew Rannells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZMITCOkpQ8 Before his successes in “The Book of Mormon” and the revival of “Falsettos,” Andrew Rannells cleaned his dad’s office by emptying ashtrays and trash cans.4. Idina Menzel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRWWZpv5I2c Before defying gravity in “Wicked” and “Rent,” Idina Menzel sang at weddings and bar mitzvahs in the New York metro area. She also sometimes lied about her age to get gigs.5. Rachel Bay Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5oqfl_VHHg Rachel Bay Jones, who recently won a Tony Award for “Dear Evan Hansen,” briefly worked at an ice cream parlor in high school. However, any chance of her staying for a second day quickly melted away, according to TheaterMania.6. Barbra Streisand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkKq2FoGxVY Even legends have to start somewhere! After winning a talent contest in Greenwich Village, Barbra Streisand became a nightclub singer at the Bon Soir. She then starred in “I Can Get It for You Wholesale” and “Funny Girl,” receiving a Tony nomination for both shows.7. Keren Dukes
The “Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” star waited tables for her day job. One such instance included waiting on the Foxwoods cast of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” according to The New York Times.
8. Leslie Kritzer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PNfKTGceTk Before starring in the original Broadway cast of “Legally Blonde: The Musical,” Leslie Kritzer worked as a barista shortly after graduating from the University of Cincinnati. Atlas, the restaurant where she worked, attracted celebrities.9. Susan Blackwell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgmIudX43TA The “[title of show]” and “Now. Here. This.” actress has worked in corporate management for 17 years in addition to doing part-time admin work and guest-starring on “Law and Order.”10. Adam Driver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCwwVjPNloY Best known for playing Kylo Ren in the new “Star Wars” trilogy and playing Adam on HBO’s “Girls,” Adam Driver starred in the 2011 Broadway revival of the play “Man and Boy.” Before enrolling at Juilliard, he served in the Marines for two years and later founded the nonprofit organization Arts in the Armed Forces.11. Kelli O’Hara
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apnHOwWuTkQ The “Bridges of Madison County” star grew up on a farm in Oklahoma, where her first job was chopping cotton, according to Broadway.com. She would later graduate from Oklahoma City University.12. Carolee Carmello
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd_ABccbbP0 The “Parade” and “Tuck Everlasting” star once worked as a perfume sprayer in Macy’s Herald Square, later calling it “the worst job ever,” according to Playbill.13. Ramin Karimloo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35LG83gwz70 The “Love Never Dies” and “Anastasia” actor moved from Canada to Oxford, England in 2002, where he became a factory worker, states The Guardian. After five years of voice lessons and agent searching, he played the title role in the West End production of “The Phantom of the Opera” in 2007, according to Playbill.14. Julia Murney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emuf8FiHExg One of the original stars of Andrew Lippa’s “The Wild Party,” Julia Murney has an established career as a performer and voice-over artist, doing ads for Macy’s, Lysol and Reddi Whip.15. John Gallagher, Jr.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qw0RwOSOt4 Best known for his work in “Spring Awakening” and “American Idiot,” John Gallagher Jr. struggled as a caterer before his theatre career took off, according to Backstage. He was also in the band Old Springs Pike but now writes his own music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k8dWAw07U8Think of any other odd jobs from Broadway actors? Let us know in the comments below...
[post_title] => 15 Jobs These 15 Stars Had Before Broadway [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 15-jobs-15-stars-broadway [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-27 08:22:19 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-27 12:22:19 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9123 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [21] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9497 [post_author] => 736 [post_date] => 2017-07-26 07:35:01 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-26 11:35:01 [post_content] => As a performing artist, it’s imperative to have your own website. It becomes your calling card on the information superhighway and a place where future employers and fans can come back to check out you and your talents on a regular basis. Whether you design it yourself or get someone to do it for you, here are eight must-haves to make sure your website is ready for its big debut:Starting From Scratch? Click Here To Learn How To Setup, Build And Launch Your Personal Actor Website
1. Headshot
Have your gorgeous face glistening on your homepage, since it’s the first thing onlookers should see. Make sure it looks like you and is welcoming — first impressions are everything. Let this photo wow your viewers and inspire them to peek through the rest of what you have to offer.
For example, Paul Thomas Ryan’s headshot on his homepage immediately showcases a website that says, “Hi!” to anyone who comes to take a look.
2. Resume
Your work represents what you’ve already done while giving an indication to the artistic creative member glancing at your site whether you are the talent for them. It’s fine to upload a hard copy as a jpg or PDF or just type it into the web program itself. Just make sure your resume is clear, concise and professionally formatted.
Kelly Reader gives us a fabulous example.
3. Contact Information
4. Examples of Your Talents
Show off your talents by including performance videos, MP3s and anything else that demonstrates your performing talents and can get you hired. You never know who may be watching and who might want to hire you after watching them.
Dana K. Brown makes an amazing use of her video page with videos showcasing her performance work and specialty skills.
5. Bio
Let viewers know who you are by including a bio that tells people about yourself and shows off some of your personality and accolades. Think of this place as a way to give personal insight into you and your talents that may not be obvious through your resume. Don’t feel the need to write a long bio — short and sweet works just as well, especially when you’re just starting out.
Emy Holden’s bio certainly gives enough information to know she is a professional, while offering some insider information about where she came from.
6. News
Make sure your viewers know all your latest goings-on by creating a news feed or news page. Keep it up-to-date, since you never know who may be looking and who may want to venture out to see you in your latest show. Make sure each post contains all the information about your latest venture, such as where to purchase tickets, show times, location and any links to other applicable sites.
Carmen Vass has her newsfeed on her homepage, with the fabulous announcement that she has joined the Broadway national tour of “The Phantom Of The Opera.”
7. Extras
If you’ve got it, flaunt it! If you've been in the business for a while, you are bound to have positive reviews, accolades, an agent/manager, production photos, union membership and more. These all should be added to your website in an organized fashion. You can create separate pages for most of the above, then add your union status onto your homepage and your agent/manager onto your contact information page. Your website is always a work in progress, so expect to continue to add to it as you pursue your life in the business.
