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Tap Dancing on Stage

Tap Dancing on Stage

By Emma Filosa

Many have seen the astonishing performance given by the cast of Something Rotten at this years Tony Awards. The show itself has audiences roaring with laughter as actors on stage poke fun at every show you could possibly think of, but the one part in particular that stands out to me is the dance break in the show stopping number “A Musical”.

The dance break in a musical is literally a dance break to make fun of how pointless dance breaks are. Particularly, every musical theatre fan’s favorite kind of dance break – a tap break. Leading character Nick Bottom, played by Brian d’Arcy James, wonders what the purpose of a tap dance break is since it doesn’t advance the plot or character to which the character Nostradamus replies “it’s entertaining!” This actually got me thinking – why DO we have dance breaks?

Almost every musical nowadays has a tap dance break. The Book of Mormon, Aladdin, Newsies, Billy Elliot, A Chorus Line, Anything Goes, and Thoroughly Modern Millie are just a few musicals that feature a spectacular tap number. And the silly thing is that every time a tap dance break begins, the crowd goes wild with excitement. But why do we that? Really, all that is happening is a combination of foot movements to some fun,    upbeat music. What’s so exciting about that?

Well in my humble opinion everything is exciting about that. Try and tell me that you don’t get a little teary eyed with excitement when dancers shuffle their way onto the stage with big smiles on their faces as they time step their way to your hearts. I think it’s the same reason hockey fans love when the players get into heated arguments. Do fights between the athletes advance the game? No. Would the game be just as good without a fight? Maybe. But does the crowd get excited when a fight does happen because they were eagerly awaiting one? Oh yes! And that’s exactly what a tap dance break is to musical theatre fans. Thankfully for us though, the thing we eagerly await doesn’t put anyone at risk of a black eye!

So perhaps Nostradamus was right. A dance break doesn’t do anything except entertain. But us show people, we live for just that – the entertainment. So next time you find yourself at a show with a show stopping tap number, I urge you not to question it. Instead, just let it be entertaining and let yourself have fun. Some things in life and on the stage are meant to have a long history and clear purpose – but others are simply meant to be entertaining.

Lesser Known Shows

Lesser Known Shows
By Sami DeSocio

There are over 30 Broadway theaters in New York City right now. Some of those buildings date back to the turn of the century early 1900s and have changed names several times before becoming the Broadway houses we know them as now. Furthermore, there have been hundreds of shows, casts, crews, directors, and dreams to go through those doors as well. While some shows made a bang like the and are now synonymous with Broadway, there are also shows that may have just peeked through the doors, never making it to the stage, or those that came, saw, and conquered, but never really reached the full mountain; the lesser known shows that are out there.

Rent is a Broadway staple. Whether you’ve seen the show on Broadway, on tour, or on DVD it is the 13th longest running show on Broadway. Written of course, by Jonathan Larson. But, Larson also wrote a show called Blocks. It’s often whispered about in certain musical theater circles because it was never really produced. Through some research and talking to cast members that were there, the basic storyline from what I gathered was a lot like Rent. However, it never moved past a workshop phase.

Another little known show is Bombay Dreams. While it did have a nice, two year run on Broadway, it’s not talked about a whole lot, and often isn’t mentioned in Broadway conversation. It was one of those shows that came in, it did alright, and then it closed as quickly as it came. Though I’m not sure why it had such a short run, there are a number of factors that can contribute to a show closing.

The next show, which is actually about to open is Amazing Grace, which tells the story of how the song came to be. Now, why do I say that this show is unknown? This show had an industry reading starring Robby Benson a few years back, and then nothing much was heard about it again, until recently when they announced they would be coming to Broadway later this month, taking the Nederlander Theater after Honeymoon in Vegas vacated it last year.

While there are a lot of great, well known shows, there are also some fantastic shows that are unknown or known very quietly, which may disappear into the archives like Bombay Dreams or be brought back to life, many years later like Amazing Grace. Whether a show is shuttered but brought to life again quickly or put into retirement, the cultivation of new theatre is essential to the continual energy and essence of the fast-paced lights of Broadway.

