Spotlight
Stories that deserve your attention
Strategies to Attract Boys to Audition for School Productions
“One challenge that persists in many schools is the underrepresentation of boys in theatre programs and productions. Here are some ideas and strategies for educators and directors to get more boys interested in school theatre.”
How “Carousel” Changed Broadway
“Carousel is an extraordinary show with problematic elements but I believe it codified the musical drama.”
Competitive Dance Should Be Embraced As A Team Sport By Schools
“I have friends and family who push their kids away from dance, gymnastics, theatre, and into sports, even if their kids don’t have much organic interest in it. This could not be more wrong. Dance takes as much practice, good cheer, sportsmanship, and fitness as any of the other sports.”
10 Tips for Incoming 1st-Year College Theatre Students
“While some college theatre programs are more rigorous than others, there are definitely tips that can help make the first year both fun and enlightening.”
I Can't Stand Censorship in Community Theatre
For over forty years, I have been performing and directing in community theatre, and one thing has been a real concern to me…censorship of a published work.
I guess for me; it is about presenting the piece as it was written for the stage. By not doing this, you are not giving an audience the real product as it was meant to be. I was involved in a production of The Full Monty, and we did THE FULL MONTY at the end of the show. Audiences loved it! You do need to have the right lighting effects in order to pull this off, of course. But we did, and it went off without a hitch.
When allowed to direct it for another theatre company possibly, I asked if they would be going all the way. Their answer was, “No.” That cemented my answer for that opportunity.
Ranking All the “Descendants” Movie Soundtrack Songs
“Descendants” is now adapted and licensed for schools to perform. Because the musical left off so many good songs, we wanted to get into the entire catalog and rank from best to worst. “
How “Hair” Changed Broadway
““Hair” forced Broadway to reckon with rock music and introduced the rock musical as a Broadway genre.”
Stop Worrying About Being a Triple Threat
“Take pride in your strengths and work to turn your weaknesses into strengths. Every snowflake that comes down in a blizzard is unique, as is every actor that walks across the stage.”
The Challenge of Performing "Assassins" After an Assassination Attempt on the Former President
In the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, we spoke to two community theatres that are in the midst of performing Sondheim’s musical, ‘Assassins’.
Dear Theatre Students, Don't Throw Away Your Shot!
Dear theatre students,
We’ve met before, but as a reminder, my name is Chris and I am a theatre professor. While I might not be YOUR theatre professor, and while I don’t claim to speak for ALL theatre professors, I wanted to take just a moment to talk about your futures. I think what I have to say is important to those of you in college theatre programs, and also those of you who are hoping to go into a college theatre program—but perhaps other theatre artists, in various stages in their careers, might find some utility in my advice.
It's Still Important to See Shakespeare Performances
“Shakespeare is a bit of a touchy subject in the theatre industry, and that’s for one reason: either you love it or you hate it.”
When a Freshman Gets the Lead Role...
“This happened at my school, and it practically started a riot within the theatre department.”