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5 Must-Know Musicals with Hispanic Heartbeats

Patty Craft — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 21:04:11 +0000

A willingness to remember the past, and the trailblazers who made a way for today’s Latinx artists to shine on stage, is at the core of this post celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM) in the U.S.

In 2023, Broadway got the party started early in September with the ¡Viva! Broadway concert. It was a showcase of current Latin excellence on Broadway. Some participants were asked: “Who is a Latin performer in the industry who inspires you?”

Today’s artists provide shoutouts to some of “the five you want to know” when it comes to musicals with Hispanic heartbeats.

1. West Side Story

Yani Marin, proud daughter of Cuban immigrant parents and an actress, dancer, singer, and producer from North Bergen, NJ, named living legend Rita Moreno her inspiration. Marin said, “I am inspired by Moreno’s phenomenal career, and I pray I can still be doing what I love when I’m her age.” Moreno is 91 years old at the time of this post and most recently served as an executive producer on the 2021 remake of the film West Side Story.

Moreno is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer who has performed on stage and screen in a career that spans seven decades. She starred in the 1961 film adaptation of the 1957 musical West Side Story. The story is an updated telling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – star-crossed lovers struggling in modern-day New York City.

While West Side Story was (and is) a popular production, it’s vital to note that the 1961 film in which Moreno appeared is a source of controversy because it was written by non-Latinos: the music was written by Leonard Bernstein, and the lyrics were written by Stephen Sondheim. Brown face was used on many of the actors, including Natalie Wood, who played Maria. In fact, Moreno was the only Latina involved in the production! Still, it has an enduring place in the American musical theatre cannon and more recent productions (including the 2021 film adaptation) have striven to bring a higher level of authenticity to the material.

2. In the Heights

Jaime Lozano, musical theatre composer and self-proclaimed dreamer was asked to name a Latin performer who inspires him and named Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lozano said, “Lin-Manuel has been always an inspiration and a great supporter of what we [the Viva Broadway organizers] are doing.”

Miranda made his Broadway debut in 2008 with In the Heights, for which he wrote the music and lyrics, while also starring in the leading role. The story revolves around a street corner in the Dominican Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, where everyone pursues their sueñitos (little dreams) for a better life.

3. Hamilton

Miranda returned to Broadway in 2015 with Hamilton, another show for which he wrote the script, music, and lyrics (sung and rapped) while assuming the lead role. Hamilton earned the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for a record 16 Tony Awards (winning 11).

If you’re a musical theatre lover, you’d have to have been under the proverbial rock not to know that Hamilton has become a pop-culture phenom. It’s the story of U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton’s fight for honor and love, striving to leave a legacy that helped shape a nation.

4. Kiss of the Spider Woman

Thirty years ago, Kiss of the Spider Woman ran in the West End and on Broadway. The show won the 1993 Tony Award for Best Musical. The story is based on the Manuel Puig novel El Beso de la Mujer Araña.

The story is about two prisoners in one dank cell somewhere in Latin America: A Marxist guerilla named Valentín and a gay window dresser named Molina. As the story unfolds, they learn to understand their differences and respect one another.

A movie by the same name was made in 1985 starring William Hurt and Raúl Juliá. (Yes, you may be more familiar with Juliá in his role as Gomez in the 1990s movie versions of The Addams Family!) 

5. On Your Feet

To round out “the five you need to know” when it comes to Broadway musicals with Hispanic influence, check out the 2015 jukebox musical On Your Feet. It hit Broadway at the Marquis Theatre. The story showcased the pop-music hits of Gloria Estefan, her husband, Emilio Estefan, and their group Miami Sound Machine. Give the soundtrack a listen – the rhythm is gonna get you. (Sorry, not sorry.)

The History of National Hispanic Heritage Month

In the U.S., National Hispanic Heritage Month began as National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968. Then in 1988, the celebrations were extended to a full month running from September 15 to October 15. We’ll let you explore on your own why the festivities straddle both September and October and learn what the Cry of Dolores refers to; a phrase you may hear associated with NHHM.

Patty Craft is a regular contributor to the Educational Theatre Association.

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Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop

Patty Craft — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:57:59 +0000

Before Hamilton became synonymous with hip-hop theatre, nearly five decades of the hip-hop movement supported that massive hit. So, yes, if you’re a high school student reading this article, there’s a good chance your grandparents were grooving along the cutting edge of hip-hop’s birth into our world culture. (Grooving? Go ask your grandma.) 

The start of hip-hop history

In summer 1973 in Brooklyn, NY, DJ Kool Herc was spinning vinyl at a party, and had a wild idea. He put the same record on a pair of turntables, then isolated and extended the instrumental/percussion breaks – all the better to bring dancers onto the floor, he thought. He was more right than he could’ve ever predicted.

The people heard music in a way they’d never before experienced and were pulled to the rhythm and the beat. Without planning to, Herc had created a hot, new form of expression that took root in the souls at that party as soon as the sound hit their ears. From that tiny seed of experience, hip-hop has grown into a global influence in music, dance, fashion, language, technology, art, and so much more. It’s more than a musical category or style of dance: It’s a movement.

But what, exactly, is hip-hop

We did a short, unscientific experiment and said this phrase to a handful of different aged people and ethnic groups asking them to fill in the blank: “We say hip-hop, you say [fill in the blank].”

The answers we got largely fell into three categories:

Hip-hop is a movement; a culture
Hip-hop is a musical category
Hip-hop is a style of dance

Lin-Manuel Miranda on Hip-Hop

In a July 2020 interview with Billboard.com, Lin-Manuel Miranda said, “I mean, hip-hop’s the language of revolution, and it’s our greatest American art form.” 

However, long before Miranda spoke with Billboard, we interviewed him for Dramatics Magazine in March 2016 and he wasn’t talking so much about revolution as he was about being an aspiring actor. Here’s a brief excerpt we love, because, well, #thespiansforever:

[Miranda’s] earliest artistic goal was to be in his sixth-grade play. “The entire school would watch the sixth-grade play,” he said. “I remember as young as second or third grade already fantasizing, ‘What’s going to be the sixth-grade play when we get to sixth grade?’ It’s funny in retrospect to think how much of my life was spent thinking, ‘What show are we going to get to do?’ which is not the usual elementary school concern.

For fun, test your Hamilton IQ with our most popular quiz.

