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5 Shows of Broadway’s New Season

by Maison Kelly

New shows on Broadway are always incredibly exciting! We all feel the elation of an amazing up-coming season, full of shows of great depth, talent, and vibrant! Prepare to be elated, because this Broadway season is making itself out to be spectacular! Here are five of Broadway’s new season, and best of luck deciding which shows to see first!

New Musicals:

On The Town

On The Town is an energetic musical revival that completely encapsulates the classic musical comedy! It is set in 1934 and follows three sailors on a musical tour of New York City. They have 24 hours to stay on shore, and in that time, they are determined to find the ‘girls of their dreams!’ Typical musical theatre, right? That’s what is so fun about it! This show boasts a 30 person cast, and completely new and vibrant choreography! Fun for all ages.

Fun Fact: This musical introduced the famous song, ‘New York, New York’!

The Last Ship

The Last Ship is a musical that is quite the departure from the rest of the jubilant shows on Broadway. This musical is set in an English seafaring town, and follows the story of one of the many hard-working men that construct the ships. Gideon Fletcher decides to go out and pursue other endeavors, but comes back home to find that the shipyard he once worked at is in grave danger. Not to mention, his childhood love is set to marry someone else! This musical revisits the classic and substantial themes of family, tradition, and perseverance that Broadway so desperately needs in order to take a break from manufactured fluff.

Fun Fact: This musical score is composed by Sting!

New Plays:

You Can’t Take It With You

You Can’t Take it With You is another wonderful play being revived this year, and it hasn’t been on Broadway for 27 years! This farce follows the, um, eccentric Sycamore family, and what chaos ensues when their daughter attempts to introduce her fiancé to them!

Fun Fact: Annaleigh Ashford stars in this play, and she originated the role of Lauren in the glorious masterpiece of Kinky Boots!

This is Our Youth

This is Our Youth follows three twenty-somethings as they try to find their way in 1982 New York, where their dysfunctional pasts reflect in all of their relationships. This comedy poignantly shows how competent young people can be, while still documenting the struggles of growing up.

Fun Fact: Michael Cera makes his Broadway debut in this play, and (supposedly) succeeds wildly!

The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Nighttime

This touchingly beautiful play is an adaptation of Mark Haddon’s best-selling book, following a brilliant boy who falls on the Autistic spectrum as he discovers the power of his own mind. This book is said to be one of the most brilliant and powerful books of all time, and the play delivers immensely. Definitely a must-see, and a standout in the world of star-studded, entertainment-only, no value shows!

Fun Fact: The lead, Alex Sharpe, came from nothing and got a full-ride scholarship to Juilliard!

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We think this is going to be an amazing year for Broadway! Have you caught any of these new shows recently? Tell us what you thought of them in comments!

What are Iconic Pieces in Theatre?

In theatre, we use scenery and costumes to help tell our story. Backdrops can tell us where we are in the story. Lighting tells us the mood of the story or maybe what time of day. Costuming tells us the time period and maybe a little more about what the person wearing it is supposed to be. There are many costume shops in New York or Los Angeles which boast rows and rows of bolts of fabrics, beads to fill an entire room and needles by the hundreds. Or the huge, warehouse like scenery shops in New Jersey where things are painted and constructed for theatrical purposes. But what about those iconic pieces of theatre? Don’t they get any credit?  They sure do. Not only are costuming and backdrops important, props can be just as iconic pieces in theatre, from the banner in Les Miserables to the helicopter in Miss Saigon.

It’s always been my opinion that one of the most undersold parts of live theatre is when there’s a little bit of magic involved. Just think of Paul Kieve, whose specialty is special effects for the stage. Kieve recently created magic for Matilda, Pippin and Ghost on Broadway. Paul’s job requires him to work closely with the rest of the production and creative team to create a seamless but magical effect on the stage, oftentimes the iconic moments.

Consider Miss Saigon – Although the inspiring show boasts a beautiful score and several touching moments, the pivotal scene of the musical is during Kim’s nightmare, when a full-scale helicopter enters the stage. This sort of effect costs thousands (if not millions to create), and often employs a source outside of the production to pull off.

