BroadwayWorld Turns its Spotlight on 'High School Musicals'

Looking Back... That we would rehearse forever and then only hold like two performances. So, in that way, it was kind of like a marathon.

Looking Back... The first thing that I think of is how similar it all is to working in the musical theatre "professionally." Truly, the only difference in working on a high school musical and a Broadway musical is the amount of money that's at stake. There are the same all-important seeming triumphs and failures, the same personalities (both grand and dull), and the same attempts to put on, like, the BEST show EVER!

Looking Back... I did go two summers to a theatre camp called Beginner's Showcase in Sunapee, New Hampshire. I was in the chorus of about a dozen musicals and Thommie Walsh, who later was in the original cast of A Chorus Line, was the nineteen year old choreographer. And, boy, was he tough as nails. He gave me such a terrible time when I was playing a newsboy in Gypsy that I vowed never to dance again. And I've kept that promise. I suppose the American Theatre can thank him for that.

Looking Back... Because I played football I remember getting the entire team to be the chorus in Once Upon A Matress. The sight of them all in tights while I did my choreographic chores is still oh so vivid.

Looking Back... My high school productions were incredible, big budget affairs; when I moved to NY and started doing off-broadway shows I was actually a little disappointed in the production values; New Trier spoiled me!

Looking Back... I remember not really being able to sing "Being Alive," but trying to act the heck out of it, hoping no one would notice. I remember also feeling so radical doing the pot smoking scene. Ah, youth.....

Looking Back... The first thing that comes to mind is "God! The amount of makeup we wore!" which probably explains my makeup obsession to this day.

Looking Back... The first thing I remember when I think back was "Where are all the boys?" I went to an all-girl school for twelve years, and it made meeting guys quite an event. It was always fun to do things in the theater department, because boys from other shcools would come in and play the parts,and we actually had a chance to meet them and talk to them like real people!

Looking Back... Unfortunately, there's not ONE memory that comes to mind when I think back. Sort of a flood. Here's the list:
- Meeting my first girlfriend in Oliver!
- Sitting in the wings of the auditorium while the girls in the school put make-up on the guys.
- My family's stunned faces when they first heard me sing, for up until that point, they didn't know I could.
- Being beaten out by Mike "Fig" Figarillo for the "Best Actor" Award.

Looking Back... DRAMA! There is more drama in a high school musical -- and more riding on the casting of the high school musical -- than in any production I ever did on Broadway. Broadway was a breath of fresh air after the "politics" of my high school drama department. Still, I wouldn't have traded it for the world ... I LOVED it all.

Three years ago I took a year off of performing and became the Artistic Director of the Orange County High School of the Arts in California. I was hired to restructure the curriculum, bring in a higher grade of instructors and pull the program into the modern era of this industry -- make it relevant for these future perfromers. Overall it was an incredible, exhausting and rewarding experience, but my actual job (hectic and demanding as it was) took only about 20% of my time -- the other 80% was dealing with parents. =) I don't begrudge them, they all want the best for their kids, but it was strange. There is a bizarre sense of entitlement in this world now. When I wasn't cast as a lead in a show in high school, my mother would NEVER have called the school to complain!! But boy, I got lots of phone calls!! Don't get me wrong, most of the parents were encouraging, grateful and supportive; but the small number of those who were not were very loud and disruptive, ill-informed, and ... doing such a disservice to their children. So much of this industry is learning to deal with rejection -- a MUST if you are going to survive. I would sit in my little office on occassion and wonder about the future of that child. What happens the day when the child doesn't get cast in a Broadway show, for example ... then it would occur to me ... I wonder how Hal Prince will react when he gets the angry phone call at home? =)

Looking Back... Why is that 16 year old girl playing Momma Rose?

Looking Back... My best memory when I look back to those days, was actually being taken to Damn Yankees as a kid. It was my brother's 10th birthday party, and I remember the balcony and the GREAT Gwen Verdon... I was enthralled.

Looking Back... When I think back to doing musicals in high school, I remember that it all started with me NOT having any interest in doing them. I wanted to be a cheerleader, one of the "cool" kids, but my Mom missed a necessary meeting so I couldn't try out. My sister spotted an ad for tryouts for theatre, and I said "but I don't want to do a show, I want to be a cheerleader!" I never did get to be a cheerleader, but I did do musicals all four years in high school. Looking back, I consider it a much better choice!

Looking Back... I remember most vividly my first entrance. I entered stage right and weaved myself down stage center, the spotlight came up and there I was in Elvis hair and a TIGHT gold lame bodysuit. The audience went crazy and I thought to myself,"I could get used to this!!!!" To this day, when I go back to Georgia, there is always someone who talks to me about that show!!!!

Looking Back... My very first memory ever is being about 3 and playing a good old-fashioned game of "doctor" with my friend Simonne LaVille at daycare. We were friends all through high school too, which goes to show you that a friendship started with "doctor" is destined to succeed.

Looking Back... Making our director Mr. Mooney laugh until he cried the first time we did "Two Faces in the Dark" at the dress-rehearsal of Redhead. That, and the opening night parties during the summer seasons. You can stay up late when you're young like that.

Looking Back... I think back and smile because I know I wouldn't be where I am today without the experiences I had in High School. It was the BIGGEST part of my journey to NY. And I felt that I learned so much more in High School than I did in College. Wouldn't change my experiences there for anything!

Looking Back... I just remember the music teacher saving me from being expelled by saying they needed me in the show so they wouldn't throw me out!

Looking Back... The first thing I think about when I look back is, "What made me think I could move to NYC and actually make a living at this????" You should see some of the video tape. AGHHH!