Spotlight
Stories that deserve your attention
The Spotlight’s on Someone I Loathe—Now What?
“Theatre is wild and weird, and everyone's path looks different. Comparison is a trap that steals your energy and creativity. Reconnect with what you love about performing, directing, designing—whatever your thing is. Your journey might be messier or slower, but it’s yours, and it matters.”
Theatre Professors, Cast Your Theatre Majors First
“If we agree that theatre is best learned by doing, then we have to protect the opportunity to do—to rehearse, to perform, to take risks on stage—for the students who have made theatre their primary academic pursuit.”
Tech Week Isn’t Supposed to Be a Nightmare—If Everyone Does Their Job
“The next time you hear someone complain about how stressful tech week is, ask the real question: Is tech week stressful, or is someone just unprepared?”
A Love Letter to the Movers: Theatre's Not-So-Secret Weapon
“Let’s face it: in real life, not everyone can do a triple pirouette into a death drop. Movers remind us that you don’t have to be perfect to be powerful. You just have to show up, plant your feet, and act the hell out of that scene.”
Priced Out of the Tragedy: The Real Irony of Paying $900 to See 'Othello' on Broadway
“What does it mean when this story, with this cast, becomes financially out of reach for so many? What happens when the people who would connect most deeply to the themes of the play — the ones who see themselves in Othello — can’t afford to be in the room?”
Do We Still Need Off-Book Dates?
“I believe in the power of preparation. I love a sharp cue pickup. I appreciate an actor who comes in knowing their material inside and out. But I also know that theatre is an act of discovery. And sometimes, putting pressure on a fixed off-book date stifles the very process we’re trying to nurture.”
“Why Am I Bad at Acting?” (And What To Do About It)
“If you’re feeling “bad” at acting, it probably just means you’re in a stretch zone. That’s not failure—it’s progress in disguise. So don’t give up. Get specific. Get curious. And get to work. You’re not bad. You’re building.”
'Chicago' at 50: From Bold to Brand—Are Today’s Audiences Listening to its Message?
“Fifty years is a big deal. It is long enough to be a classic and long enough to become a machine. It is also long enough to pause and ask: Is the message still coming through the glitter?”
Broadway’s $900 Ticket Problem: Why Streaming Is the Solution
“Until we expand the Broadway model beyond the box office, ticket prices aren’t going to drop. They can’t. The current system just doesn’t allow for it. Streaming is not about diluting the magic—it’s about sharing it. With the kid in Kansas. With the teacher in Detroit. With the parent who wants to introduce their child to Shakespeare but can’t swing $900 for Othello.”
Dear High School Directors, Please Don’t Build the Season Around One Star
“Theatre education should be about ensemble. When we pick shows based on a single student’s strength, we’re not just limiting opportunities for others. We’re also limiting that student’s growth.”
Broadway’s Spring 2025 Lineup: Waiting to Be Wowed
“Every season, Broadway unveils a fresh lineup of shows, hoping to dazzle audiences with something new, unexpected, or just plain spectacular. And usually, I’m ready to dive in headfirst. But as I look at what’s coming this spring, I have to admit… I’m not exactly counting down the days.”
Hey Donald, There’s No Such Thing as a “Non-Woke” Musical
“Musical theatre has always been about progress. It’s about seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. It’s about imagining something better. That’s why the idea of a “non-woke” musical is absurd. It doesn’t exist. It never has.”