Facebook Instagram Tiktok Youtube
Donate

Blog

Frozen: Why has it Been So Successful?

When I walk around my high school, it isn’t a normal day if I don’t hear one of my friends mumbling the words to “For the First Time in Forever” or talking about how cute Olaf is. Why is it that Frozen, a Disney animated picture, has been so successful with all age ranges?

I think the reason why it’s been this huge blockbuster success is because of how relatable the plot and characters are. We’ve all had that distant sibling or friend who wouldn’t listen to what we had to say and embrace themselves for who they are. I see my family and friends in these characters which is why when I went to go see Frozen in theaters I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing and simply empathizing with their stories.

Also the star-studded cast which included some of my favorite Broadway names of the likes of Santino Fontana, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, and last but not least Idina Menzel, was enough to put me in a cushy red velvet seat for an hour and a half. But the story and the music were what made me stay.

The music sounds like a real Broadway soundtrack which should be no surprise because they are planning to make Frozen into a Broadway musical sometime in the near future. I’m always skeptical when it comes to Disney animations because I think I’m too old or that it will be too cheesy, but Frozen is the one magnificent exception. Haven’t seen it yet? Go check it out in a theater near you. And if you have, continue to sing along to your recording and maybe check out the live sing-a-long performance coming up pretty soon! There has to be a reason for why it beat Beyonce’s album on the iTunes charts!

Critically Reading Plays

While most people can agree that seeing plays performed live is a wonderful experience, not everyone is as fond of reading them. Whether for class or for fun, reading plays can be wonderful and entertaining- or, conversely, it can be awful. At some point in every student’s academic career, some play reading will probably occur. Here are some tips for making it more entertaining, organized, and an overall better experience:

Mentally Re-Frame!
When reading plays, most people approach the scenario as though they were reading a book. I find that this isn’t the best way to go about reading them, and find it necessary to tweak my thought process and remind myself that the text is written to be performed. With that in mind, I go about it a little differently. It can be helpful to read the dialogue in different character voices, get some friends to read out loud with you, or take a second to visualize the characters. Remember, this is not just a book- the narrative comes from dialogue and stage direction, not omniscient narration, so it can often be even more gripping and exciting than a novel!

Cast it in your head.
I like to come up with a “dream cast” for the characters in a play as I read it. Maybe I’m just a theatre nerd, but I find that assigning a more tangible image to each character makes the play a lot more accessible to me. This gives me a more concrete image to visualize as I’m reading, and makes the play more engaging. This can also help you remember the key tenet that this is not a book!

Highlight, highlight, highlight.
Whenever I’m critically reading anything, I highlight extensively. I like to make note of anything that feels important as I’m reading, as well as keeping a running list of symbols and underlying themes in the back of the text. I also like to make a list of the characters in the front and then highlight any quotes that pertain specifically to these traits. I also find it helpful to color code all of my little highlights and annotations for quick reference. If this seems too labor intensive (which, in fairness, it probably is), try just sticking to one color and highlighting what feels right. Annotate stuff you think is important. The best way to get better at highlighting text is practice, and though it seems tedious, it can be extraordinarily helpful.

Translate.
Besides the obvious Shakespeare (which is an entire category of its own), some older plays may be written in iterations of English that, for whatever reason, are harder to read. Many older works are written more formally, and can be a little hard to understand if read too quickly. Thus, I find it helpful to stop and “translate” every so often, recalling what’s been said and re-phrasing it into my own words. This makes it more accessible and engaging. I also find it helpful to remember that many plays were written for common audiences of the time- with just a little patience, these texts can be incredibly accessible and fun to read.

Do you have any helpful tips for critical play reading? Let us know in the comments!

Disney Musicals Are So Back

It’s no question that Disney movies, especially ones that have songs could be tailored to be set on a Broadway stage. With Broadway hits such as The Lion King, Mary Poppins, most current dance sensation Newsies. It is proven that it is never impossible to bring Disney magic to the Great White Way, no matter how complex it can be. With Aladdin and Frozen making their way as well, it seems Disney shows are making a comeback. There are some shows that are still in question, why hasn’t anybody decided to give specific shows their musical break? Shows that could be Broadway blockbusters.

