Curtain Call - Issue 10 by Curtain Call

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issue 10

a magazine for broadway fans written by broadway fans

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Letter from our team Dear Curtain Call readers, It’s been a while but we are so excited to finally share this new issue with you! A few months ago, we celebrated with you our first anniversary. But this month also means that our 10th issue is all yours. What a difference a year can make, we wouldn’t be able to do it without you, our readers and your support. We hope you’ll love this mega-issue full of amazing content and hard work. At the end of the day, we’re just a small team of theatre lover sharing our passion with the world and bringing you exclusive contents each month. We are still learning, but thank you for keeping up with us! Love,

Playlist page 5 Behind the curtain with Vicki Manser page 6-19 & Juliet page 20-29 Spongebob on TV page 30-31 Branching out your musical taste page 32-33 Behind the curtain with Orin Wolf page 34-35 Fame The Musical page 36-37 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Opening Nights! page 38-41 In The Wings with Arianne Phillips page 42-44 In The Wings with Marc Petrosino page 45-47 A guide to broadway lottery page 48 Dimming The Lights page 49 Roles Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Never Play page 50 Opinion : theatre at an all girls school page 52-53 Must Close! page 54-59 Stars of Broadway page 60-61

Opinion : Being a theatre major page 62-64

content

for good wicked sincerely, me dear evan hansen you and me but mostly me book of mormon no matter what beauty and the beast i am the one (reprise) next to normal

Playlist of the month it takes two

the tango maureen rent anything you can do annie get your gun mushnik and son little shop of horror say my name beetlejuice to thine own self something rotten the view from here charlie and the chocolate factory apex predator mean girls hello little girl into the woods one last time hamilton bff spongebob squarepants

Behind the curtain with Vicki Manser Words by Constance Drugeot Pictures: Quinn MacArthur (@tudorvonsnaps) Danny Kaan (@danny_with_a_camera) Drawing : vioislit

Vicki Manser was playing Katherine Howard in Six the Musical (Arts Theatre) and used to alternate all the queens. She trained at the Urdang Academy, graduating with a BA Honours Degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre in 2014. She was a swing in Bat Out of Hell (Dominion Theatre), u/s Carole King and Genie Klein in Beautiful the Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), and u/s Rasa, Mrs Davies/Marsha, Peggy, Joyce and Gwen in Sunny Afternoon (Harold Pinter Theatre). Vicki is also Artistic Director for Sharpe Academy of Theatre Arts based in North West London.

First of all, congratulations on Beautiful! How excited are you about revisiting the role of Carole King? I am so excited, I cannot tell you. I remember when I finished the musical in town I said to my agent, my mom, everyone: ‘I’m not done with that show, I’m just not finished!’ And so, to be able to go back into it, it’s just amazing! It’s one of my dream roles. It was in the West End from 2015 to 2017 and it did a tour straight after it closed in town. But then it had a big gap of about a year… So when I learned it was coming back again, I decided to try it again, on the road this time!

Have you been on a tour before? Never! I’m literally petrified about that, not gonna lie. I’m slightly nervous about the whole tour aspect because I’m such a home person, and I’ve never been away from home for such a long time. But it’s exciting at the same time! I’ll be able to discover more places, and I know my boyfriend is keen to see all the places as well. And it gives me an excuse to see the rest of the UK that I wouldn’t nor-

mally see. There’s a lot of exciting things about it!

You will be alternating Carole, while in the west end you used to understudy her, is that right? Yes, I was 2nd cover! When I did my contract in town, I was a female swing for the ensemble track. I played Betty and Marilyn, as well as 2nd cover Carole King, and 1st cover Carole’s mom.

How different is it from alternating a role? Very! When I did my contract in town as second cover, I got to play Carole only once. Whereas now, I’ll get to go on as Carole every week which is so nice! I was there for almost a year, but I had one only show and that was written into my contract. So if I didn’t have that show, I would have never done Carole. I would have learned the whole part and never done it. I would have been devastated. That show was the best show of my life. I have no words to describe it. It was just so great! When I went on as Carole, I had like 70 or 80 guests in and then there were loads of people that I knew who had been told I was on. I think I ended up knowing around 130 -140 people that night which is crazy! How lucky am I? To have all of these people who came to support me and see me do it. And then come out at stage door to this sea of family and friends. That was just the best day ever.

You are currently playing Katherine Howard on Six but you used to be an alternate. How has the transition from alternate to principal been? The transition has actually been really interes-

ting. When we were in rehearsal with the new cast, there was a lot more information that suddenly came my way with Howard. I worked together with the writers to find a new version of Howard that I had never played. A version that wasn’t anybody else’s either. So we worked together to create this version of Howard we have now, which is very different from the one that I did with my blue costume. All of the sudden I’m in pink, I’m a lot more girly than I used to ever play her, and it’s just been very nice to actually create it again. It was so lovely with the alternate. We had the opportunity to have our own version which is something that ever hardly happens. You have to be a copy of whoever you’re covering so it’s really nice to actually be able to create our own version. But then finding a second version of her now that I’m playing the role... It’s just been really nice to be able to rediscover things and discover new things.

Do you miss playing all the queens? Yes and no… I feel like I was very lucky to play all 6 queens. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to play 4 of them quite a lot - Boleyn, Cleves, Howard and Parr - and then getting 4 Seymour shows and a couple of Aragon’s towards the end. I feel so lucky I got to achieve what I wanted to achieve by being an alternate. That was the aim! I really wanted to get on for all 6 and I did! And I absolutely adored playing them all!” (whispers)

I’m always gonna miss Anne Boleyn a little bit, she is my favourite, but don’t tell anyone! But because I got to do them so much I feel like I’m very much happy with the fact that I’ve done it. Which is very much to the opposite of how I feel with Carole. Of course, I’ m going to miss doing them all, but because I got to do them so much, and since I’m still there especially, I’m okay with not doing them.

I love the pink! Oh, thank you! The pink is a hit actually! I never wore pink ever in my life before! It’s never been in my wardrobe, my makeup, or anything, and now, I’m a fan!

Now that you’ve been lucky enough to have two costumes, which one is your favourite? Do you know what? The blue was amazing because I know that, in the world of Six, I was the first person to have that colour, ever. That’s always gonna be so special to me. Our designer Gabby [Gabriella Slade]), is phenomenal and when she created the alternate costumes, she created them based on me, Grace [Mouat], and Courtney [Stapleton]. So to have that costume made with me in mind, it will always be really special! But it’s nice to be in the pink because it brings a new version of the character, and I’ve discovered that I don’t hate pink as much as I thought I did, so that’s a posi-

tive!

As an alternate/understudy, what are the challenges of playing so many characters? It’s the challenges that I love! This is why I love being a cover or a swing or an alternate… I love the fact that you get to play different roles and learn so many different parts! It keeps me on my toes. I love that side of it and even though it’s a challenge, this is why I love it. It’s just so nice being able to play more than one part. Especially with Six, all six of them are incredible and each has an amazing song and a different story to tell. I got to play all six and I think that’s really cool! I’m chuffed with that! And to be up there with Grace [Mouat] and Courtney [Stapleton] who also did all six, and now Collette [Guitart]… It’s just incredible that we got to do that! It’s a big achievement but obviously, it doesn’t come without its difficulties. Every night before going to sleep I used to run the show from the top with all the lines of every single queen, and then I would eventually fall asleep but I just could never switch off from it. I was always constantly going over things because you never know what’s gonna happen. I can wake up one day and think I’m going for Cleves but half an hour before the show it can change. So I never switch off from it. Having one role now, it actually feels quite relaxing. I can come to work and chill (laughs). It’s nice!

How rewarding is it? Oh, it’s so rewarding! Especially when you go on at the last minute and people aren’t expecting it. It’s all rushed but you go on and the audience will never know that 10 minutes before you had no makeup on and your hair wasn’t done... And you can be proud of that and tell yourself: “Yeah, I did that!” “If I hadn’t jumped in today there wouldn’t have been a show!” So I just want to say: “Well done covers!” They have a tough job! I take my hats off to all covers and swings out there because they’re the backbone of the show! I loved being a cover and a swing all my career and I’m still am going into Beautiful - I will cover Carole but her mom as well. It’s great because I won’t get bored (as if I would get bored, I never get bored). It just changes things up, keeps me on my toes. Yes, big up for covers!

Six is incredible when it comes to supporting their covers! Oh yes, the support is unbelievable! I’ve never known anything like it before for covers! They’re very good at putting it out there: it’s on the board and people come to see all the different queens and all the different combinations. It’s as if you’re going to see a different show every time. Everyone has their own version. I think that’s just magical and so great that there are so many different combinations of this show that still haven’t been explored. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I think a lot of shows could learn from how Six. They could learn from the way they promote their alternates and their covers.

Do you think it’s changing in the industry? I really do hope it’s changing because I’m so grateful to them for allowing me to have this platform. I think that ultimately if Six hadn’t treated their alternates and covers the way that they did, then maybe the fanbase wouldn’t have necessarily treated them the way they do as well. You learn from what you’re given so, we have a lot to thank them for! I hope that shows do the same! Because swings and covers are holding the show together: they’re the glue!

