When I was 17, I auditioned for my dream role. I knew the cast album by heart, I thought I was the perfect fit for the role; no one else would be better than I was. I didn't get the part I wanted but I accepted a part in the ensemble thinking that all I needed was to be gracious and be a part of the show.

I regret it.

I want you to do me a favor. The next time you see a Broadway show, or any show for that matter, I want to you pay very close attention the lead actors and I want you to consider this question, 

Could a fuller-figured performer play that role? Would it have changed your perception of the show at all?

The answers, if you're smart, should be yes and then no. 

Actors, actresses - cast your minds back to the first show you ever did. Can you remember the director? Can you remember the feeling of hanging on their every word because you know that this person will train you to be the best you can be?

It’s almost January which means it's prime audition time! You’ve already made the decision that you want to pursue Theatre, but now comes the nerve-wracking audition process. Your mind is running at a million miles a minute and all you can think of is the material you need to learn, the judges you need to impress, etc! I won’t try to tell you it’s going to be easy, but I will give you some ways to make a great first impression at these auditions!

The theatres and other performance art venues are very much as a contribution to what becomes our cherished experiences as the show itself. Performance arts venues can hold their own intrinsic magic. As performing artists, we often hold our very own secret dream “bucket list” of performance venues very dear in our hearts and minds. 

Here are some (of my personal favourite) theatres and venues throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, great and small.

BroadwayCon 2018 is going to be big, no doubt about that. With expected panels of the casts of Come from Away and the original cast of In The Heights to appearances of your favorite Broadway stars, a lot of going to be happening in the various venue spaces within the Javit Center. 

While I feel we are still years away from seeing what Lin-Manuel Miranda and Hamilton's influence will be on the future musical theatre, there's no doubt that it's a true catalyst in bringing more hip-hop musicals to Broadway. 

Anastasia the musical, is based on both the 1997 animated film by Fox and the 1956 version starring Yul Brynner and Ingrid Bergman. My normal MO is to read, listen and discover everything I can about the shows I’m seeing ahead of time. With this show, I read the opening night reviews and decided I’d rather be surprised than let myself become jaded from others viewpoints. I’m glad I did.

If you're thinking like the head of a community theatre group, March 1, 2018, is a very important date. On that day, the amateur rights to Newsies become available. Believe me when I say this is going to be a hot property for the foreseeable future. There are two amateur productions opening in my home state of Connecticut in the next couple of months alone. Also, given the immense youth fanbase this piece has, I am willing to bet it will be a high school production chestnut for years to come. 

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.