  1. Nightmare Before Christmas: I know you all might be thinking why this movie, there are SO MANY other movies to pick from from the Disney sea. I feel like this musical can be visually appealing to various audiences IF it’s executed correctly & is taken on by an extremely talented creative team. Every person cannot forget the memorable stylization of Tim Burton. If a creative team decided to do something semi similar of what Julie Taymor did with The Lion King, the use of a minimalistic style of the use of puppetry and scenery instead of going a full bold set and props and going over the top along with a touch of wonder and darkness, this idea could be something extraordinary; something that Broadway has never seen and setting the standards for future shows.
  2. Up: I remember watching and not even being able to get through the first 10 minutes. A house that is lifted up by millions of balloons? That’s no problem. We already have flying witches, monkeys, fairy godmothers and carpets, its covered. This would be such a good plot for a musical even though there wasn’t any singing in the movie. There is a good story line if it is able to make you feel something without having one single musical number. If we could just get the whole creative team of Big Fish, plop them in and do something Big Fish-esque where the story line is the main focus, music to support and making the audience use a little imagination this would be one of the most beautiful shows to grace the stage.
  3. Saving Mr Banks: After reading tons of reviews about this newly released Disney live action film, I’ve heard nothing less than beautifully performed. Aside from the fact that Mary Poppins was already a musical, I think this movie has potential to make its’ way to the stage. If we combine the biographical interpretation like and the first person narration like Jersey Boys this could be a really inspirational and hopeful piece of theatre. I feel this would be a real challenge for actors because there is so much depth and back story to each individual character which will require more research than other shows. This would be able to test actor’s abilities. Among with some ballads and the timeless Mary Poppin’s score, it doesn’t get any better than that.

Crash Course: Audition by Michael Shurtleff

Through 12 guideposts, Audition by Michael Shurtleff illustrates what tools the actor needs not only to find truth, but also how to communicate that to the audition panel. These guideposts are the building blocks for successfully and truthfully performing!

1: Relationship

First ask, what is my relationship to the other character(s)? Once you have your basic facts, (i.e. he is my husband), you can move on to the real emotional questions. Do I resent them? Do I desire them? What do I desire from them? Avoid negative choices here. Find the love where you can! Few relationships are only hateful. Find the love, find the desire!

2: Conflict

“What am I FIGHTING for?” Make big, positive choices! What does your character want? Even the most dull of characters have dreams, and you must express them in positive terms. Drama is about conflict, who is getting in your character’s way? What do you have to do to change that? Fight for what your character believes they deserve!

3: The Moment Before

Every scene begins in the middle. Find out what happened to your character before the scene, both literally and emotionally, and start their journey then. The character does not only exist when visible to the audience.

4: Humor

Humor doesn’t just mean comedy, it’s a tool we all use in our lives to lighten our burdens! Acting without humor, even in dramas, isn’t truthful; it’s lifeless and one-sided.

5: Opposites

Once you have decided what your character is fighting for, you must then find the opposite of that to be true. No humans are consistent, even love contains hate. Underneath the desire to control is the desire to not have to anymore. Use the opposite to your advantage.

6: Discoveries

Actors shouldn’t be the only ones analyzing, your characters are, too! Don’t just assume that they accept everything placed in front of them. Ask, “What is new?” What would my character notice as strange, and how would they respond?

7: Communication

Emotions are worth nothing if they don’t come across. You must also have a need to have them felt by the other character! Your character must make sure the message is clear and that the other character has received it. Communication also requires that you be open to what message the other character is sending. Don’t get too caught up in your own head!

7 1/2: Competition

In every scene, the character holds one of two views.

1. I am right and you are wrong.

2. You should change from what you are to what I want you to be.

Every scene contains competition. Fight to win!

8: Importance

No one wants to see your Everyday Life played out on stage. Find the unusual! Raise the stakes! Don’t be afraid of confrontation, embrace the tension that makes drama exciting!