Are you enjoying being Katherine Howard all the time now? I love it! I absolutely love it! I can’t believe how quick it’s going! I’ve only got a month left and that’s not long enough! I’m having a blast! It’s really nice and it’s also great to just be one part for a little bit. Don’t get me wrong I love, love, covering. I love being an alternate, but like I said it’s a nice little breath. I’ve got one thing to think about and I’m really enjoying having one thing to think about! A nice little chill!

What is your favourite thing about playing Katherine Howard? Hands down it’s got to be the fact that she loses the audience in the full sense of comedy. They’re all laughing with her and she brings them in and everything a big joke, but then, at the end, she’s like “BAM!” It’s the emotional: “this is what happened to me.” The audience literally go from

laughing to being like “what the hell have I just laughed at?” You can feel that. There have been occasions where the clap doesn’t come or you’re waiting for it. And I think it’s because the audiences are processing what just happened! “Where did that turn come from? We literally just took a turn to the dark side!” That’s my favourite thing about her! I think that her story is so so important to tell - her story is horrific - and the way that the writers have been able to show it with the comedy aspect… Everyone’s laughing (“what a silly little girl”) until the end where we hit them with all that emotion. I love doing that every day. That’s my favourite thing about Howard! She’s a smart girl just very unlucky. At the end of the day, unfortunately, she got to where she was by doing what she was taught It wasn’t just her being like “oh well, let’s find another man”. This is how she was taught. People told her to behave like this in order to survive so she keeps on going and it links back with all this abuse purely because she’s doing what she’s been told to do. This is just so sad! This is heartbreaking! I also do enjoy Howard’s monologue and I’ve particularly enjoyed finding a new version of it.

Your last show is coming quickly… What are you gonna miss the most? There are a lot of things I’m going to miss. I’m going to miss being in such a badass show. I adore this show so much, I think the writing is so clever. Everything about it is so clever, so forwardthinking and to be a part of that - as Howard but even just as an alternate - I feel so lucky, so privileged. It is so revolutionary! It’s a new way of musical theatre, of fanbasing, of so many things and I’m gonna miss being a part of that. I have new exciting things coming up but yes I will miss being a queen! I’ll also obviously miss the girls! They’re all amazing, they are a joy to work with, to be around on and off stage, they’re all so talented and lovely… I’m gonna miss them! Everyone that works there. I’ll also miss seeing everyone I see when I come out at stage door. I’ve never known anything like what we experience at the Arts Theatre! I can’t get my head around the fact that people want a picture with me or want me to sign their programmes. I’m just like “wow”. I’ll miss everything at stage door… Hopefully, people are going to come to Beautiful! I really hope so, it would be lovely! I’m so nervous

I’m sure they will! And you have a lot of fans all around the world now! Yes, that’s so true! When I do my Q&As on Instagram, I have so many messages about people being in different countries and places! They are people all over the world who have followed me because of Six and that’s very exciting! Six is growing! it’s taking over the world! I think it’s amazing.

What is one thing that you’ve learned from Six?

Oh, that’s a really hard question! I’ve learned quite a lot from Six! I think I’ve learned to - and I’m still trying to learn - trust that what I do is enough. I learned to trust the fact that people enjoy what we do and sometimes little things happen, and even though I’m never gonna be happy with that because I’m such a perfectionist, it’s just getting easier. There are shows where I can’t catch my breath and in my head, I’ll always think: “oh, people are gonna notice”… But no, do you know

© Quinn MacArthur what, I come out at stage door and everybody is so lovely and they say that it’s the best show they’ve ever seen and all... So it’s just trusting the fact that regardless of how I feel, we’ve done a good job! We always do a good job. It’s always going to be brilliant! You can’t please everyone, that’s inevitable. I just need to start trusting the fact that what I do is good! And it’s a good life lesson for every aspect of your life! I do get very nervous about things that people may not necessarily realize. When I was on for Boleyn sometimes, I did get very nervous and it’s just about taking a minute to go: “hold on a minute, look at what you’ve done, look at what you’ve achieved, they are here to watch you so just chill, you’ve got this!” When I go to auditions, sometimes I get myself so worked up but now I’m like: “no stop! You’ve been a part of that (Six) of something big and everybody is so supportive, so just remember that!

Do you still get nervous about going on stage? Yeah, I do! I am such a perfectionist! I literally give 100% every single time and if I feel like I’ve given less than that, I’m mad at myself… I get nervous in the sense that I have to be on top of my game. That’s why I beat myself up so I’m learning not to

do that. But I do get nervous! I get nervous when I know somebody in the audience or if It’s a part I haven’t done for a long time... But I do think that getting nervous is good! You need it and nerves mean that you care! that’s how I see it if you don’t get it, there’s no willingness to give the best performance! Nerves are really good! You want to do a good job, a good show, it just means that you care! There’s always the usual nerves in a good way! But you need to turn it into positivity and don’t let it overwhelm you. You need the balance spot on! I’ve been to auditions where the nerves have just gotten the better of me and I haven’t been able to catch my breath. I would come out and think: “well that was your own fault!” You never want to come out of situations knowing that you didn’t do your best. People want the best of you so take that pressure away! Just enjoy it and give the best that you can!

What is your best memory of Six? My funniest memory will always be when the curtain fell down at the beginning of the show. It was hilarious! That’s the best memory for all the wrong reasons to be honest (laughs). But West End Live! Walking out and seeing all these people singing along to the songs and screaming, I literally felt like I was at the O2 and that was just the best moment of my life! It was incredible! I’ve done it before in previous years, with Bat Out Of Hell and felt the same way. I didn’t think it could get to another level and with Six, it somehow did… It was just crazy! I love West End Live! I’m very grateful as well that I got to do it! Because as an alternate I didn’t think I would and that’s what is so great about Six! Getting a chance to do it, to pave the way, and I’m so grateful! I feel very lucky!

We never know, the show is probably going to run for a while, so there’s a chance you might be back? This is true! Hopefully, there might be an opportunity somewhere to be able to go back to it.

Would you like it? Like it? Oh god yes, this show is brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! I’d come back in a heartbeat!

I know that you’re also involved with

Sharpe Academy. You’re a teacher and the artistic director, what does it consist of? Sharpe Academy has been running for nearly12 years with part-time schools on the weekends and a theatre company, which is what I was a part of from the age of 16 to 18. We’d put on full-scale shows and I absolutely loved it! When I left the company, Dan (Daniel Sharpe), the lovely principal, asked me to be a choreographer for the company so I ended up choreographing for the Sharpe Academy theatre group. Ever since I know Dan, since I was 16, he said he would love to open a college and teach at a professional level because a lot of the teachers from Sharpe have worked and gone on to train professionally… So he was like, “you know, if we had a college, we wouldn’t have to send them anywhere else, so let’s do it.” After 10 years, the plan finally came into actions! We opened in September, and he asked me to be the Artistic Director for the college. Sharpe Academy has now a college where you get 3 Year Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre & Acting. We have an agency as well so you can be represented in our books. Our first years are such a lovely group of people and they basically work from Monday to Friday, from 8:30am until 6;30pm, sometimes 7pm doing literally every aspect of dance, singing, drama, acting, gymnastics…It is a really good training! It’s absolutely fantastic! And it makes me so excited! I love seeing people learning and improving...We had our first years since September and I went to watch one of their acrobatic classes the other day and some of them are flipping! I was just like “oh wow! They couldn’t do that before they came to us!” Seeing the progression in such a short amount of time, it makes me so incredibly excited to see where they’re gonna be after 3 years! Helping them on their journeys, it’s just so great! I feel very lucky to do that!

What do you love about being a teacher? Just being able to share my knowledge and guide people because, ultimately, you can’t tell people what to do or how to do it. You can guide them and it’s up to that person as an individual to take that information and grow on this journey. So just be alongside them on their journey, it’s really nice. Being with people every step of the way and sharing my knowledge, even though I don’t have all the answers, I can at least tell my experience and hopefully help out in that way! But I also love

creating! I’m a very creative person. I always loved choreographing! One of my favourite things is to see how choreography come together. When I hear a piece of music, I can see what I want this piece to look like. There’s a vision but it’s not clear and being about to get that out of my head and bringing it to life, it’s such an exciting process. Sometimes, it might take a while but when I get there at the end, I’m like “yes that’s what I saw, that’s the vision I saw in my head!” I love that!

How do you manage your time between that and show? That’s a good question (laughs)! I have no time! I try to give myself one day off. My day off from Six is also my day off from Sharpe and everything else. I teach every day, sometimes for half a day, and then the other times I do stuff from home: either social media or contacting people to teach workshops. There’s a lot of things that need to get done which I can do when I want to do it which is nice. But I find it very hard to switch off. So I’m constantly doing things. If I’m not doing something, I feel like I should be doing something! I’m terrible, I’m a workaholic! I’m strict with myself to try to not work for a day, just chill!

