So in my last Blog I discussed how there are some major obstacles that school theater programs are facing on a large scale. You were probably left with a lot of questions. What can be done to help remedy the situation? How can I help? What can larger organizations do to help? What can directors do to help improve their programs? I’ve compiled some easy fix answers and thought up some crazy out of the box thoughts that may help improve musical theater education in schools.

Whether it’s crazy high belting, bringing something so unique to every role, or now, replacing (or rather, reinventing), there’s nothing that Betsy Wolfe cannot do. It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of hers—in fact, so much so that I would fly across the country twice in one summer to see her perform—and seeing her in Waitress was everything I imagined it to be, and more. There was just something so utterly magical about Betsy’s take on Jenna that made me see the character differently.

Theatre Folk have… a very unique set of pet peeves. Some of it’s stuff that is just common workplace etiquette for ANY job. But there are a few that specifically bother thespians. Because goddammit Mary how many times do we have to tell you that your spotlight is LITERALLY THREE FEET TO STAGE RIGHT. Obviously they happen enough that it’s a running gag with many actors and crew. But for those of you new to our little profession (hopefully you don’t do these if you’ve been in the process a while) here’s a few tips about what NOT to do after you’ve booked the job.

In the hit television drama SMASH, fictional Broadway producer Tom Levitt notes to his stage manager that he “hate(s) working with gays”, to which she replies “You’re in the wrong business then”, playing off the fact that Broadway is full of gay men. While this makes for a witty bit and a quick laugh, it plays off a much larger stereotype that theater in itself is gay, as is anyone who enjoys it. But is it true? Is theater truly “gay”?

Can a production meeting actually be productive? Yes that can happen, things can run smoothly and an agenda can followed closely. It’s a great feeling to leave the meeting with such a sense of accomplishment.

The end of the summer usually brings with it news of Broadway show closings. So far we've seen On Your Feet!, The Great Comet, Bandstand and Groundhog Day all make their closing announcements. 

It should be noted that all four of these shows received somewhat favorable to glowing reviews along with Tony nominations and wins. While they are shutting their doors in the coming weeks, one show that did not receive positive reviews or a single Tony nod is still going strong, I'm talking about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Community sponsorship of school is one of the primary ways most of these programs survive. Many have their students required to sell ads or having to pay a fee. Other programs will have it done on a volunteer basis in order to meet a quota. In any event, many of the mom and pop restaurants, realtors, and other stores will support their programs however they can. They are the economic backbone of our musical theater programs and we cannot thank or applaud them enough for what they do and continue to do.

Royal Family Productions, a non-profit theatre company known for its innovative productions and development of new original work, is partnering with We So Hapa, a non-profit group founded to showcase multi-ethnic talent, for this diversity-centric, one-night-only cabaret event entitled Songs of Otherness on Friday, September 1, 2017 at Royal Family Performing Arts Space (145 West 46th Street, 3rd Floor). Tickets for the cabaret start at $25 and can be purchased by clicking http://bit.ly/SongsofOtherness and you can find out more information by vising www.WeSoHapa.com and www.RoyalFamilyProductions.org.

So in my last Blog I discussed how there are some major obstacles that school theater programs are facing on a large scale. You were probably left with a lot of questions. What can be done to help remedy the situation? How can I help? What can larger organizations do to help? What can directors do to help improve their programs? I’ve compiled some easy fix answers and thought up some crazy out of the box thoughts that may help improve musical theater education in schools.

There have been several productions of Shakespeare plays which have chosen to directly and explicitly use said play to comment on politics; the idea goes surely even further back than Orson Welles' 1937 production of Caesar which focused on the rise of Fascism with a 'Hitler, Mussolini clone'. Caesar has resembled, in various productions, Huey Long, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and even Obama. And yet there was something not quite right for me about Shakespeare in the Park's recent production of Julius Caesar which had funding pulled due to controversy.