9: Events

Events are changes that occur in your character’s life. The more events you find in a scene, the more interesting it will be. Find the confrontations, the climaxes, the changes. How does it change your character’s tactics? Mark them and change accordingly!

10: Place

Where are you, and what is your emotional connection to where you are? Are you on your own turf where you are comfortable, or your partner’s?

11: Game/Role Playing

This does not mean insincerity. We take on roles in our everyday life! We may take on the role of son/daughter when speaking to our parents, but we wouldn’t take that on when talking to our spouse. Why would we? That wouldn’t accomplish anything. So ask yourself, “What role am I taking on to get what I want?”

12: Mystery

These 11 guideposts supply the actor with answers, but to create interest, the character must still retain wonderment about what is going on. After all, in life, do we fully understand ourselves? Do we fully understand others?

 

Although this is entitled Audition, it obviously can be applied to any performance. Though these guideposts are laid out simply, they are a completely unique perspective on finding truth, and actually having it come across to the audience. Which, you know, is pretty important!

Hugh Jackman Slated to Host 2014 Tony Awards

After much buzz around who would replace the four time Tony host, Neil Patrick Harris, the answer has finally been revealed!  Hugh Jackman will host the 2014 awards show which comes once a year in June to honor the plays, musicals, actors, and creative teams that made these productions throughout the year. Jackman is no stranger to the Tonys, having performed on them with shows like Boy from Oz, and even hosting them three times before. I’m sure a lot of Tonys fans will miss Harris’s shenanigans and jokes that have filled his previous times hosting. But, Harris could be nominated for the Tony because he is set to star as the lead in the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Itch. The Tonys are a time to celebrate the art form that us theater fans love and it will definitely be interesting this year with two theater icons gracing the Tonys in different ways than before.

What do you think of this return to a Tony hosting vet? Would you have liked to see a fresh face on the stage of Radio City? Are you excited to see the return of the Boy from Oz? Let us know in the comments!

Photo via Herald Sun

Broadway Winter Olympics – Who Would take the Gold?

It’s Olympics time around the world, which has all of us, in different countries and time zones tuned into to watch the events that unfold at Sochi. From the graceful figure skating to the intense hockey, we all have a favorite sport to watch during these few weeks where the world comes together. With so much talk about so many different sports, and of course who is taking Gold, why not make a Broadway Olympics? A few weeks where Broadway talent could come out and rival each other, all in good fun of course! Here are a few of the categories that Broadway Olympics would entail.

1. Dancing – Singles

From Newsies to Book of Mormon to almost all of Broadway, we’re completely overrun with incredible dancing talent. Let’s put those dancing feet to the test and see who would win. Would the crowd favorite, Ryan Steele, take the Gold? Or would it be the underdog swing Chris Rice who nabs the top of the podium? Or would have a dark horse and have Phillip Spaeth of the Matildas take it all? Or what about Kyle Dean Massey, who dances through life eight shows a week? As for girls, my money would be on Lesli Margherita. She could definitely dance a 4 minute routine without breaking a sweat.

2. Dancing – Pairs

Pairs dancing, where we get to see the incredible talent of two people dancing in sync with one another. A top contender for this would of course be Cinderella’s recently departed Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana, or the newcomers Carly Rae Jepsen and Joe Carroll, as well as Ricky Martin and Elena Rogers, who would return from their hiatus after Evita, and again, Lesli Margherita and Phillip Spaeth would be a strong contender for this.

3. Wrestling

Even though with the many winter storms New York has experienced, we don’t, unfortunately, have our actors ready for hockey. So instead, we’ll have wrestling. Obviously the favorite to win would be Rocky himself, Andy Karl. The eyes for second and third? Ramin Karimloo and Will Swenson, as it was just announced that The Confrontation scene in Les Miserables would have a physical component.

4. Sing-Off

It wouldn’t be Broadway without a Sing off. This competition would have to be divided into four categories: Kids, Girls, Boys, and Legends. This would be a crowd favorite (as it should be) and allow for some of that Broadway magic!