Hip-hop in theatre today

While Hamilton gets a huge amount of attention these days (rightly so), hip-hop’s influence has been seen and heard in a variety of musical productions: “Witch’s Rap” from Into the Woods, Stephen Sondheim in 1987; “Today 4 U” from Rent, Jonathan Larson in 1996; and “Dancing Is Not a Crime” from Footlose, Jeremy Kushnier in 1998, just to name a few.

Broadway choreography has also embraced hip-hop, with folks like: Jennifer Weber, 2023 Tony nominee for & Juliet and KPOP; Andy Blankenbuehler, multi-Tony winner for In the Heights and Hamilton; and Chirstopher Wheeldon, the talent behind MJ the Michael Jackson musical.

Choreography is especially important because it’s the easiest segway for students to bring their existing talents to the stage. If you’ve been to the International Thespian Festival (ITF), you’ve likely danced with Santana Trujillo in one of her hip-hop workshops. And if you haven’t experienced ITF yet, join us June 23-28, 2024 in Bloomington, Indiana.

Santana Trujillo is the owner of Gayton Dance Studio in Denver, and a favorite teaching artist at Thespian events like ITF in the United States and internationally.

Here’s Trujillo showing you how to step up your freestyle and TikTok game. These are five hip-hop dance moves every theatre student needs to know. Stand out at your next audition!

So whatever your niche is now or what you hope it will be, do yourself a favor and embrace hip-hop as one more must-understand theatre fundamental. It’s the way of the world, on stage and off.

Patty Craft is a regular contributor to Dramatics.org.

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3 Misconceptions About College Musical Theatre Auditions

Laura Enstall — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 12:52:37 +0000

Here’s the thing about college auditions for BFA musical theatre and acting programs: It’s a big process. There seems to be this looming, dark cloud that hangs over the words “COLLEGE AUDITIONS,” and students (and parents) cringe any time it’s mentioned. But why? Well, there are several reasons:

There’s much preparation that comes with these auditions;
This audition process is unlike anything you’ll ever experience in your life;
The competition is fierce.

In working with students, I’ve found many misconceptions about college musical theatre auditions. Below, we’re going to discuss three things you’ve got wrong about college auditions, and three ways to set yourself up for success!

MISCONCEPTION #1: COLLEGES WANT YOU TO FAIL

This idea comes from fear/nerves in the audition room. Whether a student is auditioning in a room full of auditors/college department heads, or a room of a few people, it can be really scary! You don’t know what is going through their mind. Your job is to perform and to perform well. Sometimes people make “thinking” faces and that can appear “mean” or “disapproving.” We have no idea what’s going on in someone’s mind, so don’t think too much into it. Go in, do your audition and do your best.

The truth is, the colleges want you to do well. They are looking for students to fit their programs just like you’re looking for a program to fit you! They’re not sitting behind the table thinking, “Ooh, I hope this student messes up on their monologue.” No way! They want you to have your best audition. If you don’t get a callback from a particular school, it means they didn’t think you would be a good fit that year for their program needs.

College musical theatre auditions are a big deal, and you do need to prepare according to the guidelines for each school and/or the Musical Theater Common Prescreen. This isn’t something that can be thrown together overnight or put together in a weekend—especially if you really want to succeed, stand out, and get into a program that is well-suited for you.

MISCONCEPTION #2: YOU WON’T FIND A SCHOOL

The biggest concern students have shared with me is not finding a school. They’re afraid they won’t get into a “good” theatre program. But there are so many theatre programs across the country—way more than the “Top 20” lists students find online. Are some of those schools great programs? Yes! Does it mean they are the only places you can receive quality acting or musical theatre training? No! Really, the fear is hearing “no” from all of these schools and not getting to pursue the dream anywhere.

How does one solve this problem? There isn’t a quick fix or a formula that guarantees you’ll get into a certain program. Each school is looking for students to fit their program that year. And since art is subjective, it could vary from year to year. You could be the most talented tenor in the room, but if a program is looking for basses, there’s nothing you can do. It doesn’t mean that you’re not talented. Plus, you want to be at a school where you’re wanted. While it may sound simple, the best thing you can do in an audition is go in and be you.

MISCONCEPTION #3: YOU NEED A BFA

First, let’s identify the difference between a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) and a BA (Bachelor of Arts). A BFA is a degree in musical theatre or acting, and is earned within the school of theatre at a university. (Note: some musical theatre degrees can be earned in the school of music). The courses for a BFA degree have a very specific track to follow, with some room for electives. You’ll have more degree-specific classes. While earning a BA in theatre, you’ll still study within the theatre department, but you’ll have more flexibility for electives.

The misconception about theatre degrees is that you must get a BFA in order to be successful or be a “good actor.” That isn’t true. There are plenty of programs out there that offer great BA options either in theatre or even musical theatre. Some students want the flexibility to have a BA so that they can double major. BA-seeking students can still audition for productions and are still part of the theatre department.

When you opt for a BA in theatre, you’ll get out of it what you put into it. (That really goes for any degree, too.) Know that a BFA isn’t a magical piece of paper that suddenly guarantees a job. A casting director won’t look down on you because you didn’t get a BFA.

Here’s the bottom line when it comes to the process of college musical theatre auditions: Prepare, be yourself, be open to programs that you might not have ever considered, and trust the process. It’s an adventurous ride, but if this is truly what you want to do, you’ll end up where you’re supposed to be—and it will be worth it.

Laura Enstall, owner and founder of Audition Well. She helps students conquer audition fears, stand out in the audition room, and find the theatre program that’s a perfect fit. Follow Audition Well on Instagram for audition tips @auditionwell.

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Censorship in Schools

Natalie Clare — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 19:27:30 +0000

The arts in all their forms have always faced opposition, but censorship in schools seems to be more aggressive than ever. When schools perform theatrical productions that upset some viewers, the situation often becomes a hot-button issue for students, educators, administrators, parents, and communities at large. Sometimes schools are forced to cancel their artistic work because of the turmoil. It’s called censorship.

National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) explains: “Censorship happens whenever some people succeed in imposing their political or moral values on others by suppressing words, images, or ideas that they find offensive. A censor, traditionally, is an official whose job it is to examine literature, movies, or other forms of creative expression and to remove or ban anything she considers unsuitable. In this definition, censorship is something the government does. But censorship can also be accomplished very effectively by private groups.”

Censorship in Schools: Why it happens

There are many reasons why a school or school district decides to censor high school theatre productions. They might find the language, lyrics or actions performed on stage too mature for teenage audiences. Or they might find the story’s explorations of certain themes or issues too controversial. Students innately have a right to free speech and free expression – but when schools are tasked with managing and limiting appropriate material, censorship becomes a battlefield.