What are some of your favorite “unknown shows”?

Spring Awakening at Deaf West Los Angeles

By Isaac Grivett

Three times now, I have had the pleasure of seeing Deaf West’s production of Spring Awakening. Beyond it a simply being a fantastic show, they added the element of having Deaf actors signing ASL alongside hearing actors singing and speaking. This makes for an amazing show for both hearing and Deaf audiences.

With Brilliant direction by Michael Arden, this show not only features Deaf actors, but also integrates ASL into beautiful choreography and makes it seem completely natural, even to a hearing audience member. It is  immediately established that some of the characters are Deaf with “Mama Who Bore Me” signed by Wendla (Sandra Mae Frank) and sung by her voice (Katie Boeck). In the next scene, the boys are introduced. Hanschen (Andy Mientus), Georg (Alex Wyse), and Melchior (Austin Mckenzie) were hearing students that were all completely fluent in ASL as well. Moritz (Daniel N. Durant), Ernst (Joshua Castille), and Otto (Miles Barbee) represent the hardships that a Deaf person would have gone through during that time period; they were chastised for not being able to hear and using sign language to communicate and therefore were being forced to attempt to speak while in school. All of this was happening to them along with the struggles of being a teenager – growing up, having disapproving parents, beginning to feel attracted to other kids, having trouble in school, and starting to doubt religious and authority figures. Even though this show depicts life for teenagers in the late 1800’s, it accurately represents many problems that kids have today and provides another connection to already relatable characters for Deaf kids who don’t have many actor or character role models. The best part was that they actually adapted the characters to make them both sign and speak so that it not only benefited the audience but made sense within the context of the show.

After the performance, all of the actors came out and talked to the audience. Unlike a typical Broadway or tour stage door experience, all of the actors stayed and held full 5 minute conversations with everyone. It was great hearing stories of their time in rehearsal or what happened to them earlier that day rather than the usual stage door experiences where we only say “you were amazing” and they respond with “thank you.” It’s also amazing to be able to speak to all of the actors in English or ASL, and they all understand both. I personally got to speak to Daniel Durant, Krysta Rodriguez, and Joshua Castille for an extended amount of time about my own dreams of being in theatre and what it’s like working with a company that accepts and encourages Deaf people. Being in a place where we can feel proud of being Deaf and talk to others who are living their dream despite having a disability gives me and others like me a lot of hope about our own futures.

This show has been an incredible and important experience for everyone who has had a chance to see it. People like me, who are Deaf or hard of hearing, got to see a show where the Deaf characters aren’t seen as a joke as well as fully understanding everything happening onstage because every actor interpreted the dialogue in ASL. Hearing people also got a fantastic show with a glimpse into how Deaf people have been treated simply for being disabled and saw ASL disguised as choreography. The more that those who aren’t disabled can relate to someone that is, the more likely they are to realize that we are very similar to one another, the more likely they are to see us as equals who can participate in and love theatre as much as anyone else.

Broadway Style Shows on Disney Cruise Line

By Emma Filosa

Character greetings, lavish dinners, exotic destinations, and extravagant Broadway style shows- these are just a few of the many things that Disney Cruise Line has to offer!

A few weeks ago I boarded the beautiful Disney Fantasy Cruise ship. The ship is fully equipped with cast members from all around the world and a top notch cast of triple threat performers who perform every night in Disney themed musical performances. Among these performances were “Disney’s Aladdin”, “Disney’s Wishes”, and “Disney’s Believe”. Taking place in the gorgeous Walt Disney Theatre, these shows were the most heartwarming and perfect way to end a jam packed day full of activities.

My personal favorite of these shows was “Disney’s Believe”. This musical adventure told the story of a dad with no belief in magic despite his young daughters wish that he could believe. However, thanks to a surprise visit from everyone’s favorite Genie, the father goes on a magical journey with visits from Rafiki, Peter Pan, the Disney Princesses, and many more beloved Disney characters to discover what is most important in life and just how real magic is. The show was both hilarious and heartwarming and had every dad in the audience a tad bit teary eyed.