A website by yours truly (Kimberly Faye Greenberg) shows my interesting artistic entrepreneurial endeavors and accolades to ensure people see them right away.
8. Design With Your Personality in Mind
When people visit your website, it should be a reflection of you while still remaining professional, clean and well-organized. This could mean you choose style of fonts, colors or even using graphics that give more insight into your personality and talents. Feel free to have some fun with it!
Bethany Kay has a great branding statement that shows exactly who she is. With a fun and welcoming introduction and design, the website really showcases her sassy personality.
Do you have a performer website? Any tips for how to make it go from good to great? Share your stories with us in the comment below...
TOOLS:For website hosting, we recommend Bluehost
For Domains, we recommend Godaddy
For Web Platform we recommend WordPress which is available as a package with Bluehost
[post_title] => Rock Your Performer Website With These 8 Must-Haves [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => rock-your-performer-website-with-these-8-must-haves [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2018-10-01 01:11:21 [post_modified_gmt] => 2018-10-01 05:11:21 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9497 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 1 [filter] => raw ) [22] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9485 [post_author] => 712 [post_date] => 2017-07-25 09:34:36 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-25 13:34:36 [post_content] => Upon first setting foot into the newly restored Hudson Theatre on West 44th Street in New York City, I was immediately consumed by color. Refractions of red, blue, white and green splashed across my face with such intensity that it would have been nearly impossible to miss the dizzying neon sign. Of course, it would have been a shame not to witness the spectacular installation that loomed in the theatre’s lobby, as it displayed some of the most vital lyrics “Sunday in the Park With George” has:“Anything you do, let it come from you. Then it will be new.”
A Production That’s No ‘Ordinary Sunday’
Dubbed as an iconic work of musical theatre, “Sunday in the Park With George” was certainly “new” at the Hudson Theatre. While the marvelous Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine masterpiece is set in the 19th century, the sentiment rang present in the Sarna Lapine-led revival (yes, she is related to James). As the show opened, Jake Gyllenhaal pierced through the bare stage, which was quite literally a blank canvas, as the obsessive George Seurat. In contrast, Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford sauntered into the spotlight, breathing an unparalleled luminosity into her portrayal of Dot. Together, as George and Dot are meant to be, Gyllenhaal and Ashford spun a magic that spoke to the vitality of art. The majority of thespians know that, like George Seurat’s work, the concept of this show was not primarily swallowed by the masses. As far as shows go, the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical is a bit abstract. However, with the veteran team that brought the recent revival to life, “Sunday in the Park With George” can more easily appeal to the inner artist in everyone. Audiences can relate to the struggle of following a dream and the love and joy that comes along with the journey. The show is a prime example of a musical that lures audiences into a completely different world and uses that setting as a space to teach and explore. The main subject it educates on? The importance of art.A Resonating Message in Hard Times
Although the musical is set in another century and was conceived in the 1980s, the message feels more critical now than ever before. In a society where government threatens the funding of the arts, this revival could not have come at a better time. Through artistic filter, the story showcases the unquestionable importance of art for humanity. Act 1, which stood on its own in the original Off-Broadway run of the show, primes Act 2 just as art prepares people for what happens in life. As the show comes to an end, there is a wrenchingly beautiful exchange between George and Dot. Dot, who spent her life loving a man who was consumed by the love of his art, reveals what she learned from George: “You taught me about concentration. At first, I thought that meant just being still, but I was to understand it meant much more. You meant to tell me to be where I was, not some place in the past or future. I worried too much about tomorrow; I thought the world could be perfect. I was wrong.” This dialogue, which exists as a form of art, is an example of how art can reach out and touch people. As George and Dot slip into the haunting duet, “Move On,” audiences are urged to live in the moment and keep going forward. George will go on to create more art, as Gyllenhaal will go on to make more movies and Ashford will continue to stun audiences with more Broadway performances. And one audience member will leave the theatre inspired to write something, anything, on how significant “Sunday in the Park With George” is. After shaking the breathtaking show (and all its colors and lights) through a sifter, it’s not hard to see what Sondheim is saying: Art is a vehicle. It’s a vehicle for joy. For education. For grief. For inspiration. For growth. And above all, it’s important~ [post_title] => How ‘Sunday In The Park With George’ Makes A Plea For The Arts [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => sunday-park-george-makes-plea-arts [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-25 09:34:36 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-25 13:34:36 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9485 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [23] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9491 [post_author] => 639 [post_date] => 2017-07-24 10:12:23 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-24 14:12:23 [post_content] => With the success of shows such as “Glee” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” it’s no surprise that nonmusical shows have jumped on the bandwagon lately with one-time-only musical episodes. Though it feels like a newer trend, musical shows have been a thing for some time. Some of the more famous ones occurred in shows such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “That ‘70s Show.” Though they make for a great one-off episode, they don’t always go as planned. “Grey’s Anatomy” has one of the least popular musical episodes, which is unsurprising considering the general topics the show covers. It was also insanely creepy to watch the cast sing The Fray’s “How to Save a Life” while operating.Though these experimental episodes are usually very make-or-break, there are definitely some shows out there that could have an amazing musical episode, such as the following 10 shows:
1. ‘The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUYXk-QcXZ0 Yes, this show isn’t too much of a leap, since Titus has at least one amazing musical number every season. But imagine an entire episode of singing! Though Season 3 saw an episode filled with Titus covering Beyonce, Kimmy also deserves some musical screen time, and Lillian and Jacqueline would crush a quirky duet. Though it’s not yet confirmed, if Daveed Diggs reprises his current role in Season 4, this definitely has to happen.2. ‘Doctor Who’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwoWo4ChYuQ This definitely could have been more fun in David Tennant’s era with Billie Piper and John Barrowman on board, but who’s to say there’s no chance for a “Doctor Who” musical episode? Though Peter Capaldi has proven his guitar skills as the Doctor, he is on his way out. SO maybe the next doctor can sing and dance around the Tardis. Stranger things have definitely happened on this show.3. ‘Jane the Virgin’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF31mFSAFvY This show seems like an obvious choice for a great musical episode. With Xiomara and Rogelio already showing off their singing skills, along with Jane’s “Sweet Lady Jane” alter ego, nothing could go wrong! This could only happen with a full-on dream sequence or a new approach to a novel for Jane. All the musical telenovela drama that would ensue would be amazing.4. ‘American Horror Story’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2qEhGeLb6A This one may be tricky, but still doable. With “Glee” showrunner Ryan Murphy at the helm of this horror anthology, something tells us this could definitely be worked out. Enough singers have graced this show, such as Darren Criss or Lady Gaga. They could definitely work out a delusional dream sequence episode to make this work. Just look how well the scene above worked in Season 2. Of course, this all relies on the theme for the season, but let’s just hope it’s not in the next election-themed season.5. ‘The Mindy Project’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AiuWfZUlqM No, Mindy Kaling has not particularly shown off her musical skills on this show, though there were a ton of “Hamilton” references last season. This show is known for its quirky lead and great ensemble cast. What this show also does best is have great one-off experimental episodes. Last season saw Mindy wake up and live as a white man for a day, and another episode had her reliving the same day over and over again. With the next season being its last, why not have a musical episode? We can only imagine Morgan’s solo number.6. ‘Modern Family’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlAJFt6T5SU Does this show need a musical episode? No. Would it be one of the greatest things to happen on television ever? Yes. Sarah Hyland has recently shown she can really sing, and then there’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson, of course. Everyone could join in on the action and make it one hilarious episode. And, even if Sofia Vergara can’t sing, that can only make it funnier.7. ‘Black Mirror’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhea1U3v1_o This sci-fi show has gained a lot of momentum since it transferred to Netflix and would be a great platform for a musical episode. Set in the near (or distant?) future, many of the episodes are bizarre and put the characters in extreme realities. Borrowing from its Season 3 episode, this show could totally pull off a sing-to-survive dilemma.8. ‘Will and Grace’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY10pANm4eM Of course, there are plenty of shows that could make this list that are no longer running. Fortunately, this hit comedy will return this fall! There has already been some speculation about a musical episode, which is no surprise given the core cast. Just take a look at this trailer for the upcoming revival to see what a musical episode could look like.Which TV shows would you like to see have a musical episode? Let us know in the comments below...
[post_title] => 8 TV Shows That Need A Musical Episode [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 8-tv-shows-need-musical-episode [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-24 10:12:23 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-24 14:12:23 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9491 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [24] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9780 [post_author] => 774 [post_date] => 2017-07-22 11:07:46 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-22 15:07:46 [post_content] => [adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="Kc7bDyTh" upload-date="2018-09-26T18:58:57.000Z" name="Hamilton Pins & Keychains DIY" description="In this Broadway DIY video we will be making Hamilton musical pins and keychains."]In this tutorial we will be making Hamilton pins and key chains!
For this project you will need:
- Shrink Film (super sanded)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Hole Punch
- Flat Pins
- Key Rings
- Permanent Markers
- Printable PDF (attached in the description)
Instructions:
1. Begin your project by printing out your reverse copy of Hamilton pins/key chains. Download Here 2. With your super sanded Shrink Film, place shiny side face down, sanded side face up. 3. Using your permanent markers, begin tracing and filling in your images. You are free to use whatever colors you’d like, or design your own pins and key chains! 4. Once dried, begin cutting out your images. For the pins, make sure you are cutting as close as you can to the lines. When making a key chain, allow yourself some extra space to punch a hole in BEFORE you bake them in the oven. 5. After cutting out your pins and key chains, turn your oven to 350°. With a small cookie sheet lined with either non-stick aluminum foil, baking paper, or thin cardboard, place your images in small groups with distance from one another so they do not touch. Make sure the pieces are shiny face DOWN, sanded side UP. Warning, please be careful, the oven and cookie sheets are very hot. if you are under the age of 13, please ask an adult for help* 6. Allow them to bake for 2-3 minutes. They will curl up at first, but will lay flat again, so do not take them out before then. After the 3 minutes have passed, take your shrunk Hamilton art out of the oven, and with a spatula, lightly flatten them if they are slightly curled. Once cooled remove them from the cookie sheet. 7. After everything is completely cooled, you are now ready to attach your pins and key rings! With the key rings, simply open the ring and insert it into the hole you created before baking. For the pins, take the flat backing of the pin with a dab of glue (hot glue, E600, etc) and place on the sanded side of your art. Allow the glue to dry completely before using.Finished!
Once everything has dried, you are now ready to wear your pins on your clothes, backpack or favorite Hamilton shirt! Don’t forget to clip on your key chain as well! Share with us your version of Hamilton Key Chains and Pins on our Facebook and Instagram page. We can’t wait to see what you have done! Leave a comment bellow with suggestions of what you would like to see next... Happy Crafting! [post_title] => 'Hamilton' Pins And Key Chains DIY [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => hamilton-pins-key-chains-diy [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-05-08 09:50:35 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-05-08 13:50:35 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9780 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [25] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9558 [post_author] => 830 [post_date] => 2017-07-21 19:39:22 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-21 23:39:22 [post_content] => We all know the smash-hit musical "Hamilton" by heart, but do you actually know the real life man we all know and maybe love? Take this quiz to find out! [post_title] => Quiz: How Much Do You Know Alexander Hamilton (Historically)? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => how-much-know-alexander-hamilton-historically [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-08-09 18:08:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-08-09 22:08:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?post_type=snax_quiz&p=9558 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => snax_quiz [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [26] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9488 [post_author] => 440 [post_date] => 2017-07-21 09:45:28 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-21 13:45:28 [post_content] => A few months into our relationship, my partner made a startling confession to me: He dislikes theatre. As a devoted theatre fan, you can imagine my horror. But I really liked him and luckily, he had many other redeeming qualities, so I decided to overlook it. After all, I had plenty of theatre-loving friends and family I could drag to shows with me.
Fast-forward a couple of years, and we were on a trip to London together. I excitedly browsed through West End shows before I remembered his theatre aversion and realized I’d have to attend a show alone if I wanted to go.