I know you have a YouTube channel and you record covers of songs. Would you ever make an album? Oh, I’d love to! I have no idea how to make that happens so if anybody knows, hit me up! I’d absolutely love to! I’d love to record an album with my sister. She’s insane! What I’m going to do is I’m going to take my guitar with me on tour and try to get some covers done. I’m not at home so I have no cleaning to do, no teaching to do so once everything is done, it’s cover time! Let’s do it! One song for each place, that might be pushing it but I’ll try! It’d give me something to focus on.

What made you first fall in love with theatre? I danced from a really young age! My mom used to take me every day after school to some activities: tap, jazz-modern, theatre group, literally everything! I always loved dancing. Dancing was my passion, my love! But I broke my leg twice, in the same place, and the second time it fell when

we were doing our dance show. So, obviously, I couldn’t dance and my dance teacher said: “why don’t you sing a song instead?” I did and I loved it so she gave me an acting part and it just opened all these doors that I wasn’t really concentrated on! My broken leg is the reason - well actually, my amazing dance teacher who I love dearly - why I got into theatre! She gave me the opportunity and from then I discovered that I love it all! Let’s do it all! I love musical theatre, I always did so this is great! I didn’t really enjoy school very much but I loved dancing, drama, music, my guitar lessons and that was it! So I just went on to do that and got to where I am now!

Carole King is one of your dream roles. But do you have others? Oh gosh, there’s a lot I would love to do! When I was training, I always loved Fame and Carmen’s song is one of my all-time favorite! I love it! Obviously, I don’t kook Spanish, which might be a problem, but Carmen in Fame is definitely one! Elphaba obviously, it would be brilliant! Elsa, she’s my girl! She’s great and she’s a queen! Keep the theme! Oh, there’s loads!

Maybe something new? Yes obviously! You never know what’s around the corner!

What’s your favourite musical of all time? Sunny afternoon! It was brilliant! I don’t even think I’m biased, it was just such a brilliant musical! I remember watching it during rehearsals, and I loved it! It was like a gig, you felt like you were at a concert! Everything was brilliant and everyone who came to see it loved it! It’s my favourite show, hands down!

Who’s the biggest inspiration in your life? My parents are a massive inspiration to me! They worked so hard and did everything for me, I love them! I know I talk about her all the time but my sister. Every time she opens her mouth, my jaw drops to the floor and I just think “You are just insane!” She inspires me all the time! My family is my biggest inspiration, always. I love them!

Do you have any advice for aspiring performers?

My advice would be that it’s a hard industry, very rewarding but very hard so you’ve got to want it with every single bit of your being! You need to be prepared for it. If you do, get ready for a bumpy ride because it’s not easy, but if you want it enough and you work hard, and you put everything into it, you will get there. No matter how long it takes, whether it takes a year, six months or five years, if you want it, you’ll get there. You need to keep on going and never ever give up! If you give up it doesn’t happen. So just never give up! And be yourself. Because, at the end of the day, no one can be you and you have something to offer. Just trust in that fact. If you go to an audition and hear someone singing before you and think “they’re so good, what am I even doing here?” No, don’t do that! You have something to offer that this person doesn’t have and vice versa. So go in there and be yourself and enjoy it! Believe in you! You have to believe in yourself ! Learn from your mistakes and know what to take from it. Everything is a step in stone and use it to take another step and another step. It’s a step towards your goal. Having that determination to get to the top of that ladder! With stamina and passion, you’ll get there!

Do you have any last words to conclude? Follow me on my journey! I would really love it if people continue their amazing support on my new adventures!

Â© Danny Kaan

Pink is the new colour of the Shaftesbury Theatre, and we love it! After its successful run in Manchester, the new musical & Juliet transferred to the West End on November 2nd, and started winning the hearts of its audience night after night! I first witnessed the magic of this show last June, during West End Live, and it left me in awe. I loved everything about it, but I can honestly tell you that I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to see. I was completely blown away! By absolutely everything: the story, the characters, the performances, the music, the staging, the choreography… It’s the perfect way to have a wonderful, hilarious and thrilling night out! This ‘jukebox’ musical - a show using existing songs - features songs by pop artists such as Katy Perry (‘Roar’), Britney Spears (‘...Baby One More Time’), Ellie Goulding (‘Love Me Like You Do’), Jessie J (‘Domino’), Demi Lovato (‘Confident’) and the Backstreet Boys (‘I Want It That Way’, ‘Everybody’) among many others. With tunes by composer Max Martin and a book by David West Read, this extraordinary show is directed by Luke Sheppard, and also features an original song called ‘One More Try,’ beautifully interpreted by Mi-

riam-Teak Lee and Jordan Luke Gage. How did they manage to combine those amazing songs with the story is just a stroke of genius! Starring the wonderful Miriam-Teak Lee as Juliet, Oliver Tompsett as Shakespeare, Cassidy Janson as Anne, Jordan Luke Gage as Romeo, David Bedella as Lance, Melanie La Barrie as the Nurse, Arun Blair-Mangat as May, Tim Mahendran as François, and an equally fabulous ensemble, this modern retelling of Romeo & Juliet will make you leave the theatre with stars in your eyes.

& Juliet, as the title suggests, is a rewriting of Shakespeare’s play but with a twist! What if Juliet didn’t kill herself after learning about Romeo’s death? What if instead, she decided to go on an adventure and truly find herself? Well, this show follows Juliet as she goes to Paris, the city of love, with her nurse, Angelique and her two best friends, and encounters a lot of drama along the way… They are still Shakespeare’s characters after all! To bring to life this amazing tale of self-discovery, friendship, love, and drama, & Juliet features not only diverse characters learning how to be themselves and embracing it, but the show also puts on the front of the stage female independence and empowerment, as well as diverse LGBTQ+ characters! It’s finally time for Juliet to reclaim her story and take control of her life. To do that, she goes on an incredible journey where she finds her own strength, her own confidence and learns to make choices for herself. Although she is confronted with quite a lot of dilemmas throughout the show, Juliet manages to rise above and stand up for herself. She has had enough of people telling her what to do, and in the

song ‘Stronger’, she gets to let all her anger out. At the end, she finally makes a decision based on what she wants and not on what others want or what she’s afraid of. Juliet gets to finally show us who she really is! Miriam-Teak Lee brings passion and authenticity in her performance and it’s so easy for us to believe her and root for her. She gets stronger throughout the show and you’re gonna hear her ‘Roar’! It’s not called & Juliet for nothing, after all!

Juliet is not the only one to have a journey of her own, though. All the characters get a second chance, ‘one more try’, at their life. It’s the case of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife. She is the one who actually gets Shakespeare to change his own play and rewrite Juliet’s story. When the show starts, Anne is already depicted as a strong-willed and independent woman, but as a wife and mother, she doesn’t have any control over her life. Here, however, she has the opportunity to do so, and she will enjoy every second. But wherever she is going, Shakespeare is too, and will try all along to take back control of his play, even though it means not acknowledging his wife’s opinions and feelings. However, he eventually learns how to listen to her. In a heart-wrenching rendition of Céline Dion’s ‘That’s The Way It Is’, beautifully performed by Cassidy Janson, Anne looks back on what her life and love have become. But don’t worry, it’s still a comedy, and Shakespeare gets a lot of opportunities to learn and listen, not only to his wife but to his characters and players. They both grow all throughout the musical, and they are able to remember their love for each other, and realize that, together, they can make something even better! At the end of the show, Anne finally gets her voice back. Let’s also not forget that Anne is the one who allows Juliet to take back control of her life and make a choice for herself - without her, these characters would have not embarked on this fabulous and powerful journey. Here, Anne and William finally share the quill to create something extraordinary!

A similar situation is seen through Angelique, Juliet’s Nurse, a woman full of love and compassion who has put everything on hold to take care of Juliet. But now that Juliet is forging her own path and making

her own decisions, Angelique learns how to live her life again and put herself first. She might even find love along the way…

& Juliet then gives us strong female characters whose stories don’t revolve around their love-lives. On the contrary, they are learning to live without their lovers and come out stronger, more confident, and independent. As Juliet sings, ‘my loneliness ain’t killing me no more’... Because it’s through it that we grow. And Juliet isn’t scared to live her own life the way she wants it. In this musical, we also get to see women from different backgrounds and of different ages: Juliet is a young woman, Anne is a wife and mother, and Angelique is a nurse. But despite that, they all get to fulfill their own path and find themselves. And through their journeys, we are learning too. It’s a story about women and for women! What’s even more amazing with this show is that it also features LGBTQ+ characters, especially genderfluid characters. May, Juliet’s best friend has such a beautiful and important story. They go on a journey of their own where they learn to accept that it’s okay to take time to find who they are, and that they don’t have to settle right away. May is gender-fluid, and throughout the show, they sometimes identify as a girl, and sometimes don’t. In a stunning rendition of Britney Spears’ ‘I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman’, May is telling us that they “are somewhere in between” but “will always find ‘their’ way,” and we will be there with them. That kind of character is something never seen before in theatre, and I am so happy and grateful & Juliet and Arun are able to tell that story every night.