Top Contenders for Kids: The Matilda Cast, The Annie Cast

Top Contenders for Girls: Sierra Boggess, Laura Osnes, Jessie Mueller, Caissie Levy, Samantha Hill, Nikki M. James, Carly Rae Jepsen, Laura Benanti, Stephanie J. Block, Sutton Foster,

Top Contenders for Boys: Jake Epstein, Ramin Karimloo, Will Swenson, Andy Mientus, Matt Doyle, Gabriel Ebert, Hugh Panaro, James Snyder, Aaron Tveit, Jeremy Jordan

Top Contenders for Legends: Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, Norm Lewis, Harriet Harris, Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp, Audra McDonald

5. Sibling Sing-Off

This is a prestigious event that only siblings get invited to. It’s where the best siblings on Broadway come together and sing against each other, putting their angst as siblings against other sets of siblings on Broadway as well.

Siblings Eligible:
Celia (The Glass Menagerie), and Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies),
Sutton (Violet) and Hunter Foster (Bridges of Madison County),
Jessie Mueller (Carole King Musical), Abby Mueller (Kinky Boots), Andrew Mueller (Peter and the Starcatcher), Matt Mueller.

I could go on and on in a Broadway Olympics, and maybe in two years when the summer Olympics come around, we’ll have a different set. But for the winter Olympics, we have events to be held inside with hot beverages and events to get our blood pumping!

Photo via Sports Illustrated

Life on the Road

Being an actor is great! Getting up and doing shows every day, sometimes eight times a week and sometimes less based on the schedule of the show and whether you’re a professional or at the community theatre level. But, there’s another type of show that while it gets loved, only those who have done it know and can describe what it’s like and what it does to your life while you’re doing it-tours!

While it’s great to have the opportunity to tour with a show, waking up somewhere new every few days or so, playing to lots of different people and being able to see the world through the window of a tour bus, there are a lot of adjustments that actors need to make while they are on the road.

First and foremost, get used to sleeping in strange beds! Really, you’ll bounce from hotel room to hotel room every night or every few nights and need to get used to sleeping in all shapes, sizes and strengths of beds. It’s just part of the life!

You need to learn how to live around the tour! For example, having family come see you on the road in different stops instead of being home for things like holidays (even major ones!), family gatherings, and birthdays. While that might be sad, and a bit disappointing for someone who might be a bit of a homebody, the cast you tour with become your family, and you will all be missing things at home together.

Understand you’ll have little to no privacy. While this is the norm for actors, it adds another element when you are with the same group of people twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for as many months, or even years, as you’re on tour with them.

Learn how to eat! This may seem like no big deal, but when on the road, it’s so easy to just go to the nearest fast food place between rehearsal and show time to grab something fast. Stop! Think! While this is great and sometimes even necessary every so often, you need to take care of your body the same way as you would if you weren’t going from place to place.

Know you will make memories, friends, and family to last a life time! That’s a great advantage of being on tour. You create a love and a community with one another while on the road that really stays with you forever!

To get a better insight, take a look at my friend, Jayme’s blog about being on tour right now with I Love Lucy: Live on Stage.

Have you ever been on tour? What are your experiences?

Stars We’re Sorry To See Go

Winter is always a tough time for Broadway- shows close, contracts expire, and our favorite stars leave. These past few months, several fan favorites have had to leave their shows. Let’s take a look at who these audience favorites are, who’s replacing them, and what they have in store!

Nikki M. James, The Book of Mormon
Nikki M. James, one of the last original cast members of The Book of Mormon, left the show last month, along with former Elder Price, Matt Doyle. After originating the role of Nabalungi and winning a Tony Award for her stunning performance, Nikki has handed off her role to former American Idol contestant Syesha Mercado. Of course, we’re all bummed to see Nikki go. Her portrayal of Nabalungi was flawless and her voice was absolutely incredible. That said, with Syesha’s crazy vocal talent, she’s sure to be a Nabalungi that won’t disappoint.

