Is it just me or are revivals of shows on Broadway, getting better and better these days? With the early praise of Once on this Island and the soon-to-open productions of Carousel and My Fair Lady, revivals are becoming the must-see productions nowadays. Here are 10 more we'd love to see come back sooner than later.
Read MoreEveryone has a role they would love to play but “can’t” because it is not their gender. This writer feels that there are plenty of roles that could be gender flipped and would have no negative effect on the show, and may even make the show better. Hamilton was revolutionary because it changed the race of famous figures who were white. That’s an excellent start for growing the diversity on stage; but I believe we can take it one step further. By changing the gender of certain roles, it gives a production a completely new take. It can make a show you’ve seen for years suddenly feel brand new, like you’re seeing it for the first time.
Read MoreAs performers, we find ourselves in the dreaded “off-season” far more than we probably want to. Either work is hard to find, or we move cities, or life throws us curve balls that force us to take breaks. This time of year, college students are returning home for two weeks or more, which I recall seemed like an eternity after a semester of nonstop work.
Read MoreLea Salonga is a household name, at least in my home. Growing up she was basically the only Asian leading lady I saw in Broadway shows. She was also the first ethnic Disney princess I was exposed to. To this day Jasmine is still my favorite princess. She also won Best Lead Actress in a musical in 1991 for Miss Saigon. She has since had an incredible career and is still killing it!
Ms. Salonga is currently performing in Once on this Island on Broadway as Erzulie. Go see it. This show is beautifully staged and the performers are fantastic storytellers.
Read MoreThis summer, The New York Times published Alexis Soloski’s article “Actors With Disabilities Are Ready, Willing and Able to Take More Roles[NG1] ,” which is about another facet of the diversity in theater issue. The surge in colorblind casting is perhaps the most important theater trend of the year but Soloski points out that true diversity on stage means more than skin color. Increasingly, disabled actors are being showcased, whether portraying a character written with a similar condition in mind (like having Gregg Mozgala, an actor who has cerebral palsy, play a CP patient in the Williamstown Theater Festival’s production of “Cost of Living”) or casting a disabled actor in a role that wasn’t written specifically for one (like casting paraplegic Ali Stroker as Anna in “Spring Awakening,” making her the first wheelchair-user to perform on Broadway and at the Tonys). We’re seeing this on a smaller scale outside the theater too. Deaf model Nyle DiMarco recently won “Dancing With The Stars” and Hollywood is starting to wise up the issue, albeit slower. [NG2] Much, much slower. [NG3]
Read MoreAs a teacher and musical theater director, I have found myself struggling. I am turning on my television, going on Facebook, or browsing the internet and seeing so many discouraging things out there. We have polar opposites vying for the presidency, violence against law enforcement and minorities, sexism, racism, whitewashing casts, and even clown threats to our society. How do we explain this to children? How do we teach them to be better human beings with compassion, humility, and understanding? What can we do as musical theater educators and community theater programs?
Read MoreWhile there has been some positive change in the theater world, there is a growing issue of things staying the same.
For the sake of ease, I’ll refer to it as The-OBC-Did-It-That-Way-Syndrome; that is to say directors forgoing their own artistic input and simply recreating the original Broadway production. It’s an issue I’ve noticed a lot recently, especially at community theater productions or amateur shows. Everything down to the costuming, set, mannerisms and blocking are taken almost 100 percent from the libretto. There is nothing inherently wrong with this – those choices were made with the original creative team and are in the script for a reason – but far too often it impedes directorial creativity and makes the amateur version feel like a pale imitation of the original. The thrill of seeing your child/brother/friend/parent on stage aside, these copycat productions do little but offer the same nostalgia as watching The Wizard of Oz on late-night television for the hundredth time.
Read MoreI’ve been seeing this debate going on in a lot of Broadway groups I’m in. Some people support them completely, others, like many Broadway actors and producers, tell people that if they were “real” fans, they wouldn’t watch them. I’m going to say straight up that I am a fan, but to a certain point, which I will explain why while looking at both sides of this debate and why you should support or degrade bootlegs.
Read MoreHaving been both a performer and a director, you don't ever have to prove to me the intestinal fortitude of actors. I've seen performers go on stage with injuries, sickness, and other issues. But then there are some moments where I've seen performers go through tremendous tragedy or distress and I wonder how they were able to breathe let alone get on stage and perform a two-hour show.
I spoke to two actresses who I know went through situations like this. While they might have performed in two very different venues, both were given devastating news just hours before a performance. While their perspective worlds were falling apart around them, they were able to get on stage and perform as if nothing was wrong. Here are their stories
Read MoreThis was a question that was recently posed to me during a coffee chat with a theatre friend. To be quite honest, I didn't have an answer. Reason being, it makes no logical sense to me. At this point, I have to believe that there is some sort of dark conspiracy to prevent this man from ever winning a Tony Award.
Becuase if you look at his resume, it bewilders me how he doesn't have multiple spinning medals already.
Read More
