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Adapting Disney for Broadway

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 in the world!

But how to translate a seventy-five-minute cartoon musical to a full-length, two-hour-forty five-minute show that stays true to the original story, and includes everything children and even adults are used to seeing from Disney? Now there’s the challenge! And of course, in true Disney fashion, they continue to step up and knock it out of the park!

The first rule of translating Disney from screen to stage? Keep as much of the familiar music intact as possible! Remember, at the end of the day, Disney is considered something for children. In order to get their attention, you need to put music in that they recognize. Alan Menken is great at this, ensuring his music is covered almost in its entirety in any of his movies turned musicals (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, The Little Mermaid, etc).

If they do need to add music, for either time sake or story sake, make sure that it sounds similar to the original score and fits seamlessly in. Again, Alan Menken is wonderful at this! When he had to add to Beauty and the Beast, he wrote a song called “Human Again” that sounded like it was from the original score. It sounded so like the original, that when they released a special edition of the movie, they animated the song and added it onto the special features, making it look like it was an outtake scene from the movie!

Aside from the music, Disney is great at making sure their Broadway productions look and feel like their cartoon counterparts. When The Little Mermaid came to Broadway, all of the actors wore heeleys, or shoes with wheels on them to give the audience the illusion that they were swimming. The heeleys made their movements more fluid. When they adapted Tarzan the actors were all suspended above the stage as if they were swinging in the trees.

Everything that Disney does is magical! From their theme parks to their movies. It’s no surprise that going to see one of their shows on Broadway will give you the same warm feeling that their movies always have.

Camp Broadway ‘The Next Step’ 2015

By Jenna Bawer
nextstep2015
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 how to sing and dance like Broadway pros. The class consisted of approximately 35 performers aged 14-17 who already had some experience in stage performance; some had come from as far as the Netherlands or Switzerland to enjoy this opportunity. The culmination of their week with Camp Broadway was a show at B.B. King’s Blues Club in NYC where they performed medleys of Broadway show tunes. I was invited to this Family Finale performance to see what The Next Step program had taught these young talents.
To commemorate A Chorus Line‘s fortieth anniversary, the show was staged like the Broadway hit, in the format of an audition for a musical.  The hosts asked each performer to state their name and  provide a talent or piece of information about him or herself. Their set included an opening numbers medley from various other beloved Broadway shows, including “All That Jazz” from Chicago, “Good Morning Baltimore” from Hairspray, and of course, “I Hope I Get It” from A Chorus Line (headshots included). Every student was allowed a chance to shine, not only being able to sing solo lines in each song, but even showing off their charisma or talents (one girl even performed cartwheels!).
Camp Broadway Community Engagement Manager, Kerry Dineen described this year’s program as ‘revamped’ to allow everyone to “play to their strength”, which in the end led to a great and diverse ensemble.
The students recreated the choreography of the songs and smoothly transitioned between each one. In the end, all the actors and actresses get ‘accepted’ and perform the song ‘One’, complete with glittery hats. They also each receive a ‘Next Step patch’ to commemorate their time in the program. One segment that entertained me was the ‘Diva-Off’, in which a group of hammy actresses each declare they are the biggest diva, leading to a medley of ‘I Want’ numbers, including “I’m The Greatest Star” and “Show Off.”
Each of the medleys was designed to reflect a musical theater concept theme, such as the innocent ingenue or the comic relief. The students had been studying these concepts in their class, and explained  to the audience what they were. I actually learned there was a term for the innocent female lead in theater through the students’ performance, then was treated to some popular examples of songs that highlight the concept. Not only do the students learn by attending Camp Broadway, the audience can also learn about theater concepts while enjoying a wonderful show! This allows  the parents of the future Broadway stars to better understand their child’s interest.
I spoke with seventeen-year-old Camp Broadway participant Emily Brolin after the performance. She had come out of state to work in ‘The Next Step’ and work towards attaining her dream of performing on Broadway. According to Emily, rehearsing for the ‘Next Step’ showcase is ‘very much like a Broadway rehearsal’. It involved a lot of hard work, and she ensures it was worth it. She also appreciates having been able to meet ‘wonderful people’ from Broadway during class, who helped her and her classmates understand what it truly is like to work on Broadway. Her week culminated in her being able to express herself musically and have a chance in the spotlight. The rest of the cast had the same opportunity.
‘The Next Step’ performance may have been short, but it was jam-packed with Broadway-quality work. Camp Broadway is a perfect learning opportunity for any young star to hone their singing and dancing skills, increase their understanding of musical theater, and, as the Camp Broadway motto says, ‘develop their character’. I anticipate what next year’s program will bring!