Or in a show like Little Shop of Horrors, you’ve got to manage 3 (or 4) huge puppets to create the illusion of a giant, venus fly-trap like plant growing inside a flower shop. These puppets are often costly and heavy. Like the Enchanted Rose or the Helicopter, these are expensive parts of mounting the show that are necessary and cannot be skipped.

Another great example could be Cinderella’s magical transformation from Ella’s rags to her beautiful ballgown, made by William Ivey Long. This is a prime example, as every single person attending the show is expecting the transformation and looking forward to it. Although it may be expensive and difficult to pull off, it’s unavoidable because it’s iconic! It’s always been my opinion that live theatre is live because everything that happens in front of you is immediate, so when magic or little illusions occur, it’s especially exciting.

Sometimes iconic pieces aren’t so expensive, like the banner in Les Miserables. While it might not have been super expensive, it’s a staple of the show and something that audiences expect to see at the show! The next time that you attend a production that employs an iconic piece, feel free to applaud once the effect occurs. Incorporating those small but pivotal moments into live theatre is expensive, difficult but always very magical.

Work Songs – Helping You Get the Job Done!

As someone who walks around a lot, I find that I always need to have a good playlist of songs with a good rhythm to walk to. I have discovered that, unsurprisingly, songs about work, or songs that are sung while the characters on stage are working, always set a great rhythm for walking, or doing anything else that requires that sort of pace.

One of my favorite things to do with showtunes is assemble compilations of songs on various topics, and work songs are definitely something worth discussing. What I find fascinating is that letting characters sing while working, or sing about their work, brings music to something that is usually quite trivial, and possibly even boring.

It’s not surprising when a character sings about love, sadness, or some huge dilemma they’re having: traditionally, musical numbers in musicals serve the purpose of soliloquies, allowing moments of insight into the characters’ minds and thus providing a space for the characters to express their thoughts and feelings.

Singing about something as simple as their job, however, allows for an entirely different function of musical numbers. While it’s always true that a song number can be used for heightened emotions and drama, songs about work prove that the opposite is possible as well — songs dramatize the everyday aspects of the characters’ lives, and bring musicality and a brand new rhythm to the traditionally mundane sides of life.

I’m sure that just reading a discussion on work songs, you have already come up with some examples for yourself. Now that I’ve outlined why I find those songs so interesting, I present to you, my personal top 10 work songs… Which also make a great playlist for walking places, doing chores, or turning any other mundane task into an epic musical number.

1. “The Pajama Game/Racing With the Clock” (The Pajama Game)
Talk about setting a good rhythm to work! Most of The Pajama Game is set in a factory, which in and of itself is a cool exploration of the workplace as a place where music can, and does happen. This song, however, really sets you to work. All of the “hurry up!”s set the song’s pace, and you find yourself racing with the clock yourself as you listen to it.

2. “Look Down/Prologue” (Les Misérables)
Okay… I didn’t say all of those songs would be happy. Given, of course, the context of the show, “Look Down” from Les Mis really brings dull, repetitive, hard work to the extreme. While it’s practically impossible to relate directly to that song, it’s still a great example for a work song. And — speaking from experience — huffing “look down, look down, don’t look ’em in the eye” to yourself during your 8am walk to school on a Monday is, actually, quite appropriate. I feel you, Valjean. I do.

3. “In The Heights” (In The Heights)
The title song from In The Heights is a great way to depict not only the process of working, but also how the characters get there: in the early morning, Usnavi’s song is slower and it only picks up its pace as he starts making coffee and people start coming in, leading to sales bit in the song. The “$1, $2, 1.50, 1.69–” portion of the song is a perfect example of the character’s work rhythm and the way he starts his fast-paced day as he takes on his stop-and-shop work routine.

4. “Stars Look Down” (Billy Elliot)
This is probably one of my favorite showtunes of all time. While it’s not exactly a work song, the characters are united by sharing the same job, which is one of the central points of the musical as a whole. “Stars Look Down” deals with solidarity and unity, which are vital to the work force in the musical, and when those harmonies kick in, it’s impossible not to connect to the mine workers and metaphorically march with them.

5. “Coffee Break” (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying)
Now that we’ve reached the middle of this top 10, it’s time for a coffee break. Of course, coffee breaks are a vital part of the work day in any job, and “Coffee Break” from H2$ is a great example of a song that depicts that part of every working person’s day. Even if it is slightly melodramatic, there’s something about the lyrics “if I can’t take my coffee break, something within me dies” which is just… true. Take a coffee break now!