After some digging around for any alternative option, I discovered a performance of “The Great Gatsby” taking place at a secret location in London that was disclosed only after the purchase of tickets. But unlike regular theatre, this was an immersive experience in which theatregoers were guests of a party thrown by the infamous Jay Gatsby. Attendees were strongly encouraged to dress for the event, and in typical Gatsby fashion, drinks would be available for purchase and consumption during the party.
The concept of an interactive show piqued my partner’s interest, and like everyone does in relationships, we compromised and agreed to attend this if it meant he didn’t have to sit through a musical.
Arriving at the secret location on the night of the show, we were glad we had decided to take things seriously and adhere to the suggested dress code. It certainly added to the excitement. Between the flapper fashions, the stifling temperature due to a June heat wave and the number of gleeful guests packed into the pre-performance space, it was like falling into Fitzgerald’s world.
Actors appeared among the crowd, and Nick Carraway jumped on top of a chair to give a rousing speech. The whole thing ended in a big reveal of the main performance space, and guests were ushered into the famous Gatsby’s house. The aforementioned host and company invited everyone to drink, dance and take part in the action.
Throughout the show, actors drew groups of guests into other rooms for monologues and interactions with the characters. The action was nonstop, with parts of the story taking place in multiple locations with the various characters before the big finale in the main room. When the lights came up, my partner couldn’t believe how fast the night had gone and was even more shocked that he’d enjoyed himself.
This production of “The Great Gatsby” by The Guild of Misrule and The Immersive Ensemble has garnered quite the buzz, even receiving the stamp of approval from Neil Patrick Harris and Neil Gaiman. The success of the show has seen it extend its original run multiple times, and it’s not the only immersive theatre game in town.
Lin-Manuel Miranda recently hyped London’s immersive experience Secret Cinema on Twitter. Much like the “Gatsby” show, Secret Cinema invites attendees to dress up and take part in the action of the show as they bring cinema to life. Past performances include “Dirty Dancing,” “Star Wars” and the recently wrapped “Moulin Rouge.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7bouwv3YME
Hop across the pond to New York and find another burgeoning immersive theatre scene. Jump into a 1920s murder mystery at “Speakeasy Dollhouse: The Bloody Beginning,” but beware, this is not a kid-friendly show and guests are required to be 21 and over.
For an even higher price tag, adult theatregoers can attend “The Illuminati Ball.” This theatrical event is an extravagant evening modeled after the Surrealist Ball thrown by the dynastic Rothschilds in 1972. Not sure what that entails? Photos of the event make it feel like a racier version of the “Gilmore Girls” episode where Rory attends a party thrown in the woods by Yale’s secret society. However, unlike episodes of the fast-talking Gilmore ladies, this ball is not for anyone under 21.
For a tamer experience, where you can dip your toe into the world of immersive theatre instead of cannonballing in, there is the Broadway musical, “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.” The theatre is set up for a 360-degree experience, with the show taking place among the audience so viewers feel as if they’re involved in the scene. The innovative show has taken Broadway by storm, with positive reviews, sold-out shows and an impressive 12 Tony nominations. All of this success may mean more large-scale immersive shows in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7KcSEdz470
Immersive theatre performances have popped up more and more over the past few years, bringing attendees into the fold and creating unique experiences. Live theatre is already different every night, but interacting with audiences is even more unpredictable, as no two audiences will ever be the same. In an age of 3D and 4D movies, virtual reality technology and live tweeting, it’s clear that audiences are looking for more involved entertainment experiences. They want to feel like they are part of the event and get lost in another reality, if only for a few hours.
Does immersive theatre interest you? Let us know in the comments below...
[post_title] => Are Immersive Theatre Experiences The Next Big Trend? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => immersive-theatre-experiences-next-big-trend [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-21 22:38:12 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-22 02:38:12 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9488 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 1 [filter] => raw ) [27] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9467 [post_author] => 12 [post_date] => 2017-07-20 08:28:50 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-20 12:28:50 [post_content] => Whether you call it an actor group, friend hangout, weekly cold reading assembly or a thespian collective, a weekly or monthly get-together with your fellow thespians can be incredibly helpful as you pursue a career in this increasingly difficult field. Here are 10 reasons why you should consider launching your own actor group:1. You’ll Get Emotional Support
Having a group of fellow actors to meet with on the regular and share your rejection stories and audition mishaps is good for the soul. In this industry, you definitely need someone to laugh and cry with while forging your way to the top.
2. You Can Do Cold Reads
https://giphy.com/gifs/cartoons-comics-sea-reading-WoWm8YzFQJg5i?utm_source=media-link&utm_medium=landing&utm_campaign=Media%20Links&utm_term=https://www.google.com/url?q=https://media2.giphy.com/media/WoWm8YzFQJg5i/giphy.gif&sa=D&ust=1500222508261000&usg=AFQjCNFEs9WSK4hjxl_eXKivYjprVql5PA Cold reading is a skill that’s best to stay on top of. Having a group of actor chums who can practice with you in a relaxed atmosphere is pure gold.3. You’ll Have Access to New Material
Tired of that old monologue? Give it away to someone in your posse who is perfect for it. They’ll relish the new material and hopefully send something wonderful in your direction.
4. You’ll Have Great Camaraderie
Aside from emotional support, it’s just great to have a crew you can joke and laugh with through the ups and downs. Sometimes you just need to blow off steam by laughing at a few YouTube videos with your actor group, grabbing a coffee, swapping stories or just putting around in general on those slow audition days.
5. You Can Put Yourself on Tape
Putting yourself on tape has become the norm for many actors, which is exactly why it’s imperative to have a community of artists around. You have a built-in group of people to take turns recording you, reading off-camera for you and helping you with the technical stuff, such as lights, sound and editing.
6. You’ll See Shows Together
So, your significant other loves you but not going to see shows? No worries — that’s why you have your actor group! These theatre nerds would love to take that extra ticket off your hands and comb over every detail of the first act over intermission.
