Theatre Resources for Students and Educators
In past Broadway Educators blogs, I’ve written about teaching students with behavior problems. While it’s never fun to have to “lay down the law” to your theatre students, especially when it’s an extra-curricular circumstance, it is fun to offer up
When you’re a twenty-something doing a bunch of survival jobs and performing nights and weekends, chances are good that you’ll be roped into a teaching job at a local theatre. The results of these low-paying, high energy jobs can be
This week with Acting Bug classes, I got some new students, introduced some new themes, and wrote a scene for the kids to learn about blocking! With a focus on stage directions, silliness, and stopping them from facing their butts
Every Saturday morning, I’m lucky enough to get to teach a group of 7-10 year olds doing acting games and improving self-confidence. This weekend, we took a break from classes and the students were invited to watch a youth production
Last week, I shared the news of my new class for kids on Saturday mornings called The Acting Bug! The hardest part about the class is that the students don’t have any acting experience so I have to find a
As a creative professional who is working hard 9-5 to support a love for performance, it’s nice to make a little bit of money in arts teaching jobs. This holiday season, I will be teaching a couple of six-week acting
As a voice teacher, I work with pretty young kids. Sometimes I have to play the role of “Pretty Princess” and sing Disney songs with 5 year olds. Other times, I’m working with middle and high school students on repertoire
I spent the last five months teaching little kids about music. I had six 45-minute time slots with 24 children in each class and it was one of the most difficult challenges I’ve ever had to deal with. It was
Broadway is excited about using kids for family programming once again! With current shows like Matilda, School of Rock, and Finding Neverland relying on child actors to drive the plot, the award winning West End production of Charlie and the
The stress on the importance of arts in communities and schools has been pushed again and again in our American society. That stress comes from a constant need for funding to uphold programs that promote all the skills we want arts to
Developed in 2010, Instagram became one of the leading social media applications out there. The platform was bought by Facebook in 2012 but has become more widely used than its media owner, in that the coming generations of media sharers have switched
In the spring of 2014, I was working as a guest designer at Auburn, University in Alabama. As a part of a fairly casual conversation during a work-call onstage, an undergraduate set-design student by the name of Sarah asked me
Broadway Educators is hosted and maintained by All Tickets, Inc., which specializes in group experiences and educational theatre experiences in New York City. One of the services offered by All Tickets, Inc. is access to a huge range of workshops
In college, I found that the strongest productions I took part in were the ones that started with exercises in architecture, special awareness, tempo, and topography, key elements to Anne Bogart’s philosophy of Viewpoint Composition. The reason why I enjoyed
Behold, The Drama Machine. This is an interactive application that demonstrates the variables that we always deal with in production. It randomly combines factors: Script, Director’s Concept, Venue, Budget, and Time. It churns out the circumstances for a hypothetical production
Pocket Lines: Pulled it Right Out of Their… Pocket The first lines acting game requires a great deal of preparation from the teacher beforehand. As the teacher, you must compile a variety of numerous different brief lines that might be
Too often those who are considering going into the theatre don’t understand the business in which they are interested. There are some common mistakes that those who are of high school and college age make. These including limiting their geographic
It’s about that time when you start to think very seriously about getting back to school and your theatre program or club. It may be college, prep, or high school, but the fact is no matter where you are bound
Often working in the theatre means surviving in the business until you can get established and work full-time in your specific area of specialization. Not all, but many who are successful were able to keep connected with their chosen field
If you’re an actor in the theatre or a playwright, director, or designer, then chances are there will be times that you’ll need a “day job.” In fact, just about anyone who is starting out in the theatre will, at
In the theatre, the stage manager is an important part of any successful production. As a member of Actors’ Equity Association, stage managers are closely related to stage actors, and yet they are entrusted with the arduous task of building
If you’re new to the professional theatre or to a professional theatre training program, you might not quite understand the role of each of the following: Producer Director Stage Manager Each of these people has a distinct role in the
It’s interesting but farces, which should be hilarious, are often deadly on stage, and often it’s not the fault of the playwright. In fact, most audiences have witnessed some very fine farces given very poor productions, making them dull, slow,
Although auditioning is a much-focused on topic in the theatre with workshops and classes specifically dealing with this aspect of the business, one area that is not discussed as often is the job theatre interview. Let’s face it “performer” is
If you’re new to stage directing, there are some basic A-B-Cs of stage dynamics of which you should be aware. These dynamics, if used properly, will serve you greatly in staging a production. They did not substitute for the work
For many the adverb is dying a slow death. We hear it in its last gasps all the time when someone asks us to “drive safe,” rather than making the request in proper English, “drive safely.” In English, that “ly”
There are many different ways in which instructors of all levels can help students better understand a play. Many times classroom instruction involves discussion, reading aloud, and writing a formal essay about some theme, character, or other aspect of the
Too often directors work against their actors rather than working with them by creating an atmosphere where they believe that they can succeed. Perhaps one of the most important attributes that a successful director possesses is the ability to instill
It happens to every director whether they’re a neophyte, a mid-career professional, or a sage veteran. At some point in time, you will find yourself stymied by the fact that you can’t seem to connect with an actor on a
One of the most difficult goals to achieve with an acting class designed for beginners is to open them up to taking risks. In essence, you’re trying to get each member of the class to be open enough to put
If you’re teaching playwriting, you may be frustrated or perhaps a bit anxiety ridden about ensuring your writers can actually create scripts. In other words, many who teach playwriting for the first time find that they have difficulty in getting
Many of us assume that powerful public speakers are simply born with a natural talent for effective presenting. While it is true that some people are better oral communicators than others, anyone can draw on theatrical techniques to improve their
Think about all the thoughts you’ve had today. You’ve probably thought to yourself about how hungry you were at lunchtime. You might have come up with a list of things to do in your head or a list of groceries
In an earlier post on The Miracle Worker, we looked at the relationship between Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller. Thematic discussions and explorations when analyzing a play like The Miracle Worker can also be helpful when attempting to connect a play’s characters, actions,
Overseeing and directing media for a controversial and preeminent regional theatre in New England that makes historical and political statements translates into a lot of Starbucks for Joel Zayac. Sitting at his huge Mac computer in the corner of the graphic
Though most viewers consider The Miracle Worker to be about Helen Keller, William Gibson wrote the play as a tribute to her teacher, Annie Sullivan, and to her struggles in helping Helen understand language. Annie’s relationship with Helen is displayed
If you are working in the professional theatre in the U.S., you may end up joining one or more of the various theatrical unions, or you may interact with union members. There are numerous theatre unions or professional organizations. There’s
There are various ways for a show to get to a Broadway stage. In fact, many plays and musicals don’t follow any of the specific paths outlined in this article. That’s because there are no sure ways to getting a
If you’re someone studying theatre arts, you should certainly be focused on getting better at what you do. If you’re in the business, you should be doing the same. Improvement and growth are essential to your being employed for the
One of the common questions you often hear about writing in general and playwriting in particular, is can it be taught? Can a playwright really learn to write for the stage by taking courses in the subject? The answer is
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