Every show had the audience clapping their hands and singing along as the performers showed off their world class singing voices and incredible dancing skills. I was especially intrigued by the dancing skills of the performers and at times I found myself asking “Why aren’t these people on Broadway?” While the shows are Broadway style the audience environment is quite different than what you may experience at a Broadway show in the city. Actors would often interact with the audience and at times come into the crowd to dance and sing with guests making everyone feel a part of the magic. At every show audience members were invited to sing along to their favorite Disney tunes making the entire experience fun for everyone. Musical theatre fans and non-theatre fans alike were thoroughly impressed and equally enjoyed the entertainment night after night.

Disney truly knows how to please everyone! If you ever get the opportunity to experience the magic that Disney Cruise Line has to offer do not pass up the opportunity to see these wonderful performances. I promise you will not be disappointed in the quality.

 

My Masterclass with Anthony Rapp

By Sami DeSocio

As performers, we all have dreams, wishes, and a bucket list of people we’d like to perform in front of before we die. I was fortunate enough to not only cross one off of my list, but also to learn something in the process when I took a master class with Anthony Rapp.

It was a small class, only about eleven of us, the accompianist for the class, the host of the class, Joy, and of course Anthony. He started by asking all of us about nerves, do we get nervous before auditions and what happens when we do. I found it odd, because of course as performers we all get nervous before an audition, but I had never been asked what physically happens when I do. I was more than surprised that a lot of our answers matched (shaking hands or legs, sweaty hands, tightening in the chest or stomach). He told us it was normal to be ‘tweaked’ during an audition, and when we are, we should use the energy instead of trying to fight it, he said the more you fight, the more the feeling will push and win and then it comes out in the audition. He reminded us that casting directors are on our side, telling us “they want you to succeed. When I’m at the casting table, I know that I have a problem, and everyone I see that day can help me to solve that problem. Casting directors are on your side, they hope that you solve their problem!” I don’t think any of us had ever thought of an audition like that before, and I know I”ll never look at an audition the same way again.

Another thing he brought up, is that he was not going to promise a “polished” product after the class. He said too polished of a performance looks so robotic, and while some casting directors want that, most don’t. They want to see you breathe life into the audition you’re giving so it shouldn’t look so rehearsed that it looks fake.

When it came time for all of us to perform for him, he would stop us whenever he needed to in order to give us notes, help us through nerves (he would stop us, and ask “where do you feel them?”), and even teach a bit more. One woman in the class had to stop singing due to beginning to cry when her song got to be too much for her. He went over to her, assured her it was okay, and when we asked ‘what happens if we end up crying onstage? How do we keep going?’, he told us we needed to find a way to keep singing. He said it can be done, he assured us that it can be done and still sound good! He said that the night Jonathan Larson died, and the original cast of  RENT had to perform ‘Seasons of Love’ that night, he said to this day he honestly doesn’t know how they all did it. He said he guessed it was because they were ‘open’ to the experience and just let it happen.

After our performances were over, he opened it up to questions and gave more tips. Something that stuck out to me was when he told us that we should not audition with a song we don’t enjoy singing. Clearly, we’ll have more fun and be able to be more alive with a song we enjoy singing, not just one that we can sing!

He also put a myth to rest that I had heard back in college from a friend. The myth was that Jonathan Larson did not write his music to be auditioned with, just performed within the context of the show. That his music was too hard to audition with. When I mentioned that, even the look Anthony gave me told me the idea was crazy! He told me whoever told me that was wrong, that if I felt comfortable with the song, and it met up with what I was auditioning with, I could absolutely use his music!

I feel like after the class, we all walked away with what he called a ‘crack’. A small idea, a break in our performances, that something had sunk in that would change the way we perform going forward. I know that I experienced it myself, and I know everyone else in the room did too.

I couldn’t have asked for a better class.

Have you ever taken a master class before? If so, with whom?