François (AKA Frankie), will also find his

own path and through it, will meet Juliet and May. Meeting Juliet gives him confidence and finding May gives him the strength he needs to accept himself and face his father with the truth. Through his growth, François is able to make his father, Lance, learn from his mistakes and listen to the people around him. Lance gets better because of Frankie. Even though it’s Juliet’s story, we cannot not talk about Romeo. I won’t reveal how he gets to be in the musical but don’t worry, it is still Juliet’s story! Romeo also goes through his own personal journey where he learns to not only care about himself, but also about the people he loves. What’s even more amazing about his character is that he is shown having several previous love interests, both women and men, and the way he is portrayed defies the usual standards of masculinity. Here, Romeo is hopelessly romantic, even “weirdly emotional” but “that’s okay”. He is seen crying and sharing his feeling all throughout the show, which is quite rare for a male character, especially one as notable as Romeo! What’s even better is that Romeo also gets to understand his mistakes and learn from them. He learns to listen to Juliet’s wishes and opinions as Shakespeare does with Anne (they are his characters, after all!). At the end of the show, he is even learning from Juliet’s own strength and independence! The absolutely exceptional ensemble of & Juliet is composed of Jocasta Almgill, Josh Baker, Alishia-Marie Blake, Ivan De Freitas, Rhian Duncan, Danielle Fiamanya, Kieran Lai, Nathan Lorainey-Dineen, Jaye Marshall, Grace Mouat, Antoine Murray-Straughan, Kerri Norville, Christopher Parkinson, Dillon Scott-Lewis, Kirstie Skivington and Alex Tranter. They are smashing it on stage every day and their

& Juliet then features some pretty incredible characters and storylines, all revolving around self-discovery and personal growth, and especially, about loving your strong, independent self! On top of that, the show also features hilarious scenes and stunning staging and costumes! Contrary to Romeo & Juliet, this show is a comedy… Therefore, be ready to laugh until you cry! Between puns (and with Shakespeare and Anne combined, you’ll witness some pretty good - or bad, depending on your humour - puns), witty comments and plain humorous scenes and lines, the writing is absolutely genius!

The staging and setting, by Soutra Gilmour, also are spectacular! As soon as you enter the Shaftesbury, you’ll be blown away by the amazing set. With a huge & Juliet sign (so you don’t forget it’s her story!), the stage mixes a beautiful flower theme with a derelict setting. The way the set is designed is also as dramatic as Shakespeare is! In addition to the & Juliet (and Romeo) sign, it features moving platforms, either rising from the floor or descending from the ceilings, flying benches and chandeliers, loud fumes, and, obviously, confetti! A stunning combination of modern and 16th-century style, up to the sensational costumes, which work extremely well. The costumes, by Paloma Young, also incorporate gender-fluid elements: men are wearing corsets, women are wearing trousers, and the colour scheme is diverse and gorgeous. For instance, during the original song ‘One More Try’, Juliet is entirely dressed in blue and Romeo in pink. It works beautifully and makes a sharp contrast with the usual gender conven-

tions. Similarly, at the beginning of Act 2, Juliet, Anne and the Nurse are all wearing some kind of trousers, highlighting their growing independence and how they are starting to distance themselves from what is expected of them. Romeo is a good example of that gender-fluidity, as he is always wearing some kind of pink and has a stunning flower scheme on all his clothes. All in all, & Juliet breaks all kinds of barriers about what is supposed to be and creates a brand new style of musical. Turning Shakespeare’s tragedy into a comedy was a bold but brilliant move. By putting on the front of the stage female empowerment and independence, but also self-discovery and self-growth of all its characters, this show is a breath of fresh air. It is inspiring, uplifting, and hilarious, but above all, it’s heartwarming. It’s the revisited tale of Romeo & Juliet so, of course, it’s gonna be a show about love. And not only romantic love: self-love, friendship, and family! Love and the power of love. & Juliet is everything we all need right now. So if you haven’t seen it yet, I suggest you go straight to the Shaftesbury Theatre and book a ticket because you don’t want to miss it! It’s gonna be a smashing hit for years to come!

performances and dancing (the choreography by Jennifer Weber is simply outstanding) are just out of this world. What a talented cast!

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Spongebob, an extravagant cartoon from our youth, was transformed into a spectacular stage production, and it is now being seen all over! The hit sensation stormed the Broadway stages during its run. Sadly, the show ended up closing due to theatre renovations. Based on the cartoon, The Spongebob Musical takes the characters we know and love and brings them to the stage. Famous songwriters were recruited to compile a score together, and the result is amazing. The premise of the show is that Spongebob and his friends are living their lives normally until the threat of a deadly volcano appears in Bikini Bottom. The musical takes us on the adventure of Spongebob and his friends trying to stop the volcano from erupting, as well as stop his fellow Bikini Bottom citizens from leaving the town. The morals of friendship are instilled from the beginning to the end.

entire show professionally and air it on all Nickelodeon channels. The show aired on December 7th and was prerecorded in front of a live studio audience over the course of a few weeks. Yet again, Nickelodeon was able to incorporate a sense of childlike wonder throughout the show and place it into dazzling musical numbers for all to enjoy. Almost every song in the show is a different genre which allows for a bigger audience reach. Now, the recording is becoming available on several platforms such as Amazon Prime Video. Newer audiences are being brought into the theatre community just by doing this. Also, we get to enjoy it too! Pro shots of musicals are becoming more and more common and Spongebob the Musical is another fantastic production to add to the list.

Many fans were still saddened by the closing of the show on Broadway. Since the show is affiliated with Nickelodeon, the Original Broadway Cast was brought back together to perform at one of Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awards shows a few months ago. This was a bittersweet reunion for both the cast and fans. Everyone was excited all around. Recently, though, it was announced that the Original Broadway Cast would be brought back together again to film the

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Shortly after the show announced its closing, they announced that a national tour would be taking place. Fans were ecstatic as the hype began to arise again. The tour was also announced to be a nonequity production, meaning that new talent would be gracing the stage. I was fortunate enough to attend both the Broadway and tour productions. Both casts were electric and brought a sense of childlike glee and nostalgia throughout the venue. The audience reacted wonderfully and it seemed that all who attended had enjoyed the show.

u o t g y n o i u h c r n a r B i n e t m s a us i c t r u al yo Words by Molly Greenwell

If you like Hamilton, listen to In The Heights Although the plots are very different, Lin Manuel-Mirandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hip-hop infused style is every present in this 2007 musical.

If you like Dear Evan Hansen, listen to Next To Normal Next to Normal focuses on a family and their struggles with mental illness, and its powerful message will definitely appeal to fans of Dear Evan Hansen and the like.

If you like Bandstand, listen to Dogfight This Pasek and Paul musical set during the Vietnam war has perfect parallels to the WWII centered Bandstand.

If you like Les Mis, listen to The Scarlet Pimpernel. France? France! Set just a little after Les Mis, The Scarlet Pimpernel is about the reign of terror during the French Revolution--with an exciting spy-novel twist.

If you like Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, listen to Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Both performance-centered musicals are incredibly inspirational and will no doubt brighten your day.

If you like Heathers, listen to Spring Awakening. With dark undertones and an alternative-rock score, Spring Awakening is a great bridge to delve deeper into the world of contemporary musicals.

If you like Hairspray, listen to All Shook Up.

All Shook Up is a jukebox musical featuring the songs of Elvis Presley. Set in the 1950’s, it’s a fun companion to the hit Hairspray.

During his junior year of college, Orin Wolf was cast in the lead role in a play at the University of Connecticut’s Hartt School, where he was studying acting. On a hot summer day just before one of the performances, the air conditioner stopped working. “I was worried about the audience being too hot,” Wolf recalls, “so I ran around borrowing fans from my friends’ apartments and setting them up in the theatre.” His director returned and scolded him for not being in costume or warming up like the rest of the cast, telling him, “Orin, if you want to worry about whether the audience is too warm, go be a producer!” So he did. Wolf had been involved in theatre since he was a kid, doing children’s theatre and falling in love with it. However, despite the fact that he went to school for acting, he soon figured out that he enjoyed it much more behind the scenes. During his senior year, he produced one-act plays at his university, and after graduation he moved to New York and joined the T Fellowship for creative producing at Columbia University under the mentorship of the legendary producer Hal Prince. He also worked as an intern and assistant producer. “That was my grad school,” he describes. “Learning from the people who were already in the

business.” Once in the business himself, Wolf found his niche as a creative producer. “This looks different on a day-to-day basis than the job of a regular producer,” he observes. The role of a regular producer aligns more with finance, such as raising funds, putting together deals, arranging copyright, and distribution and marketing. Creative producing, on the other hand, brings a producer in earlier in the process, allowing them to have a hand in assembling the rest of the creative team and providing a higher level of collaboration. Of course, Wolf also says that no two days look exactly the same. Also, “producer tasks are easier to pinpoint, while the creative producer job is harder to summarize because it touches on creativity and it varies so much.” However, he greatly enjoys both getting into the business details and getting to work with the rest of the creative team on the performance and design elements of the shows. Additionally, just as no two days look alike, no two shows look alike, either. Some come to him fully developed; others need to be connected to directors, choreographers, designers, and other professionals to be shaped into their final product. Some approach him first; he seeks out others. Musicals need musicians, ar-