PLAYS AND MUSICALS THAT OFTEN FACE CENSORSHIP

Censorship in school theatre productions is similar to school libraries being forced to ban specific books. In fact, Banned Books Week, which represents a collective of organizations that celebrate the freedom to read, cites the following plays and musicals that have faced controversy when performed in schools:

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee by William Fin and Rachel Sheinken
American Idiot Michael Mayer and Billie Joe Armstrong
And Then Came Tango by Emily Freeman
Cabaret by John Kander and Fred Ebb
Legally Blonde by Heather Hach, Nell Benjamin and Lauren O’Keefe
The Producers by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Rent by Jonathan Larson
Spamalot by Eric Idle and John Du Prez
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

RECENTLY CENSORED HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE SHOWS

Drama students at Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro, Ohio, were forced to cancel performances of She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen in October 2021. The play tells the story of a teenage girl who finds her deceased sister’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook. She’s then swept into an adventure in an imaginary world of her sister’s design. One of the discoveries she makes in this world is that her sister may have had a relationship with another girl.

The original production of She Kills Monsters premiered in 2011 at Flea Theater in New York City. There’s a version of the play that’s revised for younger audiences, which is deemed appropriate for ages 11 and up. Hillsboro High School drama students were set to perform the younger version.

It’s been reported that the inclusion of an LGBTQ+ character in She Kills Monsters angered parents and other adults in the community, which prompted the school district to cancel performances just weeks before opening night. Hillsboro City Schools Superintendent Tim Davis released a vague statement which said, “The fall play has been canceled this year because the play was not appropriate for our K-12 audience.” Other parents and community members cited sexual innuendo, implied sexual behavior, and foul language as their opposition to the play. Many students, parents, and educators wholly disagreed with the district’s decision.

In response to the play’s cancellation, the Hillsboro High drama students organized a GoFundMe to raise funds that would allow them to produce She Kills Monsters at a community theatre over the summer. Their goal was $5,000, and they raised nearly $24,000. The Kindred Spirits Theatre Company presented the performance at Southern State Community College in June 2022.

Drama students at Turlock High School in Turlock, Calif., also faced censorship challenges recently. In April 2022, their production of Be More Chill, a modern musical, was canceled. Based on the book by Ned Vizzini, the story follows a teenager who takes a pill that transforms his social status from loner to popular. The musical was a Broadway hit and earned eight Drama Desk Award nominations and one Tony Award nomination.

Be More Chill has been praised, by critics and young audiences alike, for its representation of anxiety, depression, and the complex challenges teenagers face while growing up in the era of social media. It’s been a favorite production for many school drama departments. South Eugene High School performed their production at the 2019 International Thespian Festival.

After opening night of their production of Be More Chill, Turlock Unified School District site administration decided, abruptly, to cancel the rest of the show’s run. A spokesperson for the district cited “concerns that the content was too mature for a general audience that includes all age levels” as reason for the cancellation. They also said the administration and the musical’s director didn’t communicate effectively about approving the show. When Joe Iconis, the musical’s creator, caught wind of the cancellation online, he tweeted that he was horrified by the district’s actions. He also encouraged his Twitter followers to donate to Turlock’s drama and speech program and included a link to do so.

After receiving backlash from students, the community, and the expansive digital world, Turlock Unified School District allowed the production to return to performances, one month after their post-opening cancellation. They stipulated that the production needed to include signage disclaiming “some adult themes” in the show’s story.

ADVOCATE FOR THEATRE IN OUR SCHOOLS WITHOUT CENSORSHIP

No matter their age, artists should always equip themselves with knowledge of their rights to freedom of expression. Many organizations exist to do exactly that and provide legal assistance and support for individuals or groups who find their rights threatened through censorship. Here are just a few you should keep on your radar:

National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) provides comprehensive resources for students, educators, and activists. “The Show Must Go On: A Toolkit for Organizing Against Theatre Censorship in Public Schools” provides campaigning strategies, information, and guidance for handling censorship.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) promotes a culture of free speech and First Amendment expression. Their High School Network offers information, interactive content, literature, access to an educator network, and more.
Dramatists Legal Defense Fund (DLDF) advocates for writers’ and artists’ protection of their First Amendment rights. They have a “Toolkit for Producing Stage Works on College Campuses in Turbulent Times,” and they provide opportunities for schools and theatre organizations to learn more about the issue directly from a DLDF representative. They also keep an extensive database of censorship issues and cases.
Banned Books Week offers a huge collection of resources for students, educators, librarians, retailers, writers, and artists. Unless indicated, most of these resources are free to download.

If you’re a student artist or member of student media who is facing immediate issues with censorship, you can report your case to NCAC and FIRE and receive one-on-one guidance:

The arts provide us with a spectrum of tools, skills, and experiences that help us understand ourselves and the world around us. In troubled times, we need the arts more than ever to reflect our lives and make sense of our realities. Keep the arts free from censorship. Always advocate to keep theatre in our schools.

Natalie Clare is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Dramatics. Visit her work at nataliecwrites.com.

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Wishing Upon a Star

Anita Martin — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 22:17:00 +0000

MOST RECENTLY KNOWN for dazzling three continents as Aladdin’s Genie — in the original Australian cast, West End production, U.S. national tour, and on Broadway — Scott launched his acting career as a high school Thespian doing commercial and TV gigs in Central Florida. He’s returning as the headliner and emcee of the 2021 Thespian Festival. Register now so you don’t miss your chance to hang with Genie!

“Yes, there are people actually from Orlando; it’s not just [a resort],” joked Scott, who recently hosted the 2020 Virtual International Thespian Festival Opening Ceremony. “Actually, Orlando has an incredible community for the arts.”

And he’s not just talking about Disney World. “Some of my best friends in the business now, we met at the Florida [State] Thespian Festival,” said Scott, whose Troupe 4276 at Dr. Phillips High School ruled the school in his day. “We used to [shout], ‘Four to the two to the seven to the six!,’ and like, Wayne Brady, Joey Fatone, Amanda Seales — all of these amazing performers — they were all [alumni from] my troupe! … Sometimes there’s this sort of stigma about being a theatre nerd. But for us it was like, oh you were it if you were in theatre.”