6. “Everybody Say Yeah” (Kinky Boots)
Now, there’s a song about people who really love what they’re doing. While the song literally describes the process of creating shoes, it’s also a celebration of the workers’ passion for their job, and as such, has a fantastic rhythm which inevitably gets you motivated and give your own work, and your mood, a great boost. Even though, I mean — they all do realize they’re talking about shoes, right? 

7. “The Speed Test” (Thoroughly Modern Millie)
This has the perfect rhythm for everyday work. It’s tap portion of the song is meant to sound like typewriter keys is perfect if you need to be typing things. But be careful, you may find yourself typing to the tap rhythm, thereby getting it in your head for the rest of the afternoon!

8. “Franklin Shepard Inc.” (Merrily We Roll Along)
One of my personal favorite things about Stephen Sondheim’s writing is the unique way in which he handles rhythms, making the lyrics and melody of the song work in perfect tandem, as equal, complimentary components of the song. In “Franklin Shepard Inc”, the character’s words and onomatopoetic sounds get mixed with the melody to produce a hectic depiction of his working lifestyle and the process of his work.

9. “Sounds While Selling/Thank You Madam” (She Loves Me)
Similarly to “In The Heights”, this song from She Loves Me describes the process of selling products and communicating with various customers. The overlapping voices of the salespeople serve to depict the hectic nature of their job at the perfumery, while everyone’s “Thank you, please come again” unites them and shows what all of their work is about: good customer service, and making sure that everything at the shop runs smoothly.

10. “Little Priest” (Sweeney Todd)
…what? It is, practically, a work song. They’re cooking! Making pies! Not all jobs are dull office jobs, am I right? On a more serious note, just like “Franklin Shepard Inc.”, “Little Priest” is a great example of Sondheim’s fantastic way of dealing with rhythms, and setting pace in an unique way, which both underscores and highlights the characters’ work.

Honorary Mention: “9 to 5” (9 to 5)
In all honesty, not one of my absolute favorites. It seemed ridiculous, however, to write a whole article on work songs, and not include a song about office jobs, and working 9-to-5. So, there’s that as well. What a way to make a living. 

How Very: The Story of Heathers: The Musical

By Brenna Corporal

Croquet mallets. Scrunchies. Shoulder pads. All these things, plus more, can be found in Heathers The Musical. This off-Broadway show is based on the 1988 cult classic film of the same name. The musical has been long-coming: there was a reading in 2010 with Kristen Bell as Veronica Sawyer; then a concert version at Joe’s Pub with Annaleigh Ashford as Veronica and Jeremy Jordan as J.D.

In September 2013 it ran for several weekends at Los Angeles’s Hudson Backstage Theatre with Barrett Wilbert Weed as Veronica, Ryan McCartan as J.D., and Elle McLemore as Heather McNamara, who all reprised their roles in the 2014 off-Broadway production at New World Stages, adding Jessica Keenan Wynn as Heather Chandler, Alice Lee as Heather Duke, and Katie Ladner as Martha Dunnstock, all of whom can be heard on the cast album.

But what is Heathers even about?? Long story short, it’s about high school and cliques and the “popular kids,” fitting in, feeling accepted, and being true to yourself. Oh, and committing murder. You know, the usual. But I won’t spoil the whole thing for you, although I will map out some of the characters*:

Veronica Sawyer: Your everyday, run of the mill high school girl just trying to get through her senior year. Like anyone, she longs to be accepted. But how far is she willing to go?

Signature color: blue.

Best song: “Dead Girl Walking”

Heather Chandler: The almighty.  The queen of the school and leader of the Heathers.

Signature color: red.

Best song: “Candy Store”

Heather McNamara: Head cheerleader. Her dad is loooaded- he sells engagement rings.

Signature color: yellow.

Best song: “Lifeboat”

Heather Duke: Runs the yearbook. No discernible personality.

Signature color: green.

Best song: “Shine a Light- reprise”

Martha Dunnstock: Veronica’s best friend since diapers. Loves “The Princess Bride.”

Signature color: pink.