rangers, and an entire group of people to bring the songs to life; plays do not. However, one thread connects them all: “stories that people can connect to.” Wolf’s resume is full of shows featuring characters that audiences can connect with, despite the differences in their cultures and lives. Perhaps no show exemplifies this more than The Band’s Visit, based on the movie of the same name about an Egyptian police band stranded in a small Israeli town in the middle of the desert and the connections the musicians make with the locals. Wolf connected with this story as soon as he saw the movie, but it took over five years to make it to Broadway. The filmmaker was originally not even interested, afraid that it would turn into a splashy musical like Cats. However, Wolf was determined. He flew to Israel to meet with the filmmaker who eventually agreed; Wolf promised to “keep the integrity” of the quiet, personal movie. And he did. The Band’s Visit isn’t a traditional musical by any means, but the reviews were glowing, audiences loved it, and when the Tony Awards rolled around it swept, taking home ten trophies. This included one for Wolf, since it won Best Musical. Some of his favorite memories occurred during that long journey as well, such as a cast trip to Israel. Wolf remembers “Katrina Lenk in the Negev, looking around and looking awed” as an image he’ll never forget, as well as lead actor Tony Shalhoub’s shock at his nomination and then win at the Tonys. “All along he’d been saying ‘I’m not a singer! I’m not a singer! I can’t believe I’m in a musical!’ and then he was so shocked and happy that he was nominated for an award,” Wolf laughs. And although he nicknames his shows “my children,”

and says that it’s incredibly hard to choose a favorite, it’s the one that he’s proudest of. Currently, Wolf is working on another unique show: a stage adaptation of the album Buena Vista Social Club, by the band of the same name, that attempted to revive pre-revolutionary Cuban music and unite Cuban and American musicians. One of the performers involved reflected that “musicians understand each other through means other than speaking,” and the album had a profound impact on the country, sparking two documentaries and countless inspirations for other musicians. He calls it a “project I’ve always dreamed of doing...I cannot wait to put it into the world.”

“You can’t make a living, but you can make a killing,” Wolf says of his job. But he loves it, and advises anyone who thinks that it might be the career for them to pursue it, even if they just try it out. “Believe in yourself,” he declares. “Believe in your vision. You can make incredible art.”

Recently, I had the chance to see the international tour of Fame The Musical when it came to my city in Istanbul. This iconic musical stars, among others, Keith Jack (Any Dream Will Do, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat) as Nick, Jorgie Porter (Hollyoaks, Dancing On Ice) as Iris, and Josie Benson (The Phantom of the Opera, In the Heights, Sweeney Todd) as Miss Sherman. Based on the 1980 film, Fame depicts the struggles, the success, and the growth of the students of the renowned New York’s High School For The Performing Arts. From start to finish, the characters have their ups and downs, with the show featuring both fun and emotional numbers. We get to discover different kinds of love and friendship. Even though I bought the tickets months before going to see the show, I refused to watch the film or listen to any of the tunes. I had then zero expectations or thoughts about it before I saw it, which I’m very glad about. The first time I heard the songs, it was right there in that moment. Everything was live and real, and I’m so happy about that. The cast was utterly brilliant. They all had beautiful voices and gave us great performances. And of course, the choreography was just magnificent.

However, in my opinion, the story moved too fast. I felt like I couldn’t get into it as much as I needed to follow the plot, especially since I didn’t know the show beforehand. There are also some subjects depicted which I didn’t really life. For instance, when a female character develops a crush for a shy teenage boy

who doesn’t seem to reciprocate her feelings. She thus suspects that he might be gay but, later in the musical, we actually find out that he is, in fact, not gay, and has feelings for her as well. However, the way they made jokes about the possibility of him being gay in the show instead of delving more into his character made me sick to my stomach. There was no great character development. We didn’t get to see the process. We just saw how they changed but all was done so very quickly. But still, even though I felt a bit detached from the story, as a high schooler I was able to relate to the characters and the things they were going through. I feel the same pressure to success while I’m in the same position where I’m just trying to know who I am and what my call is. I have a few favourite moments. One of them is when Carmen (played by Stephanie Rojas) sang There She Goes!/Fame, and we got to see her unhealthy obsession and desire to be famous. I also loved the very emotional piece sang beautifully by Miss Sherman (played by Josie Benson), These Are My Children. Her character reminded me of someone I know, and I could really feel connected to her, and I think everyone in the audience felt the same way. Overall, I think all of the performers gave us an amazing show! I just think they could have adapted the show to be more relevant so that us the young generation could feel connected to it the way teens felt connected to it back in the day.

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The Inheritance

The Inheritance, a two-part play about searching for connection in 21st century New York, opened November 17th at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The show played last year at both the Young Vic Theatre in London and the Noël Coward Theatre on the West End, and won more Best New Play awards than any other play in West End history. The show is set to close March 30th, so catch it while you can! Words by Frannie Walton Pictures: All Rights Reserved

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Jagged Little Pill On December 5th, Jagged Little Pill opened at the Broadhurst Theatre. The cast stars Kathryn Gallagher (Spring Awakening), Celia Rose Gooding, Derek Klena (Anastasia), Sean Allan Krill (Mamma Mia!), Lauren Patten (Fun Home), and Elizabeth Stanley (Company revival). The show started at Boston’s American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in the summer of 2018. The show discusses key issues in today’s world and grossed over $1,000,000 in its first week of previews. The show features songs like “Ironic,” and “You Oughta Know,” from Alanis Morissette’s iconic album.

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Grand Horizons

Grand Horizons, which was written by Bess Wohl and directed by Leigh Silverman, begins previews December 23rd at the Helen Hayes Theater. The show follows Nancy (Jane Alexander), who decides, after 50 years of marriage, that she wants a divorce from her husband Bill (James Cromwell), and the couple’s two adult sons, Ben (Ben McKenzie) and Brian (Michael Urie), as they struggle to cope with the changes and begin to question everything they know. The play premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, before transferring to Second Stage Theater. The show is scheduled to close March 1st, so time is of the essence with this exciting show!

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My Name is Lucy Barton On January 6th, My Name is Lucy Barton, based on the novel by Elizabeth Strout, will begin previews at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater. The solo play will be performed by Laura Linney, most recently seen in the revival of The Little Foxes in 2017. Linney plays Lucy Barton, who wakes up from surgery to see her mother for the first time in years. As she develops her relationship with her mother, she tries to understand her own past, comes to terms with her family, and discovers herself as a writer. The show is transferring from London’s Bridge Theatre, where Linney was called “luminous”, and will run for 8 weeks, closing March 1st.

In The Wings with Arianne Phillips Words by Moira Armstrong

It’s easy to forget about the technical aspects of theatre because they’re literally hidden--purposely behind-the-scenes, in the wings, and typically pushed to the commercial breaks of the Tony Awards, if not eliminated entirely. However, without lighting, sound, costumes, and scenery, we wouldn’t have the shows we love so much, such as Head Over Heels. The show closed about a year ago, and we still miss watching the literally and figuratively colorful cast of characters’ journey to Arcadia. And that literal color came from the show’s beautiful and elaborate costumes, which had to be compatible with movement, compatible with the show’s medieval fantasy setting, and respectful of the characters’ and cast’s gender diversity. Arianne Phillips, known for her cutting edge designs and attention to detail, was just the designer for the job. She had worked with stars like Madonna, had a long and distinguished film career, and worked as an editor and stylist for famous fashion publications. She already had a Tony Award nomination under her belt for the 2014 revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. She was also an activist, an inaugural member of the TIMES UP coalition, and the designer of their iconic logo. This month, we talked to Arianne about her experiences with Head Over Heels, the process of design, and how theatre is unique.

What does the process of creating costumes for a new musical look like?

through previews, as we further hone and re-

Studying and breaking down the script, listening and studying the music and lyrics, meetings with the director and other creatives, attending a readthru or workshop, hiring an associate and a great team.

What factors influence whether changes occur?

Do you remain involved beyond the design stage? As part of the creative team, I am involved and consulted on any changes moving forward, and of course for any cast changes I am involved.

Is there a level of collaboration with any of the other members of the creative team or the cast? Absolutely. The job is wholly collaborative, especially with the choreographer and how the performers will be moving, dancing, how the costumes will work with the storytelling as well as the logistics like quick changes. Also key is the collaboration with the set designer and lighting designer, making sure we are all designing with a similar â&#x20AC;&#x153;voice.â&#x20AC;? Many meetings and discussions about the look, tone, and feel of a show and what the over-vision is and those meetings with the director are paramount.