Scott trained as an apprentice in the Broadway Theatre Project, a prestigious musical theatre summer program for high school and college students based in Florida and founded in 1991 by Tony Award-winning dancer-choreographer-director Ann Reinking. There, he worked with Broadway masters such as Julie Andrews, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Gwen Verdon, and Ben Vereen. Scott would go on to understudy Vereen in the international tour of Fosse during his last year of college at Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts.

Before his Genie world takeover, Scott performed in eight other Broadway shows, originating both Doctor Gotswana in The Book of Mormon and the Minstrel in Something Rotten! But he recalls his true start “as just a little chubby chocolate kid running around, wanting to sing and dance for everybody, even when there wasn’t singing or dancing called for.”

What was your first break?
Church. My family are not performers at all, so they didn’t really know what to do with me. But I have parents who just say yes: to me and to my dream and to whatever their little boy wanted to do in the arts. … And truly church is where I got my first solo and my first taste of the crowd with the congregation enjoying the song. Once I got applause, it was like, “Oh, it’s on!”

Then, in middle school, [I had] my choir teacher, who I call my angel. I think teachers are angels on this Earth. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for [them], and she was one. She’s no longer with us, so she never got to see me on Broadway, but her name was Miss Belinda Brewer. She saw something in me when I was just a little kid in choir class, and she talked to my parents and was like, “Let me introduce him to these kid show groups.” I am the product of a community caring for their kids, and not just one certain type of kid — all kids.

Do you have favorite high school Thespian memories?
Oh my gosh, so many! It was so inspiring and so supportive on so many levels by so many people. Going to Thespian festivals — first in Florida, then ITF — blew my mind. It was the first time I got to see that it’s possible to have a career in this. It’s possible to dream bigger. And even if you didn’t go into it, I think the idea of this support — of this family — it was so valuable for so many of my friends. It’s that family feeling that struck me and stayed in my heart. And you get to see the talent around you. Truly, I stole some tricks I saw onstage at Thespian festivals that I still use today. Like I literally saw it and went, “Ooh, I want to take that. And I want to take that.” I was a sponge.

I think everyone should take a theatre class, literally everyone in the world, so that they can understand this idea of what family is in theatre. There’s nothing like it.

What was it like working with Broadway stars when you were young?
I was 19 when I did the Broadway Theatre Project. I was working with Ann Reinking and Gregory Hines and Julie Andrews and Gwen Verdon. I look at it now and I would be so, so self-conscious around these people. I, to my neglect and nonchalance, hadn’t really done my research. I was like, “I just wanna do theatre! I just wanna do a thing!” And then I get this message that Gwen Verdon would like to work with me personally. And I’m just like, “OK!”

So, there I am with Gwen Verdon, next to her. She’s sweaty because she’s teaching me Fosse moves full-out. I’m sweaty. She’s dancing circles around me, OK? At her age, like living her life. And there I am, learning “Rich Man’s Frug” [from Sweet Charity] from Gwen Verdon. When I think about that now, I don’t even believe that young boy was in the same room with those legends.

Then, at the end of my senior year at Webster University, I got Fosse, the international tour. I was literally in airports doing papers to finish up school. I didn’t have an agent or anything like that, but I negotiated to be able to go back to walk with my class. And in this haze of craziness, I realized, “I’m going to be standing by for Ben Vereen.” I couldn’t even have a legal drink or rent a car; I was a baby! In my last college show, I played the Leading Player in Pippin — then I got on a plane for Paris to stand by for Ben Vereen.

He became a friend, mentor, teacher; he just wrapped his arms around me and trained me. We were at the Théatre du Châtelet, and my dressing room looked out onto the Seine. To the left I saw Notre Dame, and to the right I saw the Eiffel Tower. Crazy, right? Ben would have me come to the theatre in the middle of the day. We’d work on monologues, songs, talk about life, talk about everything, just the two of us.

But one of my favorite things? So, Ben Vereen’s old school. I mean he’s not calling out of a show. He, however, did call out so I could do the show. My family came to visit. They, of course, are obsessed with Ben Vereen. And while we were there, I got called to his dressing room. He sat me down and said, “I want you to get to do this.” Only stage management knew. Then we made it happen. Ben sat next to my parents, and they watched me do the show. It was a moment I’ll never forget as long as I live.

Why do you think you and the Genie get along so well?
I always say to young artists, “Believe in yourself and in what you have as special because no one else has it because they’re not you.” It’s the craziest thing because [Genie] was not on my radar. It was Tom Schumacher, head of Disney Theatrical [Productions] and Casey Nicholaw — who I’ve done five shows with — the director-producer of Aladdin. They believed in me and wanted me for this role. It was like: “We want Michael James Scott. We want you. We want you to do you.”

Genie, at the center of [the role], is literally heart, life, laughter. Right? And I love all those things! So, I connected with this character at a very vulnerable level. … What really happened is I had to do a lot of work to get back to that little chubby chocolate kid who just wanted to sing and dance, who didn’t have a care in the world. You grow up, and you do all these things ― and there’s self-doubt and there’s rejection. But to be successful as Genie, you need to be your most authentic self. So, it forced me not to apologize for Michael James Scott.

I’ve done a lot of talks during this quarantine time and all this craziness that’s happened, and I always say, “Just start small. Try walking around the block not apologizing for who you are in your head.” Just try starting there, and just keep getting bigger.

Now try going to Target. From the time you leave your house all the way until you return, just in your head not apologizing for who you are. Then you start getting bigger and bigger and thinking about it in your work, in your relationships. This idea of not apologizing for who you are, being unapologetically you. Now is the time to be doing that work. Now is the time to really play with that. Now is the time to give yourself permission for the things you maybe never did pre-pandemic. Now that you’ve been able to sit in your thoughts, breathing through the discomfort of all of this: Who are you? How will you emerge after this? What kind of artist, what kind of person, what kind of friend? Who are you? And I’m trying to take my own advice so when we come out of this, there will be a different me.

Do you think theatre will be different, too?
The world will be different. There’s so much happening — with the racial awakening, all of it. I mean, we were still in the #MeToo movement; there’s so much going on! And it’s forcing us to think about things differently.

But I think the role of theatre is the same. For those of us who are artists, it’s about what can we create during this time, and what we’re choosing to talk about.

I’m hosting this panel on Broadway.com on Tuesdays called “Live at Five,” where I’ve been talking with Black Broadway artists. Because there’s a racial awakening happening within our business as well. So, last week we had a wonderful panel of staples in the Broadway community, these artists who have been in multiple ensembles on Broadway, and they’ve played leads — they are just the go-to; they do everything. And one of them, Tracee Beazer, she said she hopes people have grace for growth. That we need grace for growth.