 

 

The Tony Awards Are Coming!

By Harley Ann Kulp

The Tony’s are coming! The Tony’s are coming! The theater community’s biggest night of the year is in two days. Yes, on Sunday, June 7th, 2015, the 69th Annual Tony Awards will air on CBS at 8/7c. And just like the Oscars, the Tony’s are getting their first ever red carpet coverage hosted by some of Broadway’s sweethearts! Actual Disney Princess Laura Osnes (Cinderella, Bonnie & Clyde) will host along side everyone’s favorite redhead Sierra Boggess (Phantom of the Opera, It Shoulda Been You) and Glee’s (or Team Starkid’s) Darren Criss (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hedwig and the Angry Inch).

This troublesome trio will also be joined by George Takei (The Year of the Dragon, Allegiance), Randi Zuckerberg (Rock of Ages, Blake Ross (Editor for Playbill Magazine), and Emilio Sosa (Broadway Costume Designer). This team of professionals will be broadcasting from 5:30 PM right up until the start of the award show at 8 PM. The coverage of the red carpet can be found on TonyAwards.com, CBS.com, playbill.com, and TimeOut.com.

When the actual awards ceremony begins, we’ll see the show hosted by one of the best combinations in the history of combos- Alan Cumming (Cabaret, The Threepenny Opera) and Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown). These two have teamed up before in the 1999 movie version of the hit Broadway musical Annie. Cumming played the smooth talking brother of Miss Agatha Hannigan (Kathy Bates)- Daniel “Rooster” Hannigan while Chenoweth played his ditzy girlfriend Lilly St. Regis- you know, named after the hotel.

There are several awards highly anticipated by Broadway fans around the world. The nominees for best play include The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night Time, Disgraced, Hand to God, and Wolf Hall Parts One and Two. Best musical nominees include An American in Paris, Fun Home, Something Rotten, and The Visit. The phenomenal nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role of a Musical include Kristin Chenoweth (On the Twentieth Century), Leanne Cope (An American in Paris), Beth Malone (Fun Home), Kelli O’Hara (The King and I), and Chita Rivera (The Visit). Surprisingly, the most buzzed about award of the season is Best Actress in a Featured Role of a Musical due to the amount of actresses from crowd favorite Fun Home. The nominees include Victoria Clark (Gigi), Judy Kuhn (Fun Home), Sydney Lucas (Fun Home), Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I), and Emily Skeggs (Fun Home).

As the night approaches faster and faster, theater kids across the world get more restless by the minute. This highly anticipated evening will hopefully satisfy the thirst of Broadway for those who get a small taste once a year until the next season comes to a close.

Care and Keeping of Your Vocal Chords

By Hailie Gold

There are a lot of do’s and don’ts when it comes to the vocal chords (also known as the vocal folds or vocal reeds).  For example, you should try to avoid lots of dairy, especially milk, when you’re getting ready to do a lot  of singing or talking.  Dairy coats the vocal chords, making them have to work harder, which can put a strain on them.  Caffeine and high acidity level foods should also be held at arms length while you are sick or working on a project, as they have similar effects.

Something I’ve been told, but I can’t bring myself to do, is to wait four hours after eating to go to bed.  When you lay down after eating, food can creep up your throat and potentially “burn” your vocal chords.  When I say burn, it goes back to the amount of acidic foods you eat.  As sad as it may sound, try to avoid screaming when possible.  One year I went to Disney World and went on a lot of roller coasters.  When I  came home, I was very hoarse and my voice teacher wasn’t very pleased…

A big thing to watch out for, if nothing else, is over singing.  Many professional actors go on complete vocal rest during shows when they’re not on stage (when their  roles are overly vocal strenuous) as to avoid over singing- or vocal fry.  If you’ve been singing for a while, especially if you are belting, and your throat is starting hurt, stop singing as much as you can, and drink lots of water! If you do this too many times, you could put yourself at risk for getting nodules.  Vocal cord nodules are small lumps you get on your chords, that can cause serious damage if left untreated.  Vocal chords are like any other part of the body, and should be treated with care.  You wouldn’t walk around with a broken arm and not get it looked at, right?

