We only have six days left until ECHOStage's cast of Bye Bye Birdie takes the main stage! As we prepare for the move into our performance space, we have to strike our set, repaint it, and load it up into the drama room and eventually into the U-Haul. Most of our focus has been on the MacAfee's house. This is our first time building a house like this, so it's definitely a learning experience for all involved. Because of a project like this, our cast really noticed the importance of teamwork. There's something everyone can help with, even a cast member with no artistic abilities whatsoever (me) can help paint the drops a single solid color and manage to be successful at it!! It's not even just the structure of the house itself, but all the little details that go into it, like sketching and painting details like the oven and little things that will make it more realistic. 

I recently had the pleasure of seeing my friend Gabrielle Dixon perform on the Fulton Stage in Ghost the Musical. Gabby and I have been in Hairspray before where she played Motormouth Maybelle, and I played Lil' Inez. It's always a joy and so much fun to support your friends in a show. In Ghost the Musical, the part of Oda Mae Brown (played in the movie by the famous comedian, Whoopi Goldberg) is portrayed brilliantly by E. Faye Butler. A few days ago, Ms. Butler's understudy, Janelle McDermoth who normally plays Clara, went on as Oda Mae which meant that my friend Gabby had the chance to play Clara, Oda Mae's sister.

For those of you not familiar with the musical Fiddler on the Roof, it is a show about a Jewish family that lives in a small village called Anatevka in 1905. Tevye, the father of the household, struggles to maintain the family's traditions while three of his five daughters wish to marry for love. During this time, the tension between the Jews living in Anatevka and the Russian Tsar continues to rise.

I sat on a bench by myself beside a winding staircase and several closed doors, where other 17-year-olds like me were pouring their hearts out in audition room. I smoothed my dark blue dress and twisted my perfectly curled hair in between my fingers anxiously. My right leg was crossed over my left, and my foot was tapping the air sporadically as if that would help ease the nerves. I looked at the clock and only 30 seconds had passed since I had last checked the time. 

The people you surround yourself with have a great effect on what you do, how you act, and who you are. As performers and people who have an interest in the entertainment world, we have big dreams and many critics. And of course, being in high school and trying to figure it all out doesn't help either.

With Hamilton making a splash on the Great White Way, and shows like Waitress bringing a new sound to the theatre community, there is no denying that pop musicals are making their mark on Broadway. New productions combine daring storylines with catchy songs that are definitely not considered "traditional musical theatre." These productions feature a genre of music that reflects the changing world around us and a generation coming in to their own. Besides a fresh sound, these musicals offer one more element reflecting the progression of our modern world: empowering roles for women both on and off the stage, bringing progression out of storybooks and in to reality for a new generation of female thespians.

Spanaway Lake High School rocks you into the 60's with the hilarious musical, HAIRSPRAY. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

On Sunday afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending my school's Society of the Arts induction ceremony. It honors women who have graduated from our school and gone on to Broadway or have successful jobs in the Arts. I enjoyed hearing stories of past productions at my high school that took place on the stage that I am performing on today. After the ceremony, I had the pleasure of asking three of the honorees, all past theatre students, one question: What would you tell your high school theatre self now after achieving your goals?

I wake up to sunlight streaming in my window and birds singing "Opening Up" from Waitress.  There's a delightfully positive mood in the air that signals that something amazing is about to happen.  I check my phone and…

?Spanaway Lake High School rocks you into the 60's with the hilarious musical, HAIRSPRAY!

Check out my vlog post below, asking the question, 'What are your theatre traditions?'

There comes a time in every young actor's life where they're cast in a challenging role. Whether the part is physically demanding, musically difficult, or just a strange role to play, all actors have been there at some point or another. When most people recall their hardest roles, it's a fond experience. Maybe they were a lead dancer in Anything Goes, and they hadn't taken one tap lesson in their life. Maybe they were Princess Fiona in Shrek the Musical, and they had to paint themselves green in between scenes. Maybe they were Cinderella in Into the Woods, and they had to fall flat on their face every other scene. What was my hardest role? I was the front end of a cow.

