BWW Fan Girl: Olivia Hardy Talks with Tony Yazbeck About His Work With The YoungArts Foundation

Miss our exciting announcement about Olivia Hardy joining the BroadwayWorld.com as an intern writer, teen correspondent and @BWWFanGirl? Click Here. Today Olivia reports on the YoungArts Foundation and talks with one of its alumni, Tony Yazbeck.

Over the summer I was introduced to this fantastic organization called the National YoungArts Foundation. I had never heard of it before, but a few of my friends told me about it so I decided to do a little research. The National YoungArts Foundation is an organization dedicated to helping students fulfill their dreams in all aspects of the arts. From master classes to granting scholarships, YoungArts strives to keep the arts alive in as many ways as they can.

Along with their incredible opportunities for students, they also have a pretty impressive group of alumni. Artists like Viola Davis, Andrew Rannells, Vanessa Williams, Kerry Washington and more have all been a part of the National YoungArts Foundation. Last Thursday I got to interview another YoungArts alum, Tony Yazbeck, about his experiences with YoungArts and here's what he had to say:

When asked what he enjoyed the most about being a part of YoungArts he responded saying that he loved the collaborative aspect of it.

"I applied in high school," he said, "and I really enjoyed the collaboration they offered on different levels." YoungArts doesn't just offer guidance in musical theatre. They offer guidance and support in all aspects of visual and performing art whether it be anything from painting to architecture.

"About 4 years ago, I was contacted by YoungArts telling me that I was an alumnus for them and they asked for me to teach master classes. I ended up teaching a theatre master class on audition technique, then I became a panelist for the dancers auditioning for YoungArts."

This year Tony will be even directing the final gala in Miami for YoungArt's finalists.

"It's not just for scholarship money," he remarked. "They offer so much more."

The second thing I asked was if he had any advice for young students planning to apply.

"Make a good quality video. Have proper lighting and wear proper attire. You want to show off your technique in the best way you can. There are so many poor videos that I have seen that may not have showcased them in the best way they could've, so making a good quality video is very important."

I then asked if it was very competitive because it is a competition in a sort of way. He replied saying that it wasn't very competitive with each other as you may think and if you don't make it one year, you can apply multiple years which makes things a lot more hopeful. The age range opened up so you can apply ages 15 to 18.

"Please apply! It's a great opportunity for young artists everywhere!"

While wrapping up the interview, Tony shared that he is currently working on a new musical called PRINCE OF BROADWAY about the famous producer and director, Hal Prince, and will be directing the YoungArts gala in January.

After interviewing Tony and attending the National YoungArts Awareness Day cabaret at Feinstein's 54 Below, I highly encourage any young artists of and around my age to apply. The application is online on their website youngarts.org.