Best song: “Kindergarten Boyfriend”

Jason Dean (J.D.): Veronica’s love interest and an anarchist of sorts. Enjoys Slurpees.

Signature color: black.

Best song: “Meant to Be Yours”

Sound intriguing? I thought so. Now where can you see this musical? Well, at the moment, you can’t. It closed back in August to much dismay. But never fear! There are plans to bring the show to Broadway AND to have a film adaptation made, both in 2016, hopefully. So never fret! But you can purchase the cast album if you want a sampling of the score. So be on the lookout for Heathers: The Musical, and while you’re at it, grab some corn nuts and a Slurpee and ask yourself: what’s your damage?

*Several descriptions are taken as direct quotes from the lyrics of the cast album

Fast and Fabulous Theatre Halloween Costumes

We’ve all seen the How to Be a Newsie for Halloween video put out by the wonderful Broadway cast of Newsies two years ago. They had some great ideas for cheap, easy costumes that were still amazing! I’ve come up with several more theatre Halloween costumes from different Broadway shows that will make your fellow theater-kids jealous.

1. Katherine Plumber from Newsies

Grab your camera and your pen! To become everyones’ favorite reporter, you only need a few simple things. Pull out your favorite long sleeve button up and tuck it into a maxi skirt. To top it off, throw on a vest and tie to really pull it all together. For shoes, combat boots are a comfortable choice and are also super cute! And there you have it. Become a sassy, independent women just by searching through your closet!

2. Fiyero from Wicked

Are you “Dancing Through Life”? Then you might want to consider dressing up as Shiz Universitys’ hottest bachelor, Fiyero! All you have to do is pull on your favorite khaki pants (the tighter, the better) and throw on a white t-shirt. Over that you could tug on a maroon vest and some brown leather boots and you’re good to go! If you’re going trick-or-treating, trade in your glow-in-the-dark pumpkin bucket for a satchel of some sort and you’ll be looking swagified.

3. Matilda from Matilda

This costume is super easy! If you have a gray blazer and skirt, then you’re good to go. If you don’t have those, try to get a blazer and skirt than match-perhaps black or navy. Underneath the blazer some form of button up would work, preferably white. For shoes, a pair of oxfords would look absolutely adorable! However, the most important part of this costume is the hair. If you can, you should crimp your hair then tease it until it’s larger than Hermione Grangers’ hair! Really the most important element of the hair is the volume and frizz. Get it high and crazy! Happy reading!

4. Pippin from Pippin

This is probably the most simple out of all these easy costumes! Black pants tucked into black combat boots should cover you from the waist down. The shirt should be a light gray or blue wide-neck sweater. There you have it! That’s all you really need to become Pippin. This is a really splendid last minute costume that you can get together in a snap. It’s also quite comfortable, yet will keep you warm on a chilly October night.

5. Elle Woods from Legally Blonde: the Musical

Pink! Pink! Nothing but pink! That’s all you really need to know about dressing like Elle Woods for Halloween. (And whatever you do, do not put on orange. Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed!) A pink dress of any kind immediately screams Elle. Whether it’s short and sparkly or a bit longer and light, whatever kind of pink you have will work for this costume. Heels would be ideal for the costume, however if you’ll be doing a lot of standing or walking, I recommend a nice pair of flats with some sort of sparkle on them. Curl your locks and there you go! Maybe walk your pet Chihuahua while trick-or-treating.

These costumes are super easy, cheap, and absolutely adorable! You’ll be talk of your drama department Halloween party if you step in dressed in one of these fantastic characters attire. Have fun, be safe, and enjoy your treats!

Only a Day Away – Annie National Tour Review

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The sun’ll come out tomorrow! At least – that’s what the producers of the latest revival of Annie told themselves. Closing at a financial loss after a mostly unsuccessful at the Palace Theatre. Lilla Crawford received mostly positive reviews for her earnest but gritty “Annie”, donned a thick “New Yawk” accent, complemented by sweeping sets and a sparkling lighting design, while weighed down by misguided direction (most specifically in the ensemble numbers), while the production itself received mostly mixed-to-negative reviews overall. The production closed after only fourteen months.

But just like the character Annie who gets another chance at growing up (this time with a real parent, Daddy Warbucks), Annie gets a new chance to win over this generation. The Annie national tour opened this September at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit. I won’t waste any time – let’s go!