There’s so much going on politically, socially, personally. Our world has been turned upside down. That idea of grace for people who might not agree with you — that there’s room for grace on both sides — is a beautiful thing to think about.

To the young people today: We’ve got to stay strong. But also, breathe through the discomfort of it all. I think having grace for yourself is key — but having grace for someone else is even more important. For me, as long as we have that, we can get through anything.

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Quiz: Teacher’s Pet

Allison Dolan — Mon, 04 May 2020 13:24:11 +0000

The post Quiz: Teacher’s Pet appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

Aliens, Scientists, Show Choirs

Anita Martin — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 13:08:42 +0000

“I DO NOT THINK there are many musicals out there with aliens, show choirs, and teenage scientists — all taking place at Area 51,” said Jacob Sweet, a senior at Salina South High School.

This February, not only did Sweet and his Thespian Troupe 1476 perform such a musical — called Dreamland, Or a Musical Riff on Shakespeare’s Midsummer Set During the Declassification of Area 51 — they also premiered the first full production of the show, created by professional songwriting duo Nathan Tysen and Chris Miller, co-creators of Broadway’s Tuck Everlasting.

Jacob Sweet as Eliot in Dreamland. Photo by Erin Hughes.

The musical was commissioned as part of the Educational Theatre Association’s Next Generation Works program, sponsored by Concord Theatricals, and workshopped at the 2019 International Thespian Festival, where Whitney Turner, also a Salina senior, saw its first staged reading. “Being able to see this show from the very beginning, workshop it, then perform it for crowds was very rewarding,” said Turner. “Since we were the first to put it on, this show gave us all a chance to analyze the script and develop our own characters, as well as costumes” and other design elements.

For the musical’s librettist and lyricist Tysen, this premiere was “a golden opportunity and a real dream come true.” Before writing for Broadway shows, Tysen was a Thespian in Troupe 1476 and a proud member of the school’s show choir, New Dawn, which he and composer and co-writer Miller immortalized in Dreamland — complete with rhinestone-encrusted jackets and a multitalented student composer named Scott, named after Tysen’s “good buddy who sang tenor with me in show choir … and always got the roles I wanted because he was a million times more talented. …

“I LOVED show choir!” said Tysen. “Unfortunately, New Dawn did not then have rhinestone jackets, but thanks to our show, they do now! I remember every year singing show tunes on a wobbly flatbed semitrailer truck for a celebration called Salina Days, convinced one of us would jazz square or pas de bourrée right off the front.”

Tysen refers to Salina as his first and enduring “artistic home.” The Thespian alum loves giving back to the community that has supported him throughout his career. Dreamland marks his fourth show directed by Salina Theatre Director Kate Lindsay (also director of Troupe 1476 since before Tysen was a student) and the first world premiere. “I knew she would be very respectful with our baby, direct the heck out of it, and assemble a crack team of designers.”

Lindsay received a call from Tysen soon after he and Miller were commissioned to write for the Next Generation Works program. “He wanted to know what high school theatre teachers looked for in musicals and what students were interested in.” She lists among the show’s selling points “the contemporary time period, the songs, and the Midsummer storyline.”

Sweet agrees. “Dreamland is one of the most ridiculous, entertaining, and hilarious musicals I have ever been part of. Since Dreamland is a spinoff of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it was really exciting to make a well-known story our own. Another super intriguing part of Dreamland is its variety of musical numbers. There are slow, intense solo numbers; big, flashy group dances; even a rap duet.”

Sweet played Eliot, a high school honor student at the show’s fictional Las Vegas Prep School who is obsessed with meteorology and gets pulled into a Midsummer-esque love triangle. “My favorite part about playing Eliot is the multitude of expressions. In one number, I sing out about my passion for all things weather while tying up a weather balloon. In another, I become a goofy, magic-induced, lovesick boy, willing to do anything for his newfound crush. After that, I become a backup dancer/singer and hype man for my friend who starts rapping.”

Whitney Turner as Rebecca Wilson with the cast of Dreamland at Salina South High School. Photo by Erin Hughes.

Thespian cast members helped design the aesthetics of the alien characters in the Salina South High School production of Dreamland. Photo by Erin Hughes.

Turner, meanwhile, played Rebecca Wilson, a sassy honor student, the only licensed student pilot at Las Vegas Prep School, and, according to the actor, “definitely the most dramatic of the four student scientists. I had fun putting my own Regina George/Sharpay Evans twist on the character and making her a character everyone loves to hate.” Used to more “standard protagonist roles … this role stretched me as an actor to go outside of my boundaries and try new things,” she said.

Tysen explained that, for the characters, he and Miller also took inspiration from the real Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, home of Thespian Troupe 5273, which brought the pair in years ago to write a musical adaptation of Midsummer called Dream. Although that show was “very, very different from Dreamland,” he said, “we wanted to give a small shoutout to those amazing artists and that experience.”

For Lindsay and her students, being the first program to stage a full production of Dreamland was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. While usually we would look at other productions of a show for inspiration, we were not able to do this.” And for a show like this one, described in the authors’ notes as a “fast-paced musical, B-movie sendup of Midsummer, silly and a little outrageous,” that was a tall order. “There’s a ton of possible ways to interpret aspects of this show, especially the aliens. Our design staff and our cast had an absolute blast working on that.”

Sweet and his fellow Thespians also played a part in developing the show’s aesthetic, “ranging from the creative makeup design of the aliens, the look of the set, and the implementation of 3D glasses used for 3D projections in the background. It is thrilling to think that, in the future, other schools might look at the ideas we came up with for inspiration,” he said.

Ashley Carraway as Puck with the alien cast of Dreamland at Salina South High School. Photo by Erin Hughes.

Courtney White as Aurora and Jacob Sweet as Eliot in the Salina South High School production of Dreamland. Photo by Erin Hughes.

The singers of New Dawn in Dreamland were inspired by the show choir at Salina South High School. Photo by Erin Hughes.

Tysen and Miller were also tweaking the tunes as they rehearsed, which lent a workshop feel to much of the preproduction, especially the week they worked with the students on-site. “Watching these fantastically talented and down-to-earth guys work with my students was just a dream come true,” said Lindsay.

Turner, who plans to pursue a degree in musical theatre after high school, said the experience “helped prepare me for what I want to do for the rest of my life. Seeing them watch a run-through, give us a ton of notes, then tell us to do it all again and apply what they said pushed us all to be the best we can be.”