Milly Shapiro, Bailey Ryon, Sophia Gennusa, Oona Lawrence, Matilda
The four adorable girls who originated the titular character of Matilda, have left the show that provided most of them with their Broadway debut. The four all received Tony Honors for Excellence for their roles in the show, and were definite audience favorites for the duration of the run. I had the honor of seeing Bailey in the role last fall, and her talent blew me away- all four of the original girls were fantastic, and it’s a bummer to see them go. They’ve been replaced by Paige Brady, Gabriella Pizzolo, Ripley Sobo, and Ava Ulloa; for equally adorable and eccentric young stars that will continue to wow audiences with their sweet voices (and telekinetic powers).

Stark Sands and Annaleigh Ashford, Kinky Boots
Original cast members of the hit show Kinky Boots, Stark Sands and Annaleigh Ashford, have announced that they will leave the show in early 2014. Stark’s last performance was January 26, and Annaleigh will leave the show in March to film the next season of a hit HBO TV show. As two of the show’s most prominent characters leave, there is no doubt that Kinky Boots won’t ever be the same. Thankfully, both should have very talented replacements that will ensure it remains a high-energy, exciting, and touching show. Also notably, Tony-award winning Billy Porter has renewed his contract through at least July of this year, so thankfully, we won’t see him go anytime soon.

Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana, Cinderella
The charming pair that originated the roles of Cinderella‘s star couple have had to say goodbye. “Real Life Disney Princess Laura Osnes”, adored by fans for her web miniseries detailing her life and the show, will surely be a tough one to say goodbye to. Between her stunning voice and captivating smile, Laura has always been a fan favorite. Likewise, Santino’s dazzling performances as Prince Topher will be missed as well, and the pair’s chemistry is irreplaceable. Though it’ll be tough to wish Santino and Laura happy trails, their replacements surely won’t disappoint either- Carly Rae Jepesen, the artist behind the hit song “Call Me Maybe”, has made her Broadway debut as Cinderella! It’ll definitely be interesting to see how the show changes, and how the fans react, to the new and exciting cast.

Feel Good Show Tunes to Cure The Winter Blues!

legally-blondeUnless you live somewhere with wonderful weather, (In which case – go ahead and brag about it, I’m jealous.), chances are that winter is when you complain about snow, and rain, and wind, and the day starting too late and ending too early and— you know what I mean. Usually, along with the bad weather and too little daytime, there is a sense of melancholy that takes over everyone in the first couple of months of the year. Once Christmas is over, everyone tends to just be completely over winter, and ready for the joyful feeling of renewal that comes with spring. We’re just ready for some better weather.

In the meantime, however, coping strategies for wintertime sadness become essential, and nothing is better than a bunch of huge production numbers and gorgeous solos to remind you of the good things in life and cheer you up. So, grab a cup of tea or hot chocolate, put your headphones on and blast those ten feel good show tunes to help cure the winter mood.

1. “It Won’t Be Long Now” – In The Heights

In The Heights is a summer musical – in both good and bad ways, the show revolves around the heat of mid-summer and it’s impossible not to feel that in the very sound of the songs. The rhythm and the overall mood of “It Won’t Be Long Now” just make me think of hot weather, and that, along with the playfulness of the dialogue makes it a perfect song to fix a bad mood and warm you up. It’s always nice to get carried away, and just for a minute, dream with Vanessa. Summer, and all the good things you like to daydream are about will happen soon: it won’t be long now… any day.

2. “It Sucks To Be Me” – Avenue Q

Let’s be honest, sometimes, when you’re feeling horrible, you really don’t want anyone telling you how life’s wonderful and you’re just not seeing it. Sometimes, all you need is to rant about it, and singing along to “It Sucks to be Me” gives you the chance to do that. Halfway through the song you’ll find yourself laughing at the characters’ problems instead, and by the end of it, you’re gonna end up in the same boat as Brian and Kate. If anyone happens to ask you what you’re so happy about, you can then just grin, shrug, and explain: “’cause my life sucks!” – and then proceed to sing about it.

3. “Everybody Say Yeah” – Kinky Boots

If you’re looking for a song that can pull you right out of a bad mood and motivate you to do all kinds of amazing things, “Everybody Say Yeah” might be the perfect choice. The song is literally about progress, leaving the old stuff behind and making something fantastic happen. Is there anything better to listen to when you’re feeling stuck in the bleak unhappiness of winter? Plus, it’s interactive! I always feel compelled to literally say “Yeah, yeah!” when I’m listening to that song. You can’t possibly feel bad while you’re saying “Ye-eee-ah!” and dancing along!