Issie Swickle stars as the show’s title role.  While charming, witty and completely lovable, Issie never quite finds her belting power in “Tomorrow” and comes of as a little too young for the role, but fills it wonderfully nevertheless. Her “Maybe” exudes longing and desire, and her dancing skills are well used. The rest of the orphans have energy and excitement oozing out of them, commanding the stage so well you almost want them to get another number.

Lynn Andrews as Miss Hannigan is quite the toss-up. Her “Little Girls” while vocally (technique-wise) is completely on point, feels bare, despite that this is her second crack at Aggie. Gilgamesh Taggett is Daddy Warbucks, and serves a polished, solid performance. Taggett’s “Something Was Missing”, normally a snooze-fest in other productions, is filled with heart. Equally as lovely, the standout is Ashley Edler as Grace Farrell. This production has been tailored to provide new comedic spots to shine, and Edler uses them up and is a true breath of fresh air. Lucy Werner’s Lily is a comedic joy, but Garrett Deagon’s Rooster is comparable to Ashley Edler’s Grace — Deagon has found what he wants to do with Rooster and completely executes it.

The set, for the most part, fills the stage. As most Non-Eq shows have mostly drops and flats, this production is no exception but has a few exceptions (the orphanage and the mansion come to mind immediately). The new choreography may be the biggest disappointment, with most of the ensemble numbers being “stand in one spot”, rather than utilizing the entire stage’s width and depth. And I can’t forget the dogs – the animals are just spectacular. The show’s pacing is tight. The length of the show seems just right.

In the latest revival, I felt the show ran a little long. While they didn’t cut anything in this new production the way in which it was presented made the time go by much faster, providing a much more enjoyable show overall. But it wasn’t perfect – the show could use a few more members in the ensemble and maybe a few more wigs. And, while the costumes weren’t exceptionally memorable (nor were the wigs), the production wasn’t weighed down by this. Charnin’s direction is actually funny – the jokes, staging and emotional direction he guided the kids to flows together smoothly.

The charm that made the original production’s iconic “Tomorrow” is restored in full-color in this production. “Annie” is not the be missed! To see where the national tour will be coming, you can visit anniethemusical.com for city and ticket information.

The Importance of Headshots

By Sami DeSocio

All actors have certain tools to make them successful. Whether it be certain acting techniques, your audition book or something else, the actor has many tools. However, those tools mean absolutely nothing without a great head shot to sell you!

Why is a head shot so important? First off, it tells the casting director, director, producer and anyone else looking at it what kind of personality you have before they even meet you! There’s so much they can learn about you from just a picture. For instance and to state the obvious: what you look like. If they are looking for a certain type, but you don’t quite match it, they might look at your headshot and either change their minds, or they’ll be able to know they can work with you in some way to make you look like what they’re looking for if they cast you.

But what should a head shot look like, and what shouldn’t you do? First off, you want to wear something that shows off you. Natural make up and comfortable, clean (non logoed) shirt, nice jeans, and nice shoes. However, don’t wear a white shirt, it will completely wash you out!

And ladies, can we talk about make up? I know I said natural, but what I really mean is just that-natural. A casting director won’t cast you if you have so much make up on your face in your headshot and then come in looking like you.  If they can’t tell its you in the picture, they won’t take a second look at you.

And keep jewelry to a minimum. Stud earrings are okay, but not big hoops or anything that would detract from the main reason for the picture-you.

When it comes to backgrounds, keep it simple. An outdoor scene will distract. A blank background (not white-I can’t stress that enough!) like grey will help the casting director focus in on you, and not whats in the background.

For theatre, the layout is landscape (side to side), with a close up of your face. And your headshot should be in color (sorry, the black and white trend is out again!)

And finally, have your shots re-touched and printed professionally. This is not something to take to CVS and hope for the best when it comes to the quality.

As for how much time should pass between shots-the standard is six months to a year. But, decide on a hairstyle. Ladies, don’t go shoulder length in your shot and show up in a pixie cut! Pick a hairstyle you like, get your shots done and then keep that style until you get your new shots.

With a good headshot in your toolbox, the rest becomes easier.

What are some good headshot tips you’ve heard?

