BWW Blog: “Give Yourself the Goodies” - A Review of Broadway Workshop's WAITRESS Broadway Day

A few weekends ago, I had the pleasure of attending Broadway Workshop's WAITRESS Broadway Day. It is part of a series of weekend masterclasses, where each class features a different musical. Past workshops have featured stars of Broadway's ANASTASIA, SIX, HAMILTON, and more.

The WAITRESS Broadway Day starred cast members Kayla Davion, Christopher Fitzgerald, and Jessie Mueller. As a person who has a hard time sitting still, I was worried I wouldn't last the two hours of the Zoom call. Quite the opposite; I was impressed to learn that this class was music theory, dance, WAITRESS history, and industry advice all in one.

The first half of the workshop consisted of learning the ensemble choreography to "Bad Idea" with Kayla Davion. The dance was mainly focused on clapping with a complicated rhythm during certain parts of the song, and then keeping that rhythmic clap steady as the arm movements changed with the music. The dance itself wasn't very long, but I was thrilled with the way it was taught; it was easy to pick up and quite fun to learn with an encouraging instructor. I went into the dance portion a bit nervous, (as I currently am a "singer who moves"), but the experience left me excited and hungry to learn more. Ms. Davion's spirit and undeniable passion were strongly evident in her teaching.

The second half of the workshop was a Q&A session with Jessie Mueller and Christopher Fitzgerald. One of the unexpected gifts of the pandemic has been the popularity of Zoom, and as a result, many experiences arise to meet wonderful people that would not have been available otherwise. Ms. Mueller and Mr. Fitzgerald made us all feel like we were just talking to old friends, and to be quite honest, the one hour "zoomed" by! (Sorry; couldn't resist!)

One of my favorite moments happened as the Workshops's class moderator introduced Ms. Mueller and her unforgettable starring roles. Always entertaining, Ms. Mueller pantomimed playing an invisible "air piano" (BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL as Carole King)... riding a Carousel as a nod to her role in that 2018 revival...and (what else?) stirring a pie mix that wasn't there (WAITRESS as Jenna - DUH)! Anyone up for some "Broadway Stars are Just Like Us Blueberry" Pie? :-) She certainly could add that to her "special skills" on her resume because I loved it.

In terms of advice for performers, when Christopher Fitzgerald was asked what he believes to be most important in those wishing to pursue a career in theatre, he answered "Give yourself the goodies." So simple, but so darn good; just like a Carole King lyric. Ms. Mueller answered "I second that."

In essence, they advised us to always feel proud of the work you're doing, even if it doesn't land you a role or go like you hoped - "give yourself the goodies" as in, feel good because you're doing your best and that's always enough.

I was particularly touched by a personal story that Mr. Fitzgerald told during the Q & A. A few years ago, he and his wife traveled abroad and toured an ancient cave. In order to see the scenery on the other side, they had to crawl through a tiny, tight space in the cave. He said it was "so dark that you couldn't see your own hand if you put it in front of your face." It momentarily and nerve-wrackingly robbed them of all senses.

"But," he said, "when we got through, everything was new; the air never felt so good on my skin, the colors had never been so bright, and the scene that I saw in front of me had never been so beautiful. That's what it's going to feel like when Broadway comes back."

In the two weeks since the class, I've been missing live theatre terribly. Then Mr. Fitzgerald's story comes to my mind and brings me both comfort and great expectations for a brighter-than-ever Broadway comeback.

Both gave their greatest thanks to the Actors Fund, an organization that has been of tremendous help to arts workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. I urge you to learn more about this amazing organization by visiting www.actorsfund.org and/or their Instagram page (@theactorsfund). You can also give Kayla and Christopher a follow on their instagram pages: @kayladavion and @thechristopherfitzgerald.

All in all, I can't recommend Broadway Workshop highly enough. "Give yourself the goodies" and check out their upcoming events at www.broadwayworkshop.com, as well as following their Instagram page @broadwayworkshop. Until intermission ends, Broadway Workshop is certainly doing their part to keep the joy of theatre in our hearts and lives.

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