How a student production of 'Urinetown' is embracing the power of Zoom

In a normal year, KJK Productions would work with high school students to present a full-length musical for a live audience. Of course, these days, an in-person project like that would be impossible. Instead, this daring creative team decided to jump headfirst into the world of Zoom to create a unique virtual version of Urinetown. Using green screens, ring lights, new microphones, and some serious editing, this is not your average “zoomsical”.

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A Love Letter to Community Theatre

Dear Community Theatre,

Before I had become acquainted with you, I was a young child. A young, introverted, homeschooled, shy-as-hell child. My mother had said before then we should get to know each other, but I didn’t budge. I didn’t want a spotlight. I didn’t want a line. I wanted to stay in my room and be left alone. I didn’t see what you had to offer, what my potential with you was, and I didn’t care.

Now, I can’t thank you enough.

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University cancels performance weeks before opening due to diversity issues

“Earlier this month, the University of Utah decided to cancel their production of Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World due to a failure “to address essential issues of representation and identity presented by the script.” To add insult to injury, theatre department officials pulled the show two weeks before it was set to stream online, after students had already been cast and rehearsing for months.”

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Toxic Fans and Gatekeeping in the Musical Theatre Community

“What is wrong with the theatre fandom is the belief that objectively, some musicals are better than others, and that if you like a certain show, you aren’t the right kind of theatre fan. Gatekeeping is the practice of musical theatre fans who feel that they have the authority to determine who belongs and who doesn’t belong based on whether or not someone is a ‘true fan.’”

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