Top Ten Musical Group Numbers

 

Nothing is better than a group number! Whether it’s a stellar opening, and heart-racing eleven o’clock number, or an intense closing, a group number is everybody’s favorite. These are our top ten group numbers from Broadway.

10. “Circle of Life” from Lion King

This number is absolutely breathtaking! While you won’t be able to understand at least 50% of it (unless you speak Swahili!), it still speaks to you. The excitement of seeing one of the best Broadway shows and the birth of Prince Simba gets your heart pumping and ready for the show!

9. “Everybody Say Yeah” from Kinky Boots

Who doesn’t love Kinky Boots? It’s an uplifting show about breaking through barriers and becoming a more accepting person. A huge group number involving fabulous boots, incredible riffs, and treadmills definitely takes the cake! “Everybody Say Yeah” is a song about celebrating and overcoming the impossible. Also, Billy Porter, 2013 Tony Award winner for Best Actor in a musical, is in it-which is a major plus!

8. “Thank Goodness” from Wicked

Wicked is an emotional show filled with fun and fantastic songs! “Thank Goodness” is the group number that really captures attention! It opens the second act and catching the audience up with the years that flew by during the fifteen-minute intermission. Galinda (the GA is silent) has such raw emotion that really shows how she truly feels about the whole “Wicked Witch of the West” situation, despite the fact that she’s trying to keep a happy face in front of her adoring public. It’s definitely one way to create tears at the beginning of act two, not something usually done!

7. “Pandemonium” from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Adults acting like children? YES PLEASE! The fact that we see a bunch of adorable cuties pretending to be younger cuties really makes this number spectacular. (I mean Jesse Tyler Ferguson in a cape…how could you not love it?) Something else that makes this number sparkle is that it communicates real child frustration…just using adult words (yes, that means swears!). The title of the song describes the choreography and blocking perfectly. It’s total chaos! Children running around the stage, belting about their prepubescent problems, and breaking the peace of the competition to show inner and outer conflict really get the point across!

6. “Legally Blonde (Reprise)” from Legally Blonde: the Musical

Anything from Legally Blonde: the Musical is automatically great, so picking the best group number from the show was a toughie. It was a tough decision between “Gay or European” but you just can’t ignore the wonderful inspiring words sung by Vivian in the reprise of Legally Blonde! Also, there’s a whole parade in this number, and who doesn’t love parades? But it’s really the fact that an enemy at the beginning of the show turns into a great friend by helping out Elle regain her much needed confidence.

5. “Two by Two” from Book of Mormon

We all love the complete dork characters in Book of Mormon! Seriously, they are so adorable. But what we love more is their cheesy, over-excited, very silly dance moves as they discover what country they’ll travel to on their mission trips! The high fives and massive smiles make us want to smile for them, but we can’t stop laughing when they really throw themselves into those ridiculous dance moves! There is really nothing like that kind of choreography.

4. “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from Hairspray

            In 2003, Hairspray opened on Broadway and created uproar in the Broadway community-and for a good reason, too! Bright colors, fun music, and incredible dancing were exactly what was needed on the stage at that time. When people think of a stereotypical Broadway musical, Hairspray is usually the first show to pop up! Specifically, the show-stopping ending number “You Can’t Stop the Beat”. It’s the finale that really ties up all loose ends. Every character gets what they deserve, whether their dreams come true or come crashing down around them. Bonus, it all happens in a super fun dance number!

3. “King of New York” from Newsies

Tap dancing is impressive all by itself, but when you mix it with twenty insanely gorgeous boys (and one spectacular girl), the number is a winner! That’s exactly what happens in “King of New York”. Opening the second act, it puts hope back into the young boys of the 1899 Newsboys Strike (an actual event that happened!). They dream of the day when they get free things because their mug was slapped on the front page of The New York Sun-above the fold! Of course, this is also a victory for Miss Katherine Plumber, the reporter trying to slide out of the entertainment section and into news and facts. The energy in this number is incredible and leaves the audience pumped for the rest of the show.

2. “One Day More” from Les Miserables

There is always that one number in a show that leaves you absolutely thrilled and filled with chills-“One Day More” is that number in the legendary Les Miserables. If you haven’t yet, check out the 2014 Tony Award performance of this song because it’s simply spectacular! It bleeds hope (pun intended) and determination. They’re marching into war to fight for their independence against the French monarchy (more specifically, Javert!) The strength they have is heard in the strong vocals and layers as they prepare to fight for their rights and lives. It’s an absolutely beautiful piece and really fun to perform!

