By Sami DeSocio Quick! Think of an actor, any actor! What’s the first thing you notice? If you’re anything like me, it’s the fact that their skin is so clear! Even without the make up (and yes, this goes for guys too), actors need to keep their skin clear at
By Shannon No matter what type of show they’re putting on, actors use movement in it. Blocking can be as simple as crossing from stage left to down center, or it can be as complicated as a Viennese Waltz across the stage. Actors who do not have dance training can
Yearly BC/EFA Flea Market prep By Sami DeSocio Every year, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS gathers all of the Broadway and Off-Broadway shows together and invites them to clean out their basements, wardrobes and come together for the Broadway Flea Market. For some, it’s a great day, and then there are
When You’ve Outgrown Your Teacher By Sami DeSocio The bond between an acting, vocal or dance teacher and their student is a sacred bond. As an artist, you are putting your trust and livelihood in the hands of someone you believe knows more than you do and can show you
By Sami DeSocio As actors, we hear time and time again that onstage we need to “be in the moment”. What does that actually mean, and why is it so important? Your job is to embody your character’s mind, body and soul. You must take on the life and persona
Adapting Disney for Broadway By Sami DeSocio It all started with Beauty and the Beast. Disney has been one of the top entertainment companies in the world, between movies, a television channel, and of course their theme parks. But there was something missing – live entertainment in the greatest city
By Jenna Bawer As it’s name implies, Camp Broadway’s specialty is theater education programs, which offer aspiring artists learning experiences at professional levels. One of their recent camp programs was “The Next Step,” a one-week program that “weaves traditional musical theater training into an immersive theatrical environment” and teaches teenagers
By Sami DeSocio One of my favorite parts of being in a show is the day the cast gets to see each other in costume for the first time. Now, unless the show you’re in calls for you to wear things that resemble normal clothes, we’ve all had our weird
In the midst of story-high skyscrapers, Bryant Park is one of several beautiful parks and a scenic landmark in New York City, featuring games, a reading room, a place to learn arts and crafts, a carousel, and lush gardens surrounding it all. My favorite thing the park has to offer
By Eric Gelb SMASH – was a SMASH, if you can remember. SMASH, conceived by Theresa Rebeck, followed the trials and tribulations of the Broadway community. Within the four walls Rebeck constructed for the show to live within, there was HIT LIST, the Off-Broadway smash. There was HEAVEN ON EARTH,
My Time at Camp Broadway By Sami DeSocio My name is Sami. If you’ve been here for a while, you’ve probably read my pieces and we may have even spoken through comments on what I’ve written. I love writing for Camp Broadway, and have made some wonderful friends and connections
By Jenna Bawer When I first learned that the play Grounded, starring Anne Hathaway (whom I recognized from the Les Miserables movie) was about war, I was reluctant. I associated media regarding war with propaganda designed to have the audience sympathize with one side and demonize the other. When I saw the
By Hailie Gold Stage animals are one of the coolest things actors can work with in their careers. Animals are usually fun, but present interesting challenges. One of their best attributes is that animal actors almost always help to bring a cast together. When I was in a local production of Annie a
By Jenna Bawer The Tony Awards Season- the time of year when theater is hotter than ever in the public eye. As Summer approaches people come in from all over the world- some never having seen a Broadway production before -and they search for the most heavily nominated
Tap Dancing on Stage By Emma Filosa Many have seen the astonishing performance given by the cast of Something Rotten at this years Tony Awards. The show itself has audiences roaring with laughter as actors on stage poke fun at every show you could possibly think of, but the one
Lesser Known Shows By Sami DeSocio There are over 30 Broadway theaters in New York City right now. Some of those buildings date back to the turn of the century early 1900s and have changed names several times before becoming the Broadway houses we know them as now. Furthermore, there
By Isaac Grivett Three times now, I have had the pleasure of seeing Deaf West’s production of Spring Awakening. Beyond it a simply being a fantastic show, they added the element of having Deaf actors signing ASL alongside hearing actors singing and speaking. This makes for an amazing show for
By Emma Filosa Character greetings, lavish dinners, exotic destinations, and extravagant Broadway style shows- these are just a few of the many things that Disney Cruise Line has to offer! A few weeks ago I boarded the beautiful Disney Fantasy Cruise ship. The ship is fully equipped with cast members
By Sami DeSocio As performers, we all have dreams, wishes, and a bucket list of people we’d like to perform in front of before we die. I was fortunate enough to not only cross one off of my list, but also to learn something in the process when I took
By Harley Ann Kulp The Tony’s are coming! The Tony’s are coming! The theater community’s biggest night of the year is in two days. Yes, on Sunday, June 7th, 2015, the 69th Annual Tony Awards will air on CBS at 8/7c. And just like the Oscars, the Tony’s are getting
By Hailie Gold There are a lot of do’s and don’ts when it comes to the vocal chords (also known as the vocal folds or vocal reeds). For example, you should try to avoid lots of dairy, especially milk, when you’re getting ready to do a lot of singing or
By Sami DeSocio When you’re given a part, one of the first things an actor will do is break the character down. This will help them to portray the character realistically onstage. However, if you’re a theater nut there are times you’ll deconstruct a character for nothing more than fun!
By Hailie Gold Stephen Sondheim is one of, if not the most, musically adventurous composer in musical theater history. He got his start mentoring under Oscar Hammerstein III, but his career really kicked off when he wrote the spontaneous lyrics for the golden age musical, West Side Story, as well
By Shannon In recent years, Broadway Producers have looked to stronger strategies to bring shows to Broadway – a formula that is safer than bringing a musical to Broadway cold. With a big, Broadway name, a show may fare better or have a longer period to warm itself to the
By Sami DeSocio Being an actor is hard. It’s a lot of work, both emotionally and physically on a day to day basis – whether you’re in a show or not. Having a ‘toolbox’ of tips, tricks, and other things that can make any actor’s life easier. First and foremost,
By Jenna Some Broadway musicals are about characters than never existed in reality, and the cast members who create them onstage are working with a blank slate. It’s up to the actors to express to the audience how their characters act, how they talk and sing, and how they move.
By Emma Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a special viewing of James Lecesne’s one man show The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey. When I think of one man shows, I don’t think of a thought-provoking, moving piece of theatre at all. However, in just one hour and
By Hallie Black Box theaters are simply another form of presenting theatre for audiences. But what exactly is a Black Box? A Black Box theatre (which can also be a Theatre in the Round) is typically a large, flat, black working space, with seating on all four walls of the room.
By Isaac We all know and love the shows that end up on Broadway, West End, and in touring cities. They are the most publicized and typically thought of as the best that theatre has to offer. Because of this, many forget about some of the amazing performances and performers
By Sami DeSocio Not every show is a success. It’s true, more shows close after opening than those that make it to become the next Phantom of the Opera. But what makes those shows that do survive so incredibly special? First and foremost, I believe it starts with the music.