Weirdest Costumes Ever Worn

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 or uncomfortable costume stories.

While I’ve had my fair share, one always sticks out in my mind, and I actually find I use the memory as an acting exercise when needed. I was playing Wilbur in a production of Charlotte’s Web for children (we were all adults except for a few scattered kids). Due to the fact that this was a kids show a simple pink t-shirt,  pig nose, and pigtails just wasn’t going to cut it- especially not for the leading role. Instead, my costume was a head to toe pink plush pig costume. Picture Ralphie at the end of “A Christmas Story”, except a pig instead of a bunny rabbit. I also had plush hooves to cover my sneakers, a rubber pig nose, and a pink hood with a tuft of white hair on top.

This would’ve been all well and good if it weren’t for the fact that it was the dead of August and, on a good day, was maybe 100 degrees in the shade. I always swore I was going to die in that costume. As in all times in theatre, I grinned and got through the show.

Other shows though have asked their actors to get into strange and uncomfortable. Shows like Seussical the Musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and even The Book of Mormon.

But why do we do it? Why do we wear skirts that are sometime so tight they leave bruises, or costumes we just bake in? We do it because of the love we have for our art. The costume is an extension of the character, and to completely embody the character, we need to embrace the costume we are provided or told to wear.

And one big thing, before I forget: Never complain about your costume! Unless it really is causing you to bruise (speaking from experience…darn skirt!), then of course, say something to have it altered. But never, ever disagree, argue, or complain with either the costume designer or the director. The designer is carrying out the director’s vision, and the director has told you to wear it for a reason. Let the director tell the story the way they see fit. Just because you might have one of the weirdest costumes, doesn’t mean you have the worst.

What have been some of your weird or uncomfortable costumes?

Broadway in Bryant Park: Changing the Atmosphere of Theater

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 is the annual “Broadway in Bryant Park” concert series. For fifteen years, “Broadway in Bryant Park” has been bringing musical theater out of the theater. It brings attention to the park and currently running Broadway and off-Broadway shows and guest hosts from a currently running play. The concerts are held every Thursday from July 9 to August 13 from 12:30 to 1:30, and I attended the first performance.

The open environment contrasts greatly from the typical Broadway theater. For example, there is no price to attend the concert or limit of attendees; as such, the park was packed with people, leaving many without a seat, pushing past each other to catch a glimpse of the stage. Crew members from 106.7 Lite FM, the radio station that presents the event every year, informed people about the set, and one of their DJs, relationship adviser Delilah,  was the day’s host. Fans with her picture on it were available for free at one booth, which many picked up to relieve themselves of the summer heat. Other booths by the stage sold products from the series’ sponsors.

Delilah opened the show, welcoming the audience with an enthusiasm I didn’t expect, given her gentle personality on the radio. Her guest hosts were the magicians with a “god-given” gift, Penn and Teller, promoting their eponymous new play. The duo performed an amusing illusion, mending a torn polyester bedsheet with the help of young theater reviewer Iain. The concert then began, featuring performances by, in order, Stomp, Wicked, It Shoulda Been You, and Fuerza Bruta. These performances had to appeal to the audience out of context and order with almost no set pieces, and with hundreds packed into the park.

After they had had their turn onstage, I caught up with the stars of Wicked who came to perform that day: Caroline Bowman (as Elphaba), Kara Lindsay (as Glinda), and Matt Shingledecker (as Fiyero). I asked how singing in Bryant Park differed from singing every night at the Gershwin Theater. “Being able to see all these people was so overwhelming,” Caroline Bowman, who performed two songs as Elphaba, confided in me. Matt Shingledecker, who sang alongside Bowman during the set, noted a “change in perspective” when performing at Bryant Park; the lack of a clear story (other than a brief introductory synopsis) means “it’s more about the music.”

What I consider important about “Broadway at Bryant Park” is how it functions as promotion for theater and for the park itself. Fans of Broadway flock to the park to see our favorite performers and shows, giving publicity to the park; people who are curious but haven’t seen some shows yet may take advantage of the free chance to see a sampling of the performance, maybe even buying tickets to the shows. It’s a fun event that has been gaining more publicity since it began. “We’ve been doing this for fifteen years,” Delilah told me, “and our turnouts are bigger and bigger each year.” The concert has earned the recognition, as it is a wonderful and inexpensive way for anybody in New York City interested in theater to spend their summer.