1. “La Vie Boheme” from RENT

Let’s be honest, did you expect anything different? RENT is regarded as one of the best of the newer (and edgier) musicals that have been emerging. This song is about rebelling and not being afraid to shout what you really love to the rooftops. There is so much truth and raw honesty about the lifestyles of the people. For example, “hating dear old mom and dad” is something every young adult feels at one point or another, as well as “being an us for once, instead of a ‘them!’” This quote is about feeling like outsiders until you finally realize who you’re friends are and you’re not an outsider anymore, but one collective group. I feel like it’s a song that really helps young people realize that what they feel, think, and like is all-natural and it’s okay to like those things. Being different isn’t being different, it’s being normal.

These songs are all utterly wonderful and there are so many other numbers out there that make hearts sing with joy! Which are your favorites? Comment, tweet, share, your opinion with us, we’d love to hear.

Also, learn more about our musical programs here at Camp Broadway!

Off to the Ball: Cinderella on Broadway

Hailed as “Crackling with sweetness and freshness” and “Brightly colored, high spirited and well-sung”, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella has arrived on Broadway 56 years after Julie Andrews enchanted audiences in the original TV musical. With dazzling dance sequences, ridiculously fun wigs and a wide appeal from it’s witty but profound new book by Douglas Carter Beane, Cinderella is everything (and more) that you’d expect.

If “Impossible things are happening every day”, then it’s almost impossible to think it took almost 6 decades to bring this popular title to the Broadway stage. Following workshops in 2012, with it’s leads (Laura Osnes as Cinderella, Santino Fontana as Prince Topher), Cinderella skipped an out-of-town tryout and opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre in March of 2013. Although the show was met with lukewarm reviews, the show racked up nine Tony Award nominations, winning only one for William Ivey Long’s beaded gowns and intricately sewn headpieces.

Speaking of the dresses- oh, the dresses. Here’s a spoiler for you if you haven’t seen the show – but Cinderella employed some old-fashioned but flawless and seamless dress transformation. Ella spins and her rags are spun into a white gown – she falls onto a tree stage right and a petticoat swings around her waist and her bonnet drops to reveal her new curls. It’s simple, but magical. And if you weren’t paying well enough attention the first time, Ella  again spins her coral rags in Act ll into a golden, flowing gown.

In addition to the magical, eye-popping costumes, the freshened book is paired with an up-to-par updated score, which soars with “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful”, and showcases the Fairy Godmother in the 11 o’clock “There is Music in You”. While all the added songs are from the R + H trunk, they all find their place perfectly in the show. Douglas Carter Beane’s new book, (if you know Beane you’re familiar with his humour), has stuffed the show with memorable moments, turning Cinderella, a neglected daughter who cleans the fire and mopes to Ella, a young woman who learns to live with charity, generosity and kindness, revealing herself to the Prince in her true form. Beane’s underlying tones of kindness and sincerity make for a new kind of Cinderella that audiences love.

Let’s not forget the actual ROLE itself, however – Julie Andrews originated the musical version of the role, with Brandy following up in 1997 with a surprisingly engaging take on Cinderella. The coveted nature of playing Cinderella has not died down, oh no – Osnes (Grease, South Pacific, Anything Goes, Bonnie & Clyde) opened the Broadway production in the titular role, cleverly renamed “Ella”. Osnes’ performance earned her a second Tony Award Nomination. She was succeeded by pop artist Carly Rae Jepsen, who joined the company in February, before being replaced by Broadway vet Paige Faure, who had portrayed Ella in the creative stages of the show. Paige will continue her reign as Princess on the National Tour. But the show’s newest headline is its newest Princess – TV and Film persona Keke Palmer, who is not only making her Broadway debut but history as the first African-American to portray the role on Broadway.

“If you have a dream, then very soon thereafter you’re going to have to fight for it.”, says The Fairy Godmother in Act ll, and truer words have never been spoken – audiences are fighting to see Cinderella and it’s star-studded cast and magical moments, and it’s well worth it.