Yes, that is a Wicked pun in the title, and yes, I did mean to make that pun. I don't think I have to explain the importance of musical theatre to a website of the biggest theatre geeks on the planet, but I do think I should explain the importance of musical theatre to me. 

Hello Broadway World readers!! I'm dedicating my first blog post to the club that EVERY school should have. That's right, I'm talking about Improv theatre. Here are my three reasons on why schools should add an Improv Theatre Company into their list of clubs:

It was Monday afternoon, and the dismissal bell had just rung. I tried to clear my head as I said goodbye to my friends who were going home to nap and study for the impending math final. But, my mind wasn't preoccupied with derivatives or integrals. Rather, it had shifted gears completely from student to director. As I walked into rehearsal, my brain was fully focused on the PAINT that was SPILLED ALL OVER THE STAGE AND THE FLOOR. 

A forest has sprung up in Winter Garden, FL as West Orange High School's production of Into the Woods approaches opening night. The fairy tale musical, written by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, is being presented April 29-30 and May 5-8. 

Theatre was something I knew I was interested in ever since I was little. I joined the drama club in fifth grade, but I was a shy little flower back then. I didn't think I was good enough to continue theatre when I reached the sixth grade. But when I saw the performances my school put on, I was amazed. The costumes, the dancing, the singing. I was drawn to it. So the next school year right after that, I knew I had to join them. I couldn't stand and watch anymore. I wanted to be on stage. I wanted to wear the costumes and dance with the ensemble and sing my heart out. I had to be a part of what I was tragically missing! 

Let's be real. I want to score tickets to Lin Manuel Miranda's new hit musical Hamilton. So, imagine my dismay when I am waiting in line to enter the theatre doors of another musical in New York when all of a sudden, some lady begins to talk about how confusing Hamilton was. 'I don't understand. Why are they all black? The presidents weren't black.' This brought to my attention how blind certain people can be to color-conscious casting. Recently, Hamilton posted online that they were seeking 'non-white' performers to fill the spots of characters in Hamilton. This notice sent up almost immediate conflict because of the term 'non-white'. Lawyerly responses stated, 'The New York City Human Rights Law forbids discrimination in hiring based on race.' In other words, there can be no limitations or restrictions in the hiring process based on what someone looks like physically.

"Nevermore". Blackout … Lights up. Bows. Appreciative gestures to the tech crew. Company bow. The end.

The 'Gershwin Musical Comedy Extravaganza' CRAZY FOR YOU opens at Faith Conservatory.

Hey there fellow theatre fans!  My name is Kaci, and I welcome you to my little blog series focusing on theatre communities and acting from a Texas perspective.  I am a high school student currently working on Hamilton.

In the performing arts world, new talent is always sought. With thousands and thousands of young student performers, it's sort of hard for many kids to seize an opportunity for themselves. And when one small audition finally crosses a kid's path, it's even more difficult to compete with the loads of others just like them, hoping for a start to their dream career. Luckily for Parkway Middle School of the Arts, an opportunity came riding their way, and boy, did they take it. 

It has been quite a stellar theatre season for the Ft. Lauderdale High School Stageplayers, who took creativity to a new level with two of the most vibrant musicals available. FLHS Drama has put itself on the map in the past in the ever-growing South Florida theatre community; the Stageplayers received the Southeast Regional High School Theatre Honors Program Award in 2015. Despite the accolade, FLHS Drama refused to take a breather. The club buckled itself into the driver's seat of South Florida high school theatre, speeding to new intersections of artistry and charisma. 

It's cutting down to the wire on our production of Bye Bye Birdie! We have about three weeks left until opening night on May 11th, and we have so much left to do. We've blocked and choreographed everything except 'Shriner's Ballet' and 'An English Teacher', so now it's time to polish our dances to make sure they look perfect! Choreography is such an important part of this show, so we definitely have to work extra hard with our choreographer and vocal director to make sure that when we dance, our vocals stay strong, which has been sort of a weak spot for us so far. Another huge part of this show is off-focus acting, which really comes into play the most during 'Honestly Sincere' as all the teens, adults, and even the mayor's wife can't help but be mesmerized by Conrad's charm. 

As I sit typing on my laptop, I know deep inside that I am less than 24 hours away from tech week. This tech week will be my third tech of the year.