BOMBSHELL: A SMASH?

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, a long-running hit that represented the long-running Broadway musical that we all know. There was also LIAISONS, a straight play. But, at perhaps the top of the pyramid, is BOMBSHELL, the “Marilyn musical”. Yes, BOMBSHELL was the baby of SMASH and arguably the reason the show is still celebrated today. BOMBSHELL was the main musical that viewers watched become, well, itself each week – the Marilyn Monroe musical was a visual feast, with full-production numbers being at the viewers fingertips. However, the show ends there – as viewers, we never saw BOMBSHELL in its entirety. No script or full scenery – what is accessible is the beautiful and lush score.

Typically, spin-off projects (although I’d hardly call BOMBSHELL a spin-off, the word seems most appropriate) are less popular than their predecessor and are known because of it. In this case, many are familiar with BOMBSHELL itself and not with SMASH. – the opposite There’s a lot to be said about beautiful music about someone special, and BOMBSHELL’s score, combined with a lush orchestra and talented performers, make it an appealing listen to not only members of the theatre community but the general public – Marilyn’s appeal and the appeal of a Broadway musical are a bigger draw than NBC had anticipated, even though this buzz didn’t exist in its truest form during SMASH’s original run. Yes, SMASH only lived for two years in its home on NBC before being evicted. While DVDs and CDs continue to bring SMASH to audiences for years to come, there’s been a clamor from the people for more of one component of the show – BOMBSHELL.

BOMBSHELL, while gorgeously written (musically), has no book. There’s no complete script, and there is not a complete production in store. The links of a musical do not exist. The success of the “musical” was based on the music itself, which led to the delecatble treat of a benefit concert, featuring the music of BOMBSHELL which many say is what pushed the announcement from Universal Stage Productions that the wheels will turn on bringing SMASH to Broadway. A few things must be noted about this exciting announcement. One, this is just a mere “for buzz” announcement. There’s no full script, or a full creative team. The musical is still in early stages, so it’s left us eager audience members to just to sit tight and wait for more information. It’s also important to remember that each member involved in the NBC series and benefit concert are not confirmed, contracted or obligated to join the BOMBSHELL ship. While it’d be nice to have the same cast we’re familiar with, it’s different to sign a six month or year long contract for eight shows a week than a one-night concert and a TV show. Also, the BOMBSHELL concert boasted a 29-piece orchestra to replicate the crystally lush sound that we’re used to hearing when we hear “Let’s Be Bad” and “National Pastime” – in a realistic Broadway budget, slash that orchestra number in half. And, since we’ve never seen BOMBSHELL in its final form, let’s let BOMBSHELL represent itself as a stand alone piece, and not love it just because the music is beautiful but because of the amazing package we expect and know it will become.

My Time at Camp Broadway

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 here over the past four years I’ve been writing here.

The experiences I’ve had writing for Camp Broadway have been invaluable and incredibly rewarding. I’ve spoken to directors, written incredible pieces on my heros, and even gone to see some spectacular shows. None of that would’ve happened if it hadn’t been in the right place at the right time to begin writing for Camp Broadway back in 2011, nearly four years ago.

I remember when I went with Camp Broadway to see Chaplin while it was still in previews. We had wonderful seats and I got to talk to people that until that point I had only spoken to or seen in passing through e-mails. It felt like a cast reunion! Everyone was smiling, laughing and talking like we had all known each other and went to school together for years. It was a great experience to sit in a theatre with my peers and watch a show that we all understood would go through many more changes before it would open. After the show, we were lucky enough to meet most of the cast, including Jen Colella and Rob McClure. It was a fantastic night out at the theatre with some special people and I had a wonderful time recalling the experience while writing that piece.

I’ve done some of my best writing for Camp Broadway. Aside from being able to experience a wonderful show and meet people, I’ve had the freedom to write pieces on people I admire greatly, such as Robby Benson and Harvey Fierstein. I’ve treasured the ability to spread my love for these people with others and show them why I love them through sharing biographies and their history in the theatre with them.