7. You’ll Have Networking Buddies
Have a networking event to go to but you won’t know anyone there? Good news, you have an actor group full of plus-one prospects that you can bring along. Now you have someone to stand next to the punch bowl with, and hopefully, they’re also good at coming up with icebreakers to help you meet promising contacts.
8. You’ll Have Built-In Partner Reads
You want to go to that casting workshop, but they’re asking for partner reads. Good thing you have a thespian hangout every other week. You now have many built-in options anytime you need a partner for a partner read. Aren’t you glad you started that group?
9. You’ll Get Informed Opinions
Sure, your mom thinks you look adorable in all your headshots, but an actor group will have more educated insights for you, such as “That looks great for commercials,” or “I love the smile, but not the lighting.” Not to mention, they’ll have opinions about the best casting workshops in town, photographers, classes and venues.
10. You’ll Have More Audience Members
Thanks to your actor group, you have built-in audience members for your open-mic night, your one-person show, your cabaret — you name it. You’ll also be an active audience member by returning the favor, which will lead to the chance to see even more shows.
After reading this list, you’ll hopefully be in a hurry to create your own little actor gang. Have one already? Let us know about your actor group and what you like to do together in the comments below!
[post_title] => 10 Reasons To Start Your Own Acting Group [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 10-reasons-start-acting-group [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-20 23:06:29 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-21 03:06:29 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9467 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [28] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9477 [post_author] => 395 [post_date] => 2017-07-19 08:31:28 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-19 12:31:28 [post_content] => For anyone who has seen or listened “Dear Evan Hansen” knows that it’s pretty much a mixed bag of gut-wrenching laughter and blubbering tears. So why shouldn’t memes about this Tony Award-winning musical be any different?Here are 17 “Dear Evan Hansen” memes that will make you laugh, cry or laugh so hard you cry:
Teen troubles span centuries, whether in 19th-century “Spring Awakening” or 21st-century “Dear Evan Hanschen” — er, “Hansen.”
Okay, we laughed a little bit at this one.
Me in the car, in the shower, in my bedroom, always.
People who like “13 Reasons Why” more than “Dear Evan Hansen” — welcome to your tape.
This will be the best pickup line in history for forever.
Got milk? Connor does.
Okay, so this isn’t technically a meme, but who could ever say “No” to such a perfect promposal?
#Truth
Mom: What was that?
Me: Oh nooooooothinnnnggg.
Hey, at least we’ve found something to replace the never-ending slew of “Hamilton” lyrics!
All my hope is spinned on Zoe.
This. Is. Too Much.
“Dear Evan Hansen” is breaking records and shattering conventions all over the place, from beginning to end.
This is way, way too accurate.
Any other suggestions for captions are welcome in the comments.
I’ll just leave this here ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I. WILL. NEVER
There’s that silver lining you were looking for!
You Might Like: 13 Videos To Watch If You're Obsessed With Ben Platt
What is your favorite “Dear Evan Hansen” meme? Let us know in the comments!
[post_title] => 17 'Dear Evan Hansen' Memes That Will Either Make You Laugh Or Cry [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 17-dear-evan-hansen-memes-will-either-make-laugh-cry [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2018-10-03 21:20:27 [post_modified_gmt] => 2018-10-04 01:20:27 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9477 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 4 [filter] => raw ) [29] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9421 [post_author] => 391 [post_date] => 2017-07-18 08:47:12 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-18 12:47:12 [post_content] => The “Grey Gardens” creative team Scott Frankel, Michael Korie and Doug Wright have returned to Broadway with “War Paint.” This new musical is about the legendary rivalry between Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden. In a Broadway season exploding with pop/rock sounds (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” and “Come From Away”), “War Paint” stands out for focusing on a more traditional sound to tell a timeless story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mih7oGhktfo As in “Grey Gardens,” Frankel’s score for “War Paint” is influenced by opera, jazz and Golden-Age Broadway. Certainly a more upbeat and swingy store than “Grey Gardens,” “War Paint” is not without its emotional peaks, such as “Beauty in the World” and “Pink.” Something that caught me off-guard was that many of the numbers in “War Paint” are not as long nor as memorable as those in Frankel’s earlier shows. Nevertheless, where the score sometimes lacks in earworms, it compensates with musical intelligence, depth and density. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3VQzH7dhs0 Christine Ebersole mesmerizes as Elizabeth Arden. She showcases her voice’s many colors on solo numbers “Better Yourself” and “Pink.” Her silvery soprano blends surprisingly well with Patti LuPone’s brassy mezzo. As the Polish entrepreneur Helena Rubinstein, LuPone sports an on-point Slavic accent and vocally embodies her character’s ambition and desperation. The climactic Act 1 finale, “Face to Face,” is the zenith of both women’s impeccable chemistry and is a highlight on the cast recording. It’s a wonder Ebersole and LuPone haven’t collaborated sooner! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuWKtrPJT30 Finally, the ensemble is delightful, especially standing out in numbers such as “Behind the Red Door,” “Necessity Is the Mother of Invention” and “Fire and Ice.” The chorus’ predominantly female croon harkens back to classic ingenue sounds of “Guys and Dolls,” “42nd Street” and “Chicago.” Leave it to the ensemble to give the show, in its own words, the “best face forward!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vgjBxt-hro Overall, “War Paint” is a tour de force for women in contemporary musical theatre. With a glowing cast, captivating story and striking characters, the cast album is a must-hear.Have any of you heard or seen "War Paint?" Let us know your thoughts in the comments below...
[post_title] => A Review Of ‘War Paint: Original Broadway Cast Recording’ [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => review-war-paint-original-broadway-cast-recording [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-18 08:47:12 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-18 12:47:12 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9421 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [30] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9539 [post_author] => 819 [post_date] => 2017-07-17 11:23:27 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-17 15:23:27 [post_content] => My parents introduced me to musicals when I was growing up. My older brother and I were into pop music but my parents were playing the recordings of West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, The Sound of Music, Gypsy, and other classics in the house, so I fell in love with musicals too. But I lived in Los Angeles, we went to the movies not to the theatre. I didn’t get to New York until my early twenties so my exposure to theatre was fairly random until then. But here is a list, chronologically, of the musicals I did see on stage that had an impact on me as a musical theatre writer.1. 'Bye Bye Birdie'
This was my first theatre experience, and for a very long time I was convinced that 8th graders were the best actors.