4. “I Got Life” – Hair

It’s a cliché thing to say, but when you’re down, it’s nice to stop for a second and appreciate all the good things about your own life. “I Got Life” is a classic song when it comes to appreciating what you have – even though you’re essentially just listing body parts, it’s all about knowing that what little you have is amazing and it’s up to you to love it and then spread that love. Also, “I Got Life” is a compassionate song – Claude directly tells you that he has “bad times, too, like you” sometimes. You immediately feel less alone. And once you’re singing along with him and that ensemble, it’s impossible not to become a little bit of a hippie and just feel the love.

5. “La Vie Boheme” – Rent

Yet another classic about listing the good things in life, “La Vie Boheme” is an ode to appreciating life and everything it has to offer. If you have ever shared a table at a restaurant with anyone who knows anything about musical theater, you’ll know that there isn’t a single person in the Universe who doesn’t know at least 80% of the lyrics. (Real statistics. I’m a scientist.) An impromptu sing-along about the life of the bohemian is practically the textbook definition of “a thing that fixes terrible winter moods”. Plus, once you’re in a Rent mood, there’s so much more to say about winter, and snow, and being freezing cold – if anything, you get to talk about winter in musical theater terms!

6. “Carrying the Banner” – Newsies

Nothing says “good mood!” better than a bunch of young boys facing the challenges in their life with an absolutely positive attitude. The Newsies’ lives are undeniably hard, and yet “Carrying the Banner” is a song that celebrates all of their hard work and they end up essentially shrugging off the bad things about their job: So what if “winter’s freezing”? I think that anyone would benefit from adopting the Newsies’ mindset. Next time your life hands you something bad to deal with, or just a horrible early-morning walk to school in the freezing cold, try thinking like a Newsie! You might not be “carrying the banner of New York”,  but I’m sure you can apply that kind of thinking to whatever you happen to be doing. Then ask yourself, “Ain’t it a fine life?”, and think about it. You’ll find yourself believing that it really is!

7. “We Beseech Thee” – Godspell

Godspell has always been my personal feel-good musical. Whenever I’m in a rut, it’s always the one I turn to for an immediate pick-me-up. It’s a tried and true thing to do, and you should see for yourself! “We Beseech Thee” is not entirely a happy song, but it is essentially a confession and an ode to striving for something better, and something that will improve the people’s current condition.  It is the kind of song that simply fills your heart and makes you feel better instantly just because you can feel yourself committing to it, and becoming a part of that ensemble. Once you’re singing (along) about Love!, you will find yourself smiling, and then your whole day will be better.

8. “When I Drive” – Bonnie & Clyde

You know what I’ve been saying about simply appreciating the good things in your life? “When I Drive” is a love song to a simple hobby that always makes everything else seem better. Even if you’re not a driver, or you’re absolutely clueless about various kinds of cars, you have to appreciate Clyde and Buck’s simple, honest joy and amusement when they sing about driving. Everyone has that one thing that makes them feel the same way. If there is something that gives you that kind of simple joy, and go ahead and do it – no one can feel sad if they’re doing something that makes them feel in love an alive. And the guys’ pure love for driving surely is an inspiration!

9. “Positive” – Legally Blonde

Come on, did you really think I’d leave that one out? If ranting and thinking about nice things hasn’t helped you so far, maybe what you need is Elle’s Greek chorus to just set you straight and cheer you up. Though the “ex-boyfriend-got-into-Harvard-and-has-a-horrible-newgirl-friend” thing doesn’t exactly connect to most people’s lives, the overall message of the song is still universal. I’m sure there’s at least one scenario where you’ve wished your best friends would just appear out of the blue and sing those lyrics to you. And even if you’re just struggling with the winter blues, “Positive” will still definitely help you. Next time you look out the window and all you see is the cold black-and-white palette of winter, just chin up, smile, and remember:  Keep it positive!