During the rap number, in which the character Randy (played by Thespian junior Nathan Streeter) breaks up with Rebecca, Tysen asked the four leading cast members to choreograph a hip-hop dance, supplementing the work of the troupe’s professional choreographer Samantha DeChant, also an alum of Troupe 1476.

Sweet, who had worked with Tysen and Miller previously in a local production of Tuck Everlasting, loved the chance to “see the interactions and minds of those who wrote our school musical” at work, adding that the two treated the students as professionals. “They asked us for feedback and for help making sure there were no holes in the plot.”

“Not many people can say they got to do a new musical in high school,” said Turner.

As a bonus, before Tysen and Miller departed and about two weeks before the musical premiere, they and the students hosted “a Q&A/mini-performance of Miller and Tysen’s song catalog called ‘Dreamland and Dessert.’” Lindsay referred to the event as an informal meet-and-greet featuring desserts, coffee and tea, and student performances of songs from Tuck Everlasting, Dreamland, and Miller and Tysen’s song cycle, Fugitive Songs. “I was lucky enough to sing a song with Chris at the piano,” said Turner. “At the end of their stay, we had all definitely grown as performers with their help.”

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Prettiest Poison

Josie Palmarini — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 13:26:47 +0000

LIKE MOST FRESHMEN, I struggled to assimilate smoothly into the rough and tumble environment that is high school, in terms of both academics and social life. I was bullied. I was a bully. I found it all too easy to slip into cruelty, a mistake many teenage girls make. Thankfully, about halfway through my freshman year, my older sister decided it was time I saw the movie Mean Girls, now one of my top 10 favorite films. You can imagine my nerdy delight when, in 2017, I heard it was being adapted for Broadway. In November 2019, I caught a performance of the Mean Girls national tour at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mean Girls was composed by Jeff Richmond, with lyrics by Nell Benjamin, and book by Tina Fey, who also wrote the screenplay for the movie. The story follows 16-year-old Cady Heron. After a lifetime of homeschooling, Cady becomes a new student at North Shore High, a school ruled by a group of teenage girls commonly referred to as The Plastics. Cady is taken under the wing of school pariahs Janis Sarkisian and Damian Hubbard, who convince her to go undercover and join The Plastics to destroy them from the inside and end their reign of terror.

The audience sees almost everything from Cady’s perspective. We follow her as she learns to navigate the jungle-like halls of North Shore High, as she falls for classmate Aaron Samuels, and as she befriends The Plastics. It is essential that, despite Cady’s faults — which become increasingly evident as the story progresses — we still like and root for her. Danielle Wade, who portrayed Cady, made the character adorably charming and warm. In Act 1, Wade performed the song “Stupid with Love,” which is about Cady’s instant crush on Aaron (Adante Carter) when they meet in math class. Wade balanced the amusing and heartfelt elements of the song and provided a key glimpse into Cady’s internal struggle.

The apparent antagonist of the show is Regina George. She’s the leader of The Plastics and, according to some, evil Barbie incarnate. She was portrayed by Mariah Rose Faith, who tuned in to the hauntingly intimidating aspects of the character, along with the unexpectedly sympathetic. Faith’s version of Regina was somehow a beauty queen, a vicious dictator, and a deeply lonely young woman, all at the same time. The most powerful moment of the show belonged to Faith, when, in Act 2, she performed the song “World Burn,” during which she decides to reveal the previously confidential contents of the infamous Burn Book to the rest of the school, inciting chaos. Faith displayed impressive vocal abilities, providing the raw, slightly terrifying power needed to perform this passionate song.

Janis Sarkisian and Damian Hubbard, played by Mary Kate Morrissey and Eric Huffman respectively, are undeniably an iconic duo. They serve as both narrators and pivotal characters. They teach Cady everything she needs to know about the North Shore High ecosystem. Although Morrissey and Huffman were hilarious together, especially in the opening song “A Cautionary Tale,” they were also noteworthy on their own. In Act 2, when the teenage girls are gathered and asked to apologize to one another, Janis sings “I’d Rather Be Me,” where she declares that she will never again talk about another girl behind her back. Morrissey was compelling while performing this song, with genuine spirit and fervor behind every word. Huffman’s two songs displayed his dynamic stage presence. In Act 1, he sang “Where Do You Belong?” as a tell-all guide to the high school lunchroom, and in Act 2, he sang “Stop,” a helpful warning against giving in to reckless technological whims. Huffman was awe-inspiring, laugh-out-loud funny, and surprisingly informative while performing both.

Where would Regina George be without her “evil band of loyal followers”? Gretchen Wieners (Megan Masako Haley) and Karen Smith (Jonalyn Saxer) are the other two, allegedly less important, members of The Plastics. Both Haley and Saxer displayed high energy and impeccable comedic timing in “Meet the Plastics” and elsewhere. Haley’s performance as Gretchen was acutely fascinating; she embraced the role as the insecure-secure “best frenemy” of Regina with ease and gave the character new depth. Haley felt profoundly sincere and soberingly empathetic when she sang “What’s Wrong with Me?” featuring Gretchen’s lament over her lack of self-confidence and fear of Regina/Cady.

The most interesting technical aspects of the show by far were the multitude of projected backgrounds that created rapid transitions and helped set the tone of certain moments. For example, during the song “Revenge Party,” in which Janis, Damian, and Cady sing about their plan to destroy Regina, the background projection featured falling balloons interspersed with several severed heads of Regina herself. In addition to being quite funny, these visuals amplified the surreal mood of the situation. The projections were also used to great effect in the song “Apex Predator,” when Regina leads The Plastics through the shopping mall while the entire background turns a bright, dazzling pink, signifying their enormous influence and fabulous lifestyle. The only time the jokes projected on the background felt forced occurred before the show. The audience is greeted by projections of pages from the Burn Book with scribbled notes such as “0 likes, 0 followers” and “Basic AF.” While this was an attempt at further “modernizing” an already modern musical, as a teenager myself, I can tell when adult writers try a little too hard to relate to the “youth.”

Mean Girls is wonderfully creative and brilliantly funny but also has a lot of heart. Its universal message about treating others with kindness extends far beyond high school. Like the film version, the musical does not shy away from outlandish gags and bizarre visuals (for example, dressing someone up as “sexy corn” for Halloween or employing animal noises). By embracing these odd choices, the show displays the sometimes baffling, sometimes grotesque, and always engaging life of the modern-day teenager. Mean Girls has proven itself an enduring film, and now I can say with confidence that the adaptation will remain a musical theatre staple as well.