This first one isn’t so much how it transformed the way I write musicals, it’s more like – what the hell is a musical? I was in the 5th grade and we were watching the 8th grade performance of Bye Bye Birdie and it blew my little 5th grade mind. People on stage singing. I’d never seen such a thing. “The Telephone Song” was a magical moment in my young life (and till this day remains a favorite song of mine, though the show itself, not so much).
Lesson: Musicals are cool.
2. 'Godspell'
I think I was about 17 when I saw my first production of Godspell. This was the first professional production of a musical I’d ever seen and it was the perfect show for me to take in. I’d grown up with pop music and the rock score was easy for me to assimilate. I loved the humor, the silliness, the nonlinear story line and the counterculture feel of the show. I was already writing songs at this point in my life and this production gave me the bug to write musicals. I still love this show and Stephen’s score.
Lesson: Musicals can have rock music and they can be fun.
3. 'A Little Night Music'
I remember one day asking my high school friend, Debbie Gravette (who’d win a Best Supporting Actress Tony for Jerome Robbins on Broadway just a few years later) who the new composers were writing musicals these days? I had been soaking up the scores to the classics, but living in Los Angeles didn’t give me any insight into what was going on in contemporary New York theatre. I didn’t even know there was contemporary New York theatre. Debbie told me that Leonard Bernstein’s lyricist on West Side Story had a new show called A Little Night Music and it was really good. The guy’s name was “Stephen Sondheim.” I was skeptical but curious. I wasn’t convinced a lyricist was going to be much of a composer. I purchased the LP the next day to hear for myself (yes, we still had LP’s). Needless to say my life changed forever. From the first downbeat to it’s glorious last note, A Little Night Music quickly became my favorite score of all time. It was smart. I’d never heard anything like it. When the touring company of the show came to LA I had an opportunity to finally see Hal Prince’s production for myself. I saw it ELEVEN TIMES (I would have gone back several more times but the touring company, sadly, had other cities to go to). The experience was so powerful for me I literally couldn’t get enough of it.*
*Side bar: Very late in the run of JANE EYRE on Broadway in 2000, a young man approached me after the show and told me he had seen my show 53 times. I was not shocked. I knew the feeling.
This show is a master class taught by the theater’s greatest genius. I personally believe that librettist, Hugh Wheeler, was Sondheim’s strongest book writer and both this show and Sweeney Todd, stand out to me as his very best musicals.
For anyone interested in writing musicals, I would suggest studying this show. The elegance and efficiency of the book. The brilliant score that captures each character’s irony and pathos as only Mr. Sondheim can...and the music is simply magnificent.
When I wrote my musical Emma, based on the Jane Austen novel, I paid keen attention to A Little Night Music. Its use of reprises and how the score weaves in and out of the dialogue so that you hardly know when one stops and the other begins. Just a truly perfect musical in every way for me.
Lesson: This musical taught me HOW to write musicals.
4. 'A Chorus Line'
A few years later I went back to the Schubert Theater in LA and saw A Chorus Line. God help me, I’d never seen anything like it. This show knocked me out in a completely different way than A Little Night Music. A Chorus Line continued my education in musical theatre. Here was a show about an audition with people standing on stage talking about themselves and the only through line was they really hope they got it. And that was all they needed. That and Michael Bennett and Marvin Hamlish.
Unlike A Little Night Music, seeing a A Chorus Line, did not inspire me. It depressed me. My ego was convinced I would never come close to writing a show like this. (Sorta true, I never did, only I’m not actually depressed about it. Oh, if only I could talk to young me.) Every aspect of the production blew me completely away. Though the show is slightly dated now (very much a musical of its time), its impact on all of us will be felt forever. Definitely a life changing event for me.
Lesson: I suck, I can’t do this (but I would eventually recover).
5. 'Sweeney Todd'
On my first trip to New York I had the great fortune to see the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd. I actually feel very lucky to say that Sweeney Todd was my “first.” And I can truthfully say that I have never seen a better musical since. Maybe a few as good or nearly. But this show is a masterpiece. In every way. Hugh Wheeler’s book moves the story forward at such a smart pace, you hardly notice his work at all (and I mean that in a positive way. Like a great film score – you don’t notice it if it does its job right). Mr. Sondheim was clearly at the top of his game when he was writing for these deliciously wicked characters.
I am especially moved by the deep harmonic textures of the score highlighted by orchestrator Jonathan Tunick’s gut wrenching strings. Mr. Sondheim’s brilliance at writing strong melodies which he peppers with the perfect amount of harmonic dissonance is a composer’s instruction book. It feels like I will never stop learning from this man.
Lesson: Go further. Push myself. Musicals can be rich, complex, dark and funny. Never play down to your audience.
6. 'Les Miz'
When I saw the first touring production of John Caird and Trevor Nunn’s Les Miserables, I distinctly remember walking out of the theatre humming the stagecraft. I didn’t particularly care for the show itself (on first viewing), but I was enthralled by everything else.*
*Sidebar: I remember thinking to myself, “I want to work with these people one day”. A few years later I would be working with the director, the scenic designer and the costume designer and we would be nominated for 5 Tony awards for Jane Eyre. But I’ll save that for another time.
A this point in my life, I was a staff songwriter at Warner-Chappell Music and I had no connections to the theatre world. But one of the demo singers I worked with at the time was in the touring company of Les Miz and understudying Eponine. One night she called me and said she was going on – So I had to go back and see that show again that I didn’t particularly care for, aside from the dazzling stagecraft.
Experiencing the show a second time, I got it. The music -- that I thought sounded bland and monotonous the first time, on second listening, felt inspired. Though I will always be challenged by too much unnecessary resistive in the score, there is no denying the genius in the storytelling.
