TV: Watch a Recap of Day One of The Broadway Collective's GATHERED Event

There are over 35,000 high schools in the United States of America. At every school, there's at least one kid who's obsessed with musical theater, who has memorized every single line of Hamilton, Rent, and Wicked, and who dreams of working on Broadway one day.

Maybe you remember that kid. Or maybe that kid was you.

The Broadway Collective is a training academy for... that kid. The kid who's hungry to work on Broadway. The kid who's willing to put in thousands of hours of hard work to make it happen. (Even mowing lawns for a whole year to save up enough money for a plane ticket to NYC-as one 17-year-old Broadway Collective student recently did.)

This summer, the Broadway Collective is hosting their annual event, Gathered (bwaycollective.com/gathered) with a session happening June 20-24, 2018 and-due to intense demand-a second session scheduled for August 8-12, 2018. Both sessions are sold out. At each Gathered event, they're bringing 40 young performers (ages 13-21) to NYC for five days of training, mentorship, and a taste of what it's like to live and work in the performing arts capital of the world.

During Gathered, students attend Broadway shows like Once On This Island, Frozen, and My Fair Lady. They have dinner with cast members and attend exclusive talk-back sessions after the performances.

During the daytime, students complete over 50 hours of dance, voice, and acting masterclasses led by expert teachers.

Watch a recap video of Day One below!

Gathered's all-star faculty includes three-time Tony Award-winning Director/Choreographer Kathleen Marshall, Emmy Award-winning Director/Choreographer Josh Bergasse, and Tony Award winners LaChanze and Gavin Creel. Broadway Actors Corey Cott, Erika Henningsen, Bryan Langlitz, Sydney Morton, Robert Hartwell, Casting Director Kate Lumpkin, as well as rock vocal coach Sheri Sanders, talent agents, staff and performers from musicals like Hamilton, Mean Girls, and Once on this Island. Broadway Associate Directors Adam Quinn (Dear Evan Hansen) , Gina Rattan (Cinderella), and Music Director and Arranger David Chase round out the faculty.

Gathered wraps up with a showcase performance-called the Sharecase-where students present what they've learned. Parents are welcome to attend.

"For many kids, working on Broadway feels like an unattainable dream," says Broadway Collective founder Robert Hartwell, who will return soon for a stint in the Tony Award-winning production of Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler.

"Especially if you're a kid from somewhere like Indiana, Kentucky, or North Carolina, which is where I grew up, you might think, 'How do I get to Broadway? What's the path? Is this even possible for me?' and you don't have any role models to light the way forward. You don't know anybody who's actually done it. You might feel lost."

"Here at the Broadway Collective, our mission is to show kids that, 'Your dream is valid'. Yes, it's hard. Yes, it's competitive. Yes, there will be disappointment along the journey. But it's not impossible. If you want to work on Broadway, there are specific career steps that you can take. At Gathered, we show kids what those steps are-and we get them started on their path to Broadway. But really truly beyond Broadway....we get them working on the discipline of building a work ethic"

"Gathered is not summer camp" adds Hartwell. "These five days can change the trajectory of a young performer's life and career."

"Who knows?" he says. "The world's next Audra McDonald or Idina Menzel or Lin-Manuel Miranda might be one of the students at Gathered this year. We want to unlock all of that potential. We are training Broadway's next generation."

Free performance. Reserve your tickets today.

On Sunday June 24, 2018 from 10:30am-1:30pm, students from Gathered will perform at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre at 405 W 55th Street. This final Sharecase is a presentation of what they've learned during their time in NYC. Parents, family, friends, agents, managers, and members of the press are welcome to attend.

To reserve your complimentary ticket, please email gathered@bwaycollective.com.

The Broadway Collective (bwaycollective.com) is a training academy for kids (ages 11-18) who want to grow up and pursue a career in the musical theater industry.

It's no secret that working on Broadway is intensely competitive. We give young performers a professional edge, helping them improve their dance, voice, acting, and audition skills.

The Broadway Collective is a place where students build confidence, a strong work ethic, resilience, and unstoppable determination.

We prepare kids for success in the performing arts-and everywhere else in life.

If you would like more information about Gathered-or any of the Broadway Collective's programs-please visit www.bwaycollective.com