Do the costumes frequently change from the initial design stage? Yes, costumes do change throughout the process of development, especially from a sketch to a 3-dimensional costume on a body. The costume designer starts with reference, mood boards, sketches, any kind of visual materials to communicate the design--it could be a combination of all of the above. Once we start swatching fabric and making the prototypes and costumes, then we go into the fittings with the performers. The costumes can and often will change and become refined as our process develops. Once the costumes are designed, made, and finalized and we have dress rehearsal and the tech period, costumes can often change all the way through, even

fine the show.

There are many factors that could influence the costumes to be adjusted or changed. The script or music for one could change, or there could be deleted or added scenes. The producers, director, or choreographer could suggest a change if they felt something wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t working. There could be a change of performer due to an injury, illness, or casting issue. But mostly as the designer I have the ability to change my own design as I see the show on the stage in tech and previews, which is a wonderful process to further refine the costumes.

When you design for musicals, how do you ensure that your costumes are compatible with the movement required for the dance numbers? We do a lot of developing in fittings, developing prototypes and facsimiles in workshops and rehearsals beforehand to make sure a performer can work and move in the costumes. In addition, we choose fabrics and fabrications that can stand the test of 8 shows a week with a sweaty body!

Head Over Heels had incredible gender diversity. How did that influence your designs? It was an incredibly inspiring story and script with music by the Go-Gos, an all-girl pop band who empowered me as a young woman, which was a great place to start! Not to mention our brilliant cast of performers who inspired me every day. Our director, Michael Mayer, was leading the charge with a beautiful piece and at every step of the way we were encouraged to ask questions of ourselves about identity and representation and how we could be part of telling a story that was going to inspire and celebrate.

How did you balance those two elements with keeping the costumes accurate to the implied time period of the show? I had the freedom to create a fantasy world, a kind

of utopia and modern fairytale if you will. I was encouraged as a designer to push my own boundaries around character creation through dress and the costumes...I was inspired to create fluidity that referenced the period yet felt both modern and forward-thinking. It was a wonderful ability to mash-up all the things I love so much about period costume and modern dress in a way that felt completely our own world.

You’ve designed for a variety of mediums. What makes designing for theatre different? On the practical side…working in theatre is esteemed and collaborative in an extremely unique way. As a costume designer in theatre I own my designs and am protected by the union contracts. I own my own intellectual property, which means as an artist I am investing in the show with my commitment, vision, artistry, and hard work. We get paid a nominal fee to develop the costumes but the real financial opportunity lies in the success of the show. If the show is successful at the box office, as the costume designer my paycheck will reflect that success, unlike film where costume designers are “work for hire.” We do not own our designs, the film studios do. The fact that as a creative in theatre I own my work permeates the whole process and I have found the respect and collaboration is reflected more in general than in film. Of course there are exceptions, but in theatre, costume designers feel more “valued” alongside other creatives, cast, and the director. On the design side...the process of designing costumes is different. We have the opportunity in tech and previews to further refine and make changes when we see everything together on stage. In film once you are shooting that costume is committed to film and continuity, so you are married to it. Also in film the process is not necessarily linear and consecutive, most often you are shooting out of sequence and over time so having an idea of the “big picture” is quite different to stage/theatre. Of course the biggest difference is also the live element, in front of an audience. There is nothing like it.

What is your favorite thing about being a costume designer?

Meeting and collaborating with talented, smart, and fascinating people. Being part of telling stories and having the privilege of traveling the world.

In The Wings with Mark Petrosino Words by Moira Armstrong Pictures : Monkey Boys Productions

Costumes are needed for every production, from operas to plays and everything in between. Of course, some shows require something a little extra. The Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, which has been lauded by critics and just received an extension through March, is another brainchild of director Michael Mayer and features a unique element: a puppet. Audrey II is a huge part of the story, evolving over the course of the show, and the versatile talents of Monkey Boys Productions took on the task. We talked to Mark Petrosino about the design process for the puppets of this iconic character and why he loves the craft.

How did your company become involved with the off-Broadway production of Little Shop? Nicholas Mahon, the Puppet Designer, invited us to bid on the project.

How long does it take to create a puppet on the scale of Audrey II? Normally, it takes over six months to fabricate a set of Audrey IIs.

What does the creative process look like? Normally, there’s a fair amount of time for research and design, but in this case, we only had two months to create Audrey II, in all her forms (which is less than a third of the time we would normally want.) Thankfully, Tom Broecker (the Costume Designer) suggested modifying an existing set, so we took one of our rental sets, and reshaped and reskinned them to match Nicholas’s design. Nicholas has been wonderful to work with: pragmatic and efficient. There was little time for back and forth, so we had to move quickly, and adjust on the fly.

Is it more or less complicated than other projects and why? Most of our projects are complicated, since most of the time we are creating something wholly new. (As stated, above), the restrictive timeline of this project made it particularly challenging. As the scale of the puppets grows, so to does the challenge (not unlike Audrey II...) We are very lucky to have so many talented fabricators on our team.

Do you work with the actors to teach them how to manipulate it? We are lucky to have two great puppeteers leading the Audrey II performance team: Eric Wright and Teddy Yudain. Because of the short timeline, it would have been virtually impossible for a non-puppeteer to learn the craft, on top of learning the show. We also trained Jonathan Groff how to manipulate the second smallest iteration of Audrey II, for «Ya Never Know.» He had to learn the song, the choreography, as well as how to puppeteer. Luckily, he’s a fast learner, and a pleasure to work with.

Are you continually involved with the puppet during the run of the show?

Yes, we own the puppets, so we continue to help the crew maintain them.

What happens if it breaks or there’s a technical difficulty? You improvise. It’s one of the thrills of live theater, and keeps us all on our toes.

How hard are those snags to overcome for you and for the actors who might be dealing with it and have no training in that area? Generally, you figure out how to hold things together, for the rest of the show, and then, once the curtain comes down, reevaluate how to not only repair the item, but also make it better (to avoid repeated issues.) Luckily, Eric is a skilled fabricator, in his own right. It’s very comforting to know he is in the company.

Puppets are a wonderful combination of arts forms: design, sculpture, painting, costuming, performance (and many more...) Every project allows us to enjoy a little of each element, while stretching ourselves creatively. We also love how affecting puppets can be. Their magic lies in their ability to draw in the audience, while also allowing them to suspend their disbelief and project onto the puppet (e.g. - when an actor dies onstage, you know they’ll be back for curtain call; when a puppet dies onstage, it’s dead...) So next time you’re at the theatre, keep an eye on the parts of the show that don’t get the attention they deserve!

Do you just do puppetry for theatre? Our elevator pitch is: Monkey Boys Productions creates puppets, props, creatures, costumes, practical effects and entertainment for film, television and stage.

What other kinds of projects does your company work on? We have worked on TV (Saturday Night Live!,

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, & Sesame Workshop, to name a few), several Broadway shows, and even a few films. We’ve also worked with several theme parks and immersive installations, throughout the country.

How do theatrical projects differ from those others? TV projects often just need to be durable enough to last one episode, whereas stage and theme park projects need to survive eight or more shows a week, sometimes for years. Often we need to take into consideration exposure to the elements, as well.

What is your favorite thing about creating puppets and their role in shows?

A quick guide to Broadway Lottery Words by Alecia Solorzano

Seeing live theatre is a rejuvenating experience that many will never forget. Although, it’s not always as simple as just buying tickets and attending the shows. Sometimes, tickets may be unaffordable for fans. A good system for cheaper tickets is Broadway lotteries. Lotteries don’t guarantee tickets, but they give you a shot at getting them for an inexpensive price. Most lotteries take place online and are drawn on a daily basis. However, several shows also offer an in person lottery prior to the performance. A big website for lotteries is lottery.broadwaydirect.com . Many shows are listed on the entry page, and you can take your pick from there. On average, tickets range from $10-$50 per ticket. You are allowed to enter for a maximum of two tickets. You enter your basic information, and a confirmation will be sent to you to ensure your entry. If you are selected for tickets, you will be notified with directions to accept the deal. Lotteries open early in the morning and close later in the morning for matinees. For evening shows, they open later in the morning and close early in the afternoon. There is only a certain window of entry time, but it’s worth it for the chance to gain inexpensive tickets!

Another way is to go directly to the shows’ website. A lot of shows have shortcuts on their main pages that allow you to do exactly this. The directions are basically the same, but you would carry it out by entering to one specific show. Broadway lotteries have admittedly become more popular since Hamilton began their own. They successfully dubbed it Ham4Ham. This also allowed for the creation of an app. The cell phone application entails a similar entry process but at a quicker and more convenient tap of your fingers. Over the years, theatre tickets have fluctuated in prices. Because of this, it’s become difficult for fans to secure tickets and at a decent price. Broadway lotteries offer the opportunity to get cheaper tickets with only a few taps on your screen. The process is relatively easy, and the outcome brings so much joy and anticipation.