John and Trevor along with the rest of the creative team expertly adapted a classic novel for the stage in a way that made it resonate and sing. They knew which beats of the story to tell and which not to tell. Adapting a novel into a musical is no easy task. John and I would later adapt Jane Eyre and Daddy Long Legs together, and I tackled a few Jane Austen novels on my own. There is no doubt that Les Miz led the way for me.
Lesson: A tutorial on how to adapt a novel to the stage.
7. 'Light in the Piazza'
All I really wanna say about this one is: I love this show so much. It reminds me a bit of A Little Night Music though its tone is completely different. When the musical was broadcast on PBS from Lincoln Center several years ago, I must have watched it about 15 times before my DVR actually broke. Adam Guettell is the theatre’s current resident musical genius (though Jason Robert Brown’s Bridges and Last Five Years are also exquisite, and don’t get me started on David Yazbek and his brilliance).*
*Sidebar: I should have lost the Tony to David Yazbek instead of Mel Brooks. Sorry Mel.
Piazza, with its minimalistic sets, astounding score and romantic story reminds us that there is a place for sophisticated shows that break musical boundaries. We may not walk out of the theatre “humming” these songs on first listening, but with further investigation the listener will be delighted to discover the deep layers of harmonic brilliance in Adams music.
Lesson: You don’t need to leave the theatre “humming the songs” to make a masterpiece. Sometimes we are challenged by writers to see and hear things differently -- and we must evolve ourselves in order to appreciate their genius.
8. 'Bloody, Bloody, Andrew Jackson'
I really loved this show when it was at the Public a few years back. Directed by the brilliant Alex Timbers, Bloody broke new ground and paved the way for the likes of Hamilton and other shows. Spring Awakening was the first “period” show that used the device of “contemporary language” integrated in a 19th century play. In that show, characters spoke in the vernacular of the time but they “sang” in contemporary language. The result was powerful and stunning on stage in the original production. Bloody took things much further. While the characters were sort of dressed in the attire of the era –if everyone was in a punk rock or emo band – the language is completely contemporary and works brilliantly and hilariously. I don’t think this show gets the credit it deserves. It’s a true trailblazer. The musical inspired me to play with language, loosen the rules and basically – hate Andrew Jackson forever.
Lesson: Anything goes. Play with language. Play with sets and costumes and break every rule. Theatre is fun and wild and hit and miss. Don’t worry about it and try new things.
I’m always learning. I’m always listening. Sometimes we see a show and it’s not so great. And it doesn’t inspire us. But then that gives us the opportunity to learn, why it didn’t inspire us. And we learn from that too.
We all have opinions. Thanks for letting me share some of mine.
Cheers,
Paul
Learn more about Paul Gordon and his projects here: www.paulgordonmusic.com
[post_title] => 8 Musicals That Transformed The Way I Write Musicals
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[post_content] => If you listen to Broadway music, the following situation should sound familiar: a sudden explosion of sound and movement as you begin to yell and interpretive dance to your favorite song. Take this quiz to find out what Hamilton character you are based on what song part you sing in group numbers!
[post_title] => Which Hamilton Person are You Based on Your Song Preference?
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[post_content] => Based on the film of the same name, “Groundhog Day the Musical” opened on Broadway in April. This London transfer was nominated for seven Tony Awards this season and is one of the most talked-about new shows. Though it did not win at the Tonys, it did take home Olivier Awards for Best New Musical and Best Actor, for Andy Karl’s performance as Phil Connors.
Though this musical was a bit lost in the shuffle this season among fellow nominees “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Come From Away” and “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,” this is a brilliant musical and should not be missed.
Here’s what you can expect from “Groundhog Day the Musical:”
There Is a Groundhog
It sounds weird, but this person in a groundhog suit does actually show up at the perfect times and provides comedic relief when needed. And he can play the drums.
There Will Be Sun (and Repetition)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4UEipJBYdo If you know anything about the “Groundhog Day” film, you know it’s about a man who keeps reliving Groundhog Day over and over again. The premise worked well in the film, but you’re likely wondering how well it translates to the stage. Honestly, it works pretty well. In the musical, you not only see the same scenes with different variations over and over again, but you hear the same songs. In some cases, this can get annoying, but it’s handled really well. You hear the music repeated just enough to relive a previous scene, but you never feel bashed over the head with any one particular song or scene. Even if you’ve already seen some version of it, every scene feels fresh and new.Andy Karl Is a Fantastic Leading Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDUmy-nrBu0 As previously stated, Karl won an Olivier Award for this role. We’d also bet that if Ben Platt hadn’t been in the running for the Tony Awards this past season, Karl would have snagged that trophy as well. As soon as the show opened, unfortunately, the biggest headline about Karl’s performance was all about his knee injury. Though he had to miss a few performances, all of that news subsided, and all anyone can talk about now is his amazing performance. Karl is charming and hysterical as weatherman Phil Connors, and he definitely brings a lot of dimension to a character who can be easy to dislike. The show itself is great, but Karl’s performance is definitely the most memorable part of this new musical.There Are a Ton of Stunts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJiC9TxhLlU There’s a lot happening in this show, from the crazy ensemble numbers and the set constantly resetting itself, but the stunts in this musical must be noted. They are perhaps most present in the song “Hope,” one of Karl’s solos. There are no clips of this particular song, but feel free to take a listen.It Gets a Little Dark
The “Groundhog Day” movie is known for being a great comedy, and though the musical is definitely filled with tons of laughs, it also gets dark at times. The whole idea of mortality and one’s purpose is really pushed throughout the show. The musical does a better job at rounding out Phil Connors’ inner conflicts, so it’s no wonder the book was nominated for a Tony.