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What Star Wars Teaches About Musical Theatre

Sammy Buck — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 14:09:42 +0000

IN FILM SCHOOL, I learned that stories, especially movies, follow a three-act structure.

Three acts … with a vast, intimidating middle to fill.

But, as a writer, I couldn’t help but wonder about other story templates I’d encountered. What about the five stages of Gustav Freytag’s pyramid? Freytag said all good plots have five parts.

Exposition
Rising action
Climax
Falling action
Denouement

What about the five acts in Shakespeare’s plays? The Five Books of Moses? The five seasons of Breaking Bad? I’m good at math, but I couldn’t figure out the difference between three and five.

Then, I learned the second act contains three parts within itself. So, a character’s story is really that of five journeys.

The journey you think you’re on
The unexpected journey you’re forced on
The journey you choose
The journey you surrender
The final exam journey

Let’s look at each journey, using Star Wars* — and some popular musicals — as examples.

*In this case, I mean Episode IV: A New Hope, or — as my generation calls it — Star Wars.

The journey you think you’re on

Where I am
In Star Wars, an opening crawl lets us know about the ongoing galactic civil war. In musicals, a location often is set up like Beauty and the Beast’s “little town, it’s a quiet village.” Literal or situational, there’s unrest, overt or simmering below.

In this universe, a main character emerges, also restless. Sometimes they’re aware of their restlessness, sometimes not, but they actively pursue or latently harbor a goal: a WANT. Luke Skywalker wants off his desert planet just like Belle wants much more than this provincial life — on an adventure in the great, wide somewhere.

What it is, or why I want
Why do these characters want? Ask that question aloud in your script, and your story answers, forming its theme.

Musicals ask the question in lyrics: “How do you connect in an age when strangers, landlords, lovers, your own blood cells betray?” Spoiler alert: In Rent, the answer is lo-o-o-o-ove.

The “question” can be implied in a fleeting moment. Luke Skywalker whines he wants to go to the Tosche Station to pick up power converters. How can this immature kid grow up, join something bigger than himself, learn the Jedi ways, and save the galaxy?

Knock knock, who is it?/No, thank you/Hm …
Enter the inciting incident, the chance for the character to move forward.

Romeo sees Juliet, or in West Side Story, Tony sees Maria. “It’s the witch from next door,” says The Baker in Into the Woods — or a droid reveals a hologram of a princess asking for help.

Characters are sometimes reluctant. Luke doesn’t try to find Ben Kenobi until R2D2 rolls away, and even after meeting Kenobi, Luke hesitates to join the Rebellion.

But, that’s all about to change …

The unexpected journey you’re forced on

Explosion!
When stormtroopers destroy Luke’s home and family, his only choice is to follow Obi-Wan on the quest to Alderaan. An explosion can build gradually, like the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet or its equivalent “Tonight” number in West Side Story, where the couple’s earlier glance is sealed into an inextricable bond.

New plans hatch: Dorothy follows the yellow brick road. Moses leads his people’s exodus to freedom (hence the name of the second book of Moses).

Who are these people?
Characters can’t exactly depend on their usual coping skills to adjust to the new world. Enter Han Solo. Or Hamilton’s Schuyler sisters.

New characters begin to transform the main character’s story: It wasn’t enough they were kicked in the butt to do {…}; here’s an even more unexpected adventure to do […].

Hamilton, on his journey to greatness, finds love and conflict between his feelings for two women. (It’s not enough he’s on his way to glory; now, he’s on his way to his humanity.) Luke grapples with a decision: Does he follow the spiritual path of Obi-Wan or the pragmatic path of Han Solo? Spoiler alert: He does both. After all, they need Han’s ship.

I can’t deal/Maybe I can deal/I like this
At some point, the main character moves a step forward. Luke, though blind-helmeted and zapped by a training orb, persists in his lightsaber training. In Wicked’s “Popular,” Glinda’s makeover of Elphaba takes them from loathing to friendship.

The characters are on their way to succeeding.

The journey you choose

I love this
Now that the character has dipped their toes into the new world, it’s time to take the full plunge. They flirt with new challenges. In romantic stories, they, well, flirt. Evan Hansen, more comfortable in his new (though deceptive) skin, can now connect with Zoe, his crush.

The character gets what they want — kinda. So far, the story’s about HOW to reach the goal. Elphaba wants to meet the Wizard. Great, she does! Story over.

Not so fast. Something throws our character into a new and HUGE bind. Hello, flying monkey oppression. Unlike before, though, the character has developed new skills and pledges to take on the challenge. It’s their point of no return.

Don’t stop me now
The Death Star’s tractor beam pulls in the Millennium Falcon, leading to Luke’s resolve to rescue Leia (and to convince Han to help). In musicals, the song before intermission is often a character declamation.

“I am what I am.”
“Nobody in all of Oz … will ever bring me down.”
“Don’t rain on my parade.”
“I will get him back even as he gloats. In the meantime, I’ll practice on less honorable throats.” (And later: “We’ll serve anyone … to anyone at all.”)**

**in La Cage aux Folles, Wicked, Funny Girl, and Sweeney Todd, respectively.

Wait, this is harder than I thought
As the character commits more to their journey, opposition escalates. Reaching the “how” goal causes more problems. Luke frees Leia, but the stormtroopers pursue. Hamilton might be treasury secretary, but new foil Jefferson arrives.

Emotional stakes rise. In Dear Evan Hansen, the people Evan’s been deceiving offer to pay his college tuition. A character might face stasis: Though still longing to reunite with his daughter, Sweeney Todd resigns himself to his daily routine … of murdering his barbershop customers.

Still, it gets bleaker.

The journey you surrender

Argh, this sucks
Luke’s dead in a trash compactor?! Wait, phew, he’s alive. Yay, they escape — but OMG Darth Vader kills Obi-Wan!

This fourth journey, the “falling action” of Freytag, is the darkest part of the story.

Maybe I shouldn’t have
At this point in Into the Woods, the survivors lament, “Maybe I shouldn’t have.” Other musicals ask: “What’s the use of wonderin’?” (Carousel), “What did I have that I don’t have?” (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever), “Is anybody there?” (1776), or “What would you do?” (Cabaret).

Sometimes a calamity forces the character to revert to old habits, which is worse than stasis. In Gypsy, just when Herbie thinks Rose will leave show business, Louise’s opportunity to perform jolts Rose back into stage-mother high gear, decimating her future with him.

