BWW Blog: Alyssa Sileo - Theatrefy Your Summer

Summer is for friends, family, fun times, and fearing reading assignments. In the months of schoolless weekdays, some of us thespians do summer theatre camps, in and out of town. Some take master classes, or perform in mainstage theatre shows, or rehearse for show choirs or Thespian troupes. If you're an older theatre kid like me, there's also college-searching to be done.

These are the three months out of the year, though, in which lots of us are out of our natural habitats-drama class, or rehearsal for school shows. There's a withdrawal period, then a settling, then a slipping away from the rituals of daily learning. This is especially true if one is not able to participate in a show during the summer.

This doesn't have to be unfortunate-there are a multitude of things a theatre-lover can do to stay on their flip-flopped toes. Here's five suggestions with descriptions about their pertinence and accessibility. (Everything on this list can easily be done while eating ice cream or sipping lemonade or sitting by the beach or pool. They're also of little-to-no cost, so that's awesome if you're like me, who's saving up for the Hamilton Booth at the Broadway Flea Market.)

1) Read the plays that are staples - If your Theatre or English classes haven't already exposed you to the works of playwrights like Thorton Wilder, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, then take to the shelves and intake the stories considered "timeless" by the masses. The previously mentioned names are just of the modern era. You've still got authors from Ancient Greece like Euripides, the French Neoclassical Era like Moliere, or the Nineteenth Century Rise of Realism like Henrik Ibsen. In these works are iconic characters and structures that speak to that specific generation of theatre in which it was written. Was there a demand for more diverse voices or were the Rules of Drama reigning? Was this an age of decadence or a time of heavy questioning? The point of views of many demographics of multiple time periods can be found in dialogue and stage directions. Plus, the writing style of at least one of these playwrights is bound to suit your fancy. Don't be skeptical about the popularity or the supposed "basic-ness" about these plays. There's a reason they've endured the critics, remaining at the top of must-read lists.

Where these can be found: Libraries or