Tim Minchin Rocks It Again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hwE-dgis6Y If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Tim Minchin is the musical mastermind behind “Matilda.” Both shows are filled with relatable songs, great ensemble numbers and catchy tunes that will be stuck in your head long after you leave the theatre. The music is a combination of pop tunes and rock melodies, as well as funny numbers and more somber ones. Karl and Barrett Doss are given a great range to show off their skills. Overall, it’s a great score for a very upbeat musical. Have you seen “Groundhog Day” yet? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below... [post_title] => What To Expect From ‘Groundhog Day the Musical’ [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => what-expect-groundhog-day-musical [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-17 10:33:11 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-17 14:33:11 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9418 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [33] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9387 [post_author] => 810 [post_date] => 2017-07-15 19:02:41 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-15 23:02:41 [post_content] => I'm a huge dreamer when it comes to musicals. I have a lot of ideas that can totally work in my head, but practically, they probably would need a lot of work to get off the ground. They also might end up being huge flops. But a girl can dream, can't she? So, here are five books and movies that I think could totally be musicals someday. [post_title] => 5 Books and Movies That Should Totally Be Musicals [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 5-books-movies-totally-musicals [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-16 11:35:43 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-16 15:35:43 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9387 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [34] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9251 [post_author] => 809 [post_date] => 2017-07-15 16:12:57 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-07-15 20:12:57 [post_content] =>
Take this quiz to figure out if you know this beloved new musical as well as you think you do!
[post_title] => Hardest Dear Evan Hansen Lyrics Quiz Ever
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[post_content] => I would hope this is not a story that has been particularly overdone, but in case it is, I apologize.
My name is Reagan Drury, and I have spent the last 5 years of my life living in a town of about 900 people in rural Missouri. I know, I know, that sounds like a hick town, and all ingenues come from somewhere like Ohio or Iowa, right?
You will be right about that if I make it in the theatre world. Time will tell on that aspect. I have been doing theatre since I was in 4th grade, and I immediately fell in love with it. I have now graduated high school and am attending a private college in Minneapolis in the fall to study theatre.
But I'm not here to talk about me necessarily. I am here to be relatable to all the kids that want to do theatre but their school is too small, or sports overtake everything. Because, believe me, I've been there.
So, I'm going to tell you about how I got through it, and how you can too.
1. When Sports Are Everything
My school is a really big football school, and perhaps an even bigger basketball school. Not necessarily in size, but in focus. Our administration doesn't put much effort into our arts programs... and this means that they fall by the wayside depending on when games are and whether the arts programs would take athletes away from their duties as part of the team. I know you're probably thinking, what about their commitment to the arts? We need them too, don't we? Yes, but because we're not competing, it must not matter. At least, not in the eyes of the authority figures at my school. How I Got Through It: I threw myself into the arts programs. I gave them all I had. I tried my best to be passionate about them and show the teachers that give up their time and resources that I cared about their effort. And I took every opportunity that came my way. When they're few and far between, what else are you gonna do?2. There Are Never Any Shows
I've done 4 shows in the 5 years I've been at this school. And I know, a show a year isn't bad. But we don't run for a week. We run for a weekend. And the shows have to be chosen very carefully simply because not only is there a lack of interest from the male population at our school, there is a lack of interest in general. Our shows generally have to be small and only include 1 or 2 males. And musicals run few and far between. If we can't get them to act, singing and dancing are also probably off the table. How I Got Through It: Again, taking every opportunity. Was I disappointed at the lack of shows? Yes. Did I let it discourage me from giving my all in the few shows I had the privilege to do? No. I worked my way up to the lead in my senior show, in which I also assistant directed and choreographed. That's what never giving up can get you. Even if no one could care less, you do. So, let your effort reflect how you feel about your passion.3. Administration Support
As I stated before, when you don't have the support from faculty, the arts suffer as a result. When the principal has never been to a show, but goes to every game there is, you're bound to get a little discouraged. Now, I don't want to be entirely negative. My superintendent was incredibly supportive of the arts and did everything in his power to keep up our motivation. And I know he will continue to do that in the coming years. How I Got Through It: I focused on the people who did give their support. The people that encouraged and came to every show and concert. I let those people motivate me. And I reminded myself that there would be like minded people that enjoy theatre when I get out of such a small town. And you have to remember that no matter how fish out of water you feel, there will be people who get you. I hope this gave you a little bit of insight into what theatre kids in small towns have to endure. And I hope if you are one of those theatre kids, you realize that it won't like that forever. I promise. [post_title] => What It's Like To Do Theatre In A Rural Community [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => like-theatre-rural-community [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2017-07-16 11:36:14 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-07-16 15:36:14 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=9367 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 3 [filter] => raw ) ) [post_count] => 36 [current_post] => -1 [before_loop] => 1 [in_the_loop] => [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10686 [post_author] => 68 [post_date] => 2017-08-12 18:24:36 [post_date_gmt] => 2017-08-12 22:24:36 [post_content] => If you do these things... Broadway is LIFE! Community list so add your submission! [post_title] => Top 10+ Signs That Broadway Is Your Life [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => top-10-signs-broadway-life [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2018-03-16 09:21:45 [post_modified_gmt] => 2018-03-16 13:21:45 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://theatrenerds.com/?p=10686 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [comment_count] => 0 [current_comment] => -1 [found_posts] => 733 [max_num_pages] => 21 [max_num_comment_pages] => 0 [is_single] => [is_preview] => [is_page] => [is_archive] => 1 [is_date] => [is_year] => [is_month] => [is_day] => [is_time] => [is_author] => [is_category] => [is_tag] => [is_tax] => 1 [is_search] => [is_feed] => [is_comment_feed] => [is_trackback] => [is_home] => [is_privacy_policy] => [is_404] => [is_embed] => [is_paged] => 1 [is_admin] => [is_attachment] => [is_singular] => [is_robots] => [is_favicon] => [is_posts_page] => [is_post_type_archive] => [query_vars_hash:WP_Query:private] => bd1566e8a3ce7a672a6fbcfcfff4b77d [query_vars_changed:WP_Query:private] => 1 [thumbnails_cached] => [allow_query_attachment_by_filename:protected] => [stopwords:WP_Query:private] => [compat_fields:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => query_vars_hash [1] => query_vars_changed ) [compat_methods:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => init_query_flags [1] => parse_tax_query ) [query_cache_key:WP_Query:private] => wp_query:5bcc12ea59e7d74a4597296c31ce2c3c:0.89025100 17771595370.27528700 1777159538 )Latest stories
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