Writing has always been a passion of mine, and Broadway has been my love since I was ten years old when my mother took me to see Beauty and the Beast. I feel very fortunate that I was able to combine both of my loves to bring you the column that I hope you look forward to reading from time to time. I wake up every day feeling very grateful and fortunate to be able to write about what I love and share it with all of you.

What would you like to see written about on my slice of the Camp Broadway blog?

Grounded with Anne Hathaway

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 performance, I was taken aback by how much emphasis the show put on the humanity of not just the American protagonist, but in a twist, humanized those she was fighting. Anne Hathaway’s stellar performance and the set combine to bring the audience into the world of Grounded and help them realize that, even if it is just a play, it is our world as well.

Grounded is the story of an unnamed fighter pilot who ends up sacrificing her beloved blue sky for a family life. After being “grounded” (as in, unable to fly her jet) due to her pregnancy, she returns to work to find she has been resentenced to operate the new drones in the Middle East from a remote station in Las Vegas. The story focuses on how this change affects her mental state and views on life, and it emphasizes this through highlighting contrast. Instead of being alone in a jet facing the risk of death, the pilot is stuck in a chair staring at a screen for twelve straight hours, returning to her family every night rather than only coming home twice a year. The most important contrast is how she views her targets. In the beginning, she describes how she finds her target from her plane, then flies out of there before anything happens; working for the drones, she has no choice but to watch the victims become “the same color as the ground”. This takes a toll on her sanity, and she finds it more and more difficult to separate her own life from the lives she is hunting at work, which culminates in a terrifying conclusion.

The Playbill offers background information on drones so the audience can understand some of the vernacular and concepts in the play. It also offers some anecdotes by people who work with drones, politicians, and other experts on the play’s concept. The selected opinions regarding drone usage aren’t biased as a whole, though some are notably more tied to the message of the show than others. One is by a drone operator much like the protagonist of the story, and he describes the horror of watching the attacked members turn the ”same color as the ground he was lying on” as the heat of life leaves their body. We hear those words repeated by the pilot in the play. The show truly does reflect real experience, which is why it comes across as so genuine.

Grounded is a single woman show, which makes it easier to relate to the pilot- there is no one else to distract us from her and her turmoil. It also makes her visions more terrifying, since if she doesn’t know what is real or fake, neither do we (an element coming into play in the finale). The layout of the small theater makes it even more personal; the stage is in the center, the audience surrounding Anne, making it so there is almost always somebody for her to directly look towards. The play is structured this way so we can understand the pilot enough to become her (and her not having a name makes her more of an everywoman) and understand how her story transcends the stage.

Hathaway is fantastic at showing her character’s journey from a cool confident pilot to a constantly paranoid, anxious drone operator, being emotive without being too hammy. Her dancing to mix tapes and a few other silly moments may sound like they don’t fit the serious tone of the story, but a story meant to reflect life as it is must be as varied as life itself. (Even that moment has emotional significance, made by her husband to lessen her anxiety and connect her to what she loved again.) I was unable to reach Hathaway for comment, though I would have loved to know her approach towards portraying the pilot. Does she envision the other characters that aren’t portrayed by anyone, simply referenced by the pilot? Does she project any of her own feelings onto her character to aid the realism? Does she agree with the message of the piece?

Grounded left me aghast. Its message is haunting simply because it is relevant. Having to focus on one character and watch her psychological journey bound me to her, and I did not want to think of her as fictional because the concept and her experience is not. This is not a fantasy play, but a play reminding us of what people in this world experience, how it changes them, and that we could always be on the other side of conflict in the future.

Working With Stage Animals: Is it as Cute as it Looks?

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 few years ago, the dog who played our Sandy, Max, was the cast’s ‘family’ dog for a couple weeks.  He adapted well to all the lights, loud noises, live orchestra, and vast amounts of people, but animals will be animals.  Max  did urinate on the stage curtains, and on the stage a few times too; thankfully not during a performance.  In most cases, it feels like the animals understand that they’re performing.  They repeat the same motions, and go to the same spots.  Eventually, it becomes muscle memory for them, just like it does for human actors.

When some people think of animal actors, they think of dogs, but animal performers are not limited to just dogs.  I’ve worked with goats; I know people who have performed a production of Camelot with actual horses; monkeys are frequently used on stage, plus cats, pigs, rats, and more.   Personally, I don’t enjoy working with larger animals as much as with smaller animals.  When I was in Gypsy, the “Little Lamb” we had, appropriately named Stinker, grew several inches during the off week, and our Gypsy Rose Lee had to wrestle with him while singing.

The people who train these animals are amazing, too, and don’t get the credit they deserve.  One of the most famous animal trainers in the Broadway realm is Bill Berloni.  His life is so interesting.  He trained several of the original Sandys (from Annie), on and off Broadway, and  is big on using shelter animals in his work.   Berloni’s autobiography, Broadway Tails, is definitely worth the read for any age.  I picked that book up the clearance rack at Barnes and Noble several years ago, and it’s one of the things that jumpstarted my love for theatre. He’s an inspiration to me.

Overall, stage animals are amazing.  Things may get a little rough over the rehearsal process, but they can bring a show together, and add a lot of fun to a production.

 

 

 

Tony Award Hype: Before and After

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 and award-winning shows on the Great White Way. After the awards, do the shows that win get more attention and the others? I wanted to see just how much of an impact the hype had on the theater community. I spent a Sunday afternoon in the city a week before the Tonys speaking with members of the theater community, from the patrons to the theater staff to the owners in the Broadway shops. I returned two days after the awards to see if there was a clear impact.
    I was in the city around two o’clock, when many people were waiting for three o’clock performances. I took the opportunity to visit the theaters of Tony-nominated shows and see how big a draw the nominations were to people. In the line for Fun Home, I spoke to Emily from Chicago. She told me she hadn’t come to the show because of the Tony nomination specifically, but because she was part of a musical class, and her teacher had suggested she see the show. She did, however, see On the 20th Century due to its nomination and for Kristin Chenoweth’s role (which has earned her a nomination for best actress in a musical). Patrons of Hand to God, Skylight, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time  likewise were not drawn only by the Tony nominations (for “Curious”, people said they came because they had enjoyed the original book; Skylight attracted more people due to its short run and cast rotations). It was refreshing for me to know the majority of people I spoke to wanted to see these shows for what they were, not just because they were acclaimed.
    Once the shows had started and all the theatergoers were inside the theaters, I spoke with some people in professions related to theater to see their experience with the Tony season. A security guard for Something Rotten! explained how after “Rotten” was nominated for best musical, there was a rise in its popularity. During the previews they only needed two floors for the theater, but they became so popular they needed to expand and use the top floor of the theater! A TodayTix worker outside of “Curious” told me that the TodayTix sales “just go crazy” during Tony season. Fewer tickets are available for each show on the app, though they will continue to sell tickets for a show if there are at least two available.
    The height of the Tony hype was the Tony Shop on 46th Street, selling merchandise related to the Tonys, the nominated shows, and some general Broadway books, outfits, and other goods. The employees there had a lot to say about the effects of Tony hype on Broadway. “Shows sell out more between May and June,” they said. They also discussed the evolution of the Tonys: originally there were fewer categories and the recipients were based off of write-in candidates. Eventually the show adapted to be more like the Oscars and the like, becoming what the Tony Shop clerks described as “an inside deal to promote theater”.
    The Tuesday after the ceremony, I checked back in around five o’clock with some of the theaters to see if anyone had come to shows just because had won awards. Walking through Shubert Alley, I noticed several posters had added “WINNER OF THE 2015 TONY AWARD FOR _____” to their credentials. I then returned to the crowded Circle in the Square Theater where, according to a stage manager, ticket sales had spiked following Fun Home’s win for Best Musical. One of the theater attendees said she did not come to see the show just because it won the Tony, and she had bought tickets in advance. A conversation with the box office at the theater of ‘Curious Incident”, which is now the holder of the 2015 Best Play Tony, confirmed they also have sold more tickets since the awards; however, a family waiting to enter the theater assured me once again the Tony was not the reason they wanted to see the show. I returned to the Tony Shop, which was having a sale on all Tony branded merchandise in honor of its last day for the year. There were more customers than my first visit, possibly due to the limited time. They agreed that people seemed more hyped about the Tonys and theater in general than any specific victories.
    Interest in theater seems to increase during the springtime during the springtime, as shows get more publicity and attract tourists as well as regular theatergoers. Often, though, considering my experience with the theatergoers those two days, the Tony awards’ main focus seems to be getting people interested in theater in general, not just specific shows, and it seems to work. Theater is a fantastic medium that deserves more publicity, and the Tony season is when it can get some.