Worst case becomes best case
In such dire straits, the character must find the answer from within and externalize it. Though Luke Skywalker grieves Obi-Wan, the Millennium Falcon must escape. He’s bolstered by Obi-Wan’s Force-voice: “Run, Luke. Run!”

Musicals can transform the moment in one song: The Baker’s surrender gives way to resolve in Into the Woods’ “No More.” Forgiveness blooms in Hamilton’s “It’s Quiet Uptown.”

The solution was there all along
Stories can also answer from outside — a “Deus Ex Charactera” based on earlier interactions. Maybe it’s a song of inspiration, like Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Carousel.

Maybe it’s a reappearance from someone in the character’s past. In Hamilton, Jefferson re-emerges to ask, “Can we get back to politics, please?” In Star Wars, the Rebels discover the Death Star’s weakness (thanks for the prequel, Jyn Erso).

Failure breeds success. Elder Cunningham’s debacle with the Ugandans’ warped tale of “Joseph Smith, American Moses” may enrage the Mormon officials in The Book of Mormon, but it inspires Elder Price to reclaim his lost faith.

With the revelations, reversals, and solutions in hand, it’s time for the last journey.

The final exam journey

Before I understood the five journeys, writing third acts always felt inert: Then they realize […]. They talk and make up. Here’s the secret: Act three is a microcosm of the entire five-journey story. I call it the BONES method.

Our character is reborn, a new BEGINNING, their previous ordeal enabling them to forge the plan to conquer the ultimate challenge. But OBSTACLES derail them, forcing them to choose a NEW strategy until a final EXPERIENCE seemingly renders them helpless so they must reach inside and outside for a final push, showing the SYNTHESIS of their growth. They resolve the story’s global, personal, and character problems. Let’s look again at our Star Wars example.

GLOBAL (plot) — The Death Star explodes. The Rebellion wins!
PERSONAL (external journey) — Luke issues that final blow, reaching his goal of leaving home and joining the Rebellion.
CHARACTER (internal growth) — After the Empire destroys the other X-wings, Luke trusts the Force and disables his computer to shoot manually (the “inside”). But Vader’s now on his tail. Han Solo swoops in to save him (the “outside”). Han returns because Luke had previously called out his selfishness. Luke’s growth later transforms Han to rejoin the fight. His return also synthesizes the belief in an ether-bound Force with a reliance on Earth-bound (or Yavin-bound) tangible equipment, and most of all, people.

As you embark on the five journeys of your story, keep in mind that structure is not a rigid formula. Not every moment must happen in these specific places, but all these moments are reflections of our lives and, consequently, the lives of your characters. They are the moments when we begin, face obstacles, and reach inside and outside for new ways to experience our humanity — in the synthesis of vibrant stories.

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Heaven On Their Minds

Walker Dixon — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 12:51:20 +0000

A SINGLE ELECTRIC guitar strums from the onstage orchestra, signaling the start of the overture. The ensemble weaves through the house, giving the audience a rush of biblical proportions. Through composer Andrew Lloyd Webber’s timeless rock score, Jesus Christ Superstar shows the struggle and strife Jesus faced in his last days on earth.

When Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice initially presented their idea for Jesus Christ Superstar, they faced rejection by London producers, who considered the idea profane, blasphemous, or simply unmarketable. So, Lloyd Webber and Rice developed their rock opera score and fresh story angle through the alternative medium of a concept album. Fortunately, the music was a hit, selling more than 3 million copies, priming audiences for a stage adaptation, and prompting a Broadway opening within a year of the album’s release.

The North American tour celebrates the 50th anniversary of this original concept album, which dramatizes the final days of Christianity’s central figure, the deterioration of his popular support, and his death. Struggling with double-crossing allies, ignorant political officials, and a world blinded by corruption and greed, Jesus finds himself paying the ultimate price for living his truth.

James Delisco Beeks gives an astounding performance as Judas, the disloyal disciple whose perspective leads the Superstar telling of Jesus’ story. After betraying Jesus’ trust and selling him out to a corrupt official, Caiaphas, Judas commits suicide. The complex layers of Judas’ character, as well as his very high vocal range, would give any ordinary actor serious trouble. Fortunately, Beeks defies expectations and puts his powerful tenor to use in numbers such as “Judas’ Death” and “Superstar.”

Along with Beeks, Aaron LaVigne leads the cast as the ever-famous son of God. LaVigne’s complex and confident portrayal of Jesus inspires the audience to root for the tragic hero. With guitar in hand, he offers angelic renditions of many classic Lloyd Webber hits, including his show-stopping “Gethsemane.”

Supporting all of Jesus’ endeavors is the dearly devoted Mary Magdalene (played by Jenna Rubaii). Director Timothy Sheader introduces a fresh interpretation to Magdalene’s character by keeping her present in many of the significant disciple numbers. This allows Rubaii to emphasize Mary’s unconditional support to Jesus’ cause. Rubaii’s empathetic portrayal of Magdalene shows that kindness costs nothing, a useful lesson for all.

Another standout supporting performance is given by Paul Louis Lessard as King Herod. Though Herod only appears in one musical number, Lessard makes sure no one will forget his character. Decked in a glittery gold tailcoat (designed by set/costume designer Tom Scutt), Lessard’s bombastically obnoxious performance of “King Herod’s Song” permanently ingrains itself into the audiences’ minds.

Scutt’s scenic design uses symbolism to its highest advantage. Through the repeated imagery of crosses meticulously scattered onstage, the world around Jesus warns him of his future crucifixion. The multitiered, run-down stage adds dimension and blends the actors with the onstage band, emphasizing the inextricable importance of Lloyd Webber’s score to the production. There is a cross-shaped platform in the center (an example of Scutt’s crucifix imagery) and a tree representing the garden of Gethsemane. The lighting, designed by Lee Curran, and the sound, designed by Keith Caggiano and Nick Lidster, add to the production’s concert-like aura. By using effects such as jarringly prominent spotlights and echoey microphones held by onstage actors, these designers leverage the production’s rock music roots and connect with the audience by transporting them to the familiar world of a concert.

Though the plot follows a story familiar to many Christians, the show’s themes are more broadly universal. Jesus Christ Superstar warns the world of what can happen if we lead with ignorance and injustice. The anniversary tour of the iconic rock opera masterfully reflects today through a lens still as relevant as it was 50 years ago.

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