I am not a medical practitioner, these are just pieces of wisdom I have gathered from voice teachers and acting coaches over the years.  If you experience real vocal troubles, always consult a professional.

 

Guide to Character Studies

By Sami DeSocio

When you’re given a part, one of the first things an actor will do is break the character down. This will help them to portray the character realistically onstage. However, if you’re a theater nut there are times you’ll deconstruct a character for nothing more than fun!

What goes into a character study? Where do you start and how do you know when you’ve dug everything you can out of the character?

My first piece of advice is to read the entire play and listen to the entire score (if it’s a musical). Get to know the character through their words, actions, and even music. Really pay attention and listen to how they speak, and imagine yourself in the role.

Next, there are a few important questions you need to answer about the character: Where are they in life? Where are they geographically? What’s the time period? What happened in the character’s life to lead them to the moment of the show? How are they related to everything and everyone around them? Now, a lot of these won’t be answered by the actual play or score-they are questions you, as the actor, need to come up with. That’s part of the fun! In order for the character to feel real to the audience, it needs to feel real to you. A character study is how you get that feeling.

This is also the time where the actor should be doing research on the time period. For example, I played a character whose father was in World War II, but I had no frame of reference for it besides what I had learned in history classes. On my own, I went to work researching the time period. I looked up what women would’ve worn, what music was popular, what other events were going on in the world at the time besides the war- things that would’ve been part of my character’s every day world and life. I completely immersed myself in the world of the 1940s, to the point where I purchased CDs of artists of the time period and would listen to them before rehearsals to get myself in the moment. I also kept all of my research close to me at the start of rehearsals in case I needed a reminder of what I was working with.

A good director will do all of this characterization with the cast, devoting a full rehearsal to sitting with the cast and weaving everything together with them. They will ask them about relationships to fellow characters, and how they view the world around them. A good director won’t tell you if you’re right or wrong unless you’re so out in left field you can’t tell the story correctly anymore. Directors often do not want to interfere with too much of a persons character ideals, but often want to be let in on. The more the actor can share with the director, either through words or actions, the better the performance will be and the more appreciative the director will be to not have to do that part of the work for the actor.

Once you’ve made your decisions about who the character is and what they stand for, you need to stick with it. It’s the only way to really get to know who you’re portraying, to not let the character change too much once you’re settled in their skin.

What characters have you enjoyed analyzing? Was it just for yourself, or for a role? Leave a comment below the article!

What Makes a Sondheim Musical Unique

By Hailie Gold

Stephen Sondheim is one of, if not the most, musically adventurous composer in musical theater history. He got his start mentoring under Oscar Hammerstein III, but his career really kicked off when he wrote the spontaneous lyrics for the golden age musical, West Side Story, as well as the lyrics for Gypsy.  He later went on to compose and write lyrics some of the most iconic musicals of this day and age, including Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Follies, Company, and so many others.

His compositions are some of the most challenging shows to stage, with all of their intricate details, and required large sets.  The scores for his musicals may look a bit intimidating with their spoken, or patter songs;  large group harmonies, and use of  abnormal instruments in the orchestra, but once everything comes together, it makes for an  extraordinary production.

One of the main challenges with Sondheim music is remembering the lyrics, because many them are off beat or not underscored by the orchestra.  Also,  he chooses many poetic words, which can be difficult to get out of your mouth in time.  Good diction is a useful skill when performing Sondheim.  The vocal range he writes for is also quite extreme, typically with several specific soprano ranges; a handful of strong tenors;  some strong belting altos, and a few baritone/basses. I could only compare it to the work Andrew Lloyd Webber, but Sondheim generally caters to a smaller cast ensemble.

I believe Sondheim has had a remarkably successful career, and has created some of the most cherished classics.  Plus, he has  a Broadway Theater named after him, and if that’s not one of the highest honors, I don’t know what is.