Dimming the lights Words by Moira Armstrong

In October, outrage exploded across social media as the marquees of Broadway were not set to dim in honour of Diahann Carroll. Carroll, an actress from Harlem, grew up performing; her parents encouraged her talent, enrolling her in classes and eventually supporting her as she attended the city’s prestigious Music & Art High School. At fifteen, she started modelling for Ebony magazine, which launched an extremely successful career on the stage and screen. However, her defining moment arrived in 1968, when the show Julia premiered on television. Carroll made history playing the first black woman on TV who was not a domestic worker, then by winning a Golden Globe and an Emmy nomination for the role. Her appearances afterwards spanned film, television, and theatre1 and covered six decades. She broke countless barriers and overcame incredible prejudice, making television a more diverse and accommodating environment. Immediately, fans took to social media to express their disapproval of this decision and eventually, the marquees were dimmed a few weeks after her passing. However, this isn’t the first time the dimmed marquees have caused controversy. This occurred with Joan Rivers, Kyle Jean-Baptiste, and others over the years, which raises the question: where did this tradition come from, and who makes the rules? According to the New York Post, the first recorded instance of dimming the marquees to honour a recently deceased figure has in 1952. Gertrude Lawrence died of viral hepatitis while starring in The King and I. It didn’t happen again until 1960, when Oscar Hammerstein II died, and after that, not again until 1977 for Alfred Lunt. There’s very little ceremony to the process; exactly at curtain time,

the lights of all the Broadway theatres are shut off for a full minute. Then the lights go up and the show goes on. Who receives the honour is decided by a committee within the Broadway League, the national trade association for the industry. Charlotte St. Martin, in an interview with the New York Times, described the criteria, saying, “people need to have been very active recently in the theatre, or else be synonymous with Broadway - people who made their careers here, or kept it up.” However, she has declined to provide any further detail on these fairly nebulous qualifications, saying she doesn’t want any lobbying. After the decision has been made, if the lights will be dimmed, she calls the heads of the major theatre-owning organizations--primarily the Shuberts, Nederlanders, Jujamcyn, and a few others. They take it from there, alerting the individual theatres. In the case of Diahann Carroll, the League seemed to change their minds about her. Thomas Schumacher, chairman, stated, “she was first and foremost a gifted, Tony-winning actress of enormous warmth and charm. She made just three visits to Broadway--in two musicals and a turbulent drama--but the breadth of those roles is a measure of her range and craft.” Despite their stance on lobbying, they do seem to take the public’s opinion into consideration, particularly when pointing out a misinformed decision. Hopefully, this beautiful and touching tribute will continue, and will continue to grow in inclusiveness as well.

Last May, in my desire to discover new musical theatre-related events in London, I heard about a concert called “Roles We’ll Never Play”. I had absolutely no idea what it was but the lineup was fabulous, it was affordable, and it looked like a great night out! So I booked a ticket. And, let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed. On the contrary, I was completely blown away. So much that I came back in September. It was as amazing as the first time, maybe even more! But before I tell you more, let me explain the concept. “Roles We’ll Never Play” is an intimate concert where musicals actors and actresses get to perform songs and play roles that they would never get to do in real life. Every show features around 20 incredibly talented rising West End stars, allowing them to show off their abilities and have total freedom over what they get to sing and how! Indeed, there are no rules. So, each performer all get to perform one or two songs, alone or together, from a wide variety of films, West End or Broadway shows. “Roles We’ll Never Play” is usually held at the Union Theatre in London, and it happens every few months (including a Pride and a Christmas edition). The producer, Tom Duern (who also gets to sing a few songs every now and then), as well as the wonderful band, manage to put together a beautiful, fun, and brilliant concert!

During the two shows I’ve been to, I got to witness the magic of those people and their sublime version of these songs. I was particularly blown away by Renée Lamb and Mary-Jean Caldwell’s hilarious interpretation of ‘Edelweiss’ from The

Sound of Music, amazed by Frankie Jones’s one-woman version of ‘Meet the Plastics’ from Mean Girls, stunned by Vicki Manser and her little sister, Kimberley Manser’s beautiful rendition of ‘Run to You’ by The Bodyguard, and incredibly impressed by Courtney Bowman’s heart wrenching ‘Your Eyes’ from Rent. And this is only a few performances... imagine getting to witness to all these talented performers for an entire evening! What a blast! Some of the recurring performers of “Roles” are: Frankie Jones, Renée Lamb, Mary-Jean Cadwell, James Chinton, Grace Mouat, Maiya Quansah-Breed, and Aoife Clesham, among many, many others.

“Roles We’ll Never Play” is the perfect opportunity to showcase everyone’s talents in a way that they would never get to otherwise. It also allows them to try on new and different styles and putting their own spin to the song. It was a genius idea and I’m so glad it exists! It is also very affordable so anyone can actually go and have a fun night out! “Roles We’ll Never Play” is an incredible concept that highlights performers’ talents like none other while having the best time! Lately, it has been getting more and more attention and I think it truly deserves it. This is what the present and future of musical theatre look like. And I really hope we’ll get to see more of them in the future!

OPINION

When people first learn I do theatre at my tiny, all girls school, I’m greeted with one question: “Do you, like, bring boys in, or…?” I’ve been asked this question dozens of times over the last four and a half years and every time I reply with the same answer: “No. Well, we used to, but our shows have been strictly students since 2015, which was my first year at the school.” My answer is usually followed with another question: “So do you guys actually kiss?” And yet again, I reply with, “No, we usually work our way around kissing. But at the end of the day they’re acting, so how is it any different than a boy and a girl who have no romantic feelings for each other kissing?” That’s usually enough to quiet the interrogator, and I continue with my day. At the end of the day, acting with only girls is unique experience, even for people at single-gender schools. In preparation to write this article, I asked multiple people across different social media platforms who acted at all girls schools (which is already a very niche group of people), and every single one of them told me boys were brought in to play opposite the girls in productions. Maybe it’s the lack of all boys schools in my area–the closest one is a military school more than an hour away– or perhaps it’s her sheer trust in my peers that they’ll be able to do the show well by themselves, but my director is vehemently against including boys in our productions. I’m not here to argue that coed theatre programs are perfectly proportional; it’s well known that in high school theatre, female participants heavily outweigh their male counterparts. This can be seen even in my limited expe-

THEATR

rience with coed theatre, most recently at theatre camp, where close to fifty girls attended, as opposed to the five boys. Because of this, the all-girl casts of our musicals (well known classics like Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, and Spamalot) aren’t as out of the ordinary to audiences. And of course, we’ve done our fair share of all female shows, like Twelve Angry Women, the gender-bent remake of the famous drama, or Somewhere In France Is A Lily, an original show that we premiered, focusing on the lives of nurses during World War II. But in recent years, we’ve started to push our limits, testing the water with the smaller, more experienced casts of no more than two dozen performers, understudies, and tech members. Last year, we put on Peter and the Starcatcher, the prequel to Peter Pan that features a fairly even mix of male and female characters. This pushes my classmates to work outside their comfort zones, developing characters that they may have little in common with. Like I mentioned earlier, it was nearly impossible to find people who participated in completely single-gender theatre companies, and I was left to reach out to my friends, who were more than happy to help. I asked Dia Chiusano what her experience acting at school was like, as opposed to her experience at the coed theatre troupe she performs with on the weekends. Recently, she played Prentiss in Peter and the Starcatcher, Jasmine in Aladdin, and this spring she’ll play Flounder in The Little Mermaid. When asked about playing a mix of female and male characters, she said, “It’s a lot more fun for me personally to play male roles, because it’s not something I’m used to, and I have

RE AT AN ALL GIRLS SCHOOL to work harder to get it. I get to play with body movement and mannerisms a little more than I do when I’m playing a female role, which I really enjoy because it pushes me out of my comfort zone, and in turn makes me a better actor.” I also asked her about developing romance with girls, as opposed to boys. She said, “[It’s] definitely different for me falling in love with a girl versus with a guy. I’ve never had a stage kiss so it’s not about the physical romance. Part of it is because I’m such good friends with Ella [who played her husband in our latest production] so it was harder to get over that awkwardness. Dom [who played opposite her as Aladdin in her co-ed troupe] also has more experience as an actor and we never really saw each other outside of rehearsal so it was easier to just develop that onstage romance and not have to switch in and out of friends and romantic partners.” On the flip side, another friend, Pixley Marquardt, feels that “playing girls is more fun, but only because I’m so used to playing guys because I’m an alto.” She also said, “Some characters are hard to sympathize with, for sure. Like the general [who she played in our last show] was a huge misogynist. Like it was part of his character. The audience was supposed to hate him. I couldn’t really relate to him, so he was probably the hardest I’ve had to develop so far. But with Aladdin and Omar, it didn’t really matter… like in writing he’s a guy, but gender only really matters for one of the friends. I also played Simba in The Lion King, and he was fun, but once again gender isn’t a huge part of his storyline.” I also asked her about romance and, once again disagreeing with Dia, she said, “Falling in love with girls is so much

easier. Like for Frozen [she’s Anna] it’s my first time being in love with an actual boy on stage, so it’s hard. I mean, I’ve only ever been in love with a girl once, so I guess it’s not about experience. I think with a girl it doesn’t feel as weird… like it’s easier to talk about it. I mean I wasn’t super close with Quinn [Nala in The Lion King], so I didn’t have the same problem Dia had with Ella, which I guess helped.”

So obviously, acting with one gender is an experience, but for my friends it ends up not being too out of the ordinary. Pixley says her experience wouldn’t different at a coed school. Her voice is low, and she’s really tall, so it makes sense for her to fill in the gaps the lack of teen boys pursuing high school theatre leave. For Dia, the hardest part is the romance, and even that gets better as she does more shows and gains more experience. Both girls have an even experience acting with all girls and with mixed gender troupes, which strengthens their abilities, allowing them to play these roles in the very best way they can. So for anyone reading this who is at a single-gender school and constantly gets asked about how the productions work, next time you’re questioned you have three options: you can do what you do now, you can shrug and say “it’s normal”, or you can show them this article.

Words by Frannie Walton

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Betrayal played its last performance on December 8th. The show, featuring Tom Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton, and Charlie Cox, tells the tale of an affair in reverse, starting at the end of the marriage and closing at the first glimmer of love. The show transferred from Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Harold Pinter Theatre and opened on September 5th. It was a strict 12-week engagement and typically brought in around 6,000 audience members a week.

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Derren Brown : Secret Following a successful Off-Broadway run, Derren Brown’s psychological magic show transferred to Broadway’s Cort Theatre for a 17-week limited run, and it will close on January 4th. Derren Brown is known for his many T.V. specials where he shows off his ability to trick the minds of audiences. After Secret closes, Brown will launch a live tour around the UK.

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Waitress will close up the pie shop on January 5th, after nearly four years on Broadway. Waitress is based on the 2007 film of the same name by Adrienne Shelly, and 9 Jennas have shown almost 1,500,000 audience members What Baking Can Do. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all truly sad to see this show go, but Lucie Jones and Sara Bareilles will carry the show on the West End until July 4th, 2020.

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Tootsie

Tootsie will close on January 5th after a little more than eight months on Broadway. The show has been met with its fair share of controversies since before it even opened, and after months of the Marquis Theatre being at half-capacity, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not surprising that the show is coming to a close.

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The revival of the classic musical was appropriately deemed “Not Your Grandma’s Oklahoma,” back when it opened in April. Daniel Fish’s take reveals the dark tones of the beloved classic, and includes an emphasis on female empowerment. It transferred from St. Ann’s Warehouse to the Circle in the Square. It was initially supposed to be a 22-week run, ending September 1st, but after filling the theatre for the first three weeks, an extension was announced before a month of performances was over. The 8-time Tony Award nominated show must close on January 19th, and we’ll all miss the talented cast and crew, and the chili at intermission!

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Fiddler On The Roof in Yidish The beloved classic was revived OffBroadway in February and its original June 30th closing was extended twice, first to September 1st and eventually to January 5th. The show is performed completely in Yiddish, with English and Russian subtitles. The show won the 2019 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical Revival, a 2019 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award Special Citation, and the Outer Critics’ Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical. The show broke the house box office record at Stage 42 and will be deeply missed by fans.

Sam Tutty

Recently graduated from the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Sam starred in the British Theatre Academy production of Once On This Island at Southwark Playhouse, in the role of Daniel. At only 21, Sam made his West End debut in Dear Evan Hansen as the lead role, Evan in October 2019. You can currently catch him at the NoĂŤl Coward Theatre!

Gavin Creel

Born in Ohio and trained at the University of Michigan School of Music, Gavin made his Broadway debut in Throughout Modern Millie as Jimmy Smith in 2002. Since then, he has been in many Broadway, West End, and national tour productions. He is best known for his role as Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly!, which earned him a Tony Award in 2017. On Broadway, he also starred in La Cage aux Folles, Hair, and The Book of Mormon. Gavin made his West End debut in 2006 in Mary Poppins as Bertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s replacement. He was also part of many concerts, workshops, and national tours. Currently, Gavin is playing the role of Dr Pomatter in Waitress at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.

Kathryn Gallagher

Recently opened on Broadway, Jagged Little Pill’s star Kathryn Gallagher is shining eight times a week on the Broadhurst’s stage. The young actress had already made her Broadway debut in 2015 in the Deaf West’s revival of Spring Awakening as the voice of Martha, for which she even received a nomination for an Astaire Awards for outstanding ensemble. Besides that, Kathryn starred in Netflix’s TV show You as Annika, and writes songs. You can now catch her as Bella Fox in Jagged Little Pill at the Broadhurst Theatre.

Nicole Raquel-Denis

At only 25 years old, Nicole has already starred in many musical theatre shows and was even the Semi-Finalist on The Voice this year! She made her West End debut in the ensemble of The Book of Mormon before being cast in Dreamgirls as 1st Cover of Effie White. Since February 2019, she was in the ensemble of Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre, also covering the role of Nurse Norma. Currently, she is playing Alana Beck in Dear Evan Hansen!

Hiba Elchikhe

After training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and BRIT School, Hiba made her professional debut in the tour of Ghost: the musical as Mrs Santaigo/The Hospital Ghost and understudying the role of Molly Jenson. She was then cast as Princess Jasmine in Australia’s production of Disney’s Aladdin. Hiba also starred in Broken Wings, Antony and Cleopatra, and Fiver. Recently, she was in the Greenwich Theatre’s production of Brooklyn, playing the title role, Brooklyn! Hiba has also been a part of many workshops for new musicals including Bend It Like Beckham.

OPINION

I was accepted into the only school I applied to in mid-December of last year. I opened the large packet backstage at rehearsal for my high school’s production of Shrek. I wasn’t performing that day, but was working as the student director. I was more stressed than ever for that production- playing a thousand roles offstage and only two onstage. I felt like the show, at times, was resting on my shoulders. Now imagine that, but the show actually resting on my shoulders. I’m seventeen years old and a Theatre Studies major at Ithaca College. We have one of the top theatre programs in the country, and our beloved Dillingham (the theatre building) is full of Broadway posters- each of them having one thing in common- an Ithaca College alumn’s work devoted to making it excellent. My advisor is a Tony voter. My main classes are Acting I, Intro to Theatre, and Script Analysis. Every professor (and many students) can namedrop people they’ve worked with and I’ve idolized at the drop of a hat. Everything is very high stakes- even the ‘smaller’ shows (no small shows, I think, only small actors). Most four year liberal arts colleges with theatre majors have both Mainstage

WHAT IT’S ACTUAL productions, which are intense annual shows produced by the school itself and increasingly difficult to get into, and smaller companies and clubs that put on their own shows with limited help from ‘adults’. I’ve seen both kinds of shows from a variety of schools- WHAT Theatre at Syracuse University put on an electric production of American Idiot last year, but I also caught Cortland’s mainstage production of 9 to 5 between seeing some of Le Moyne’s straight plays (I’m a sucker for Kate Hamil adaptations). If you seek out opportunities, you’ll get them. Some small companies don’t do cuts, and some of them do very few. Email them, asking how to apply for stage managing or assistant directing positions. Work your way up. Take interviews, fill out applications, and never leave your dorm without your resume. Even having a resume is a huge help. I’m pursuing directing, so I’ll actually perform very rarely. I’d rather be backstage trying to figure out where Juliet is because Romeo and Friar Lawernce need her on stage right now (we found her, after two minutes of Friar hilariously stalling in character), but I love the limelight. During an interview for a directing gig, resumes were

LLY LIKE TO BE A THEATRE MAJOR expected. During an audition for a student-written play, resumes shocked them. Come prepared- even if you don’t have theatre experience. Write down that you’ve done slam poetry or the Shakespeare Monologue Competition. Theatre majors do have homework. I’m not going to lie, a lot of it is reading plays. I’ve read about twenty this semester for various classes, and some of them (Proof and Fefu and Her Friends jump to mind) are now my favorites. I’ve written papers on queer theatre in 2019, essays on racial interpellation found in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. And my acting class is a whole other story- we act as other characters, sure, but to do that, we need to know how we react in situations by looking into how we have reacted- and that gets really hard sometimes. There’s a dozen of us in that class, and we’ve all openly wept to each other at least once. After class, I usually work off-campus. Some days I have to go to Technical Theatre Practicum, a major-specific class where I help with crew. This semester, I helped with electrics for Everybody, which meant for about ten hours a week, I passed lights up on a pulley system (I may have hung them myself if I wasn’t afraid of

heights). Who knows what I’ll be assigned next semester? I just finished assistant directing and assistant stage managing IC Second Stage’s Romeo and Juliet, and I’ll be in Theatre Lab’s 13 before the semester’s out, with Melodramatics’ unannounced show to direct next semester already lined up. Being a theatre major is insanely hard, but the work is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Sure, painting Mercutio’s jacket at 1 am isn’t my favorite part of the job, but I love it, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Theatre Studies majors study various aspects of theatre, providing us with the tools to become directors, stage managers, playwrights, critics, dramaturgs, or similar careers. Feel free to ask me any questions about this field or anything I’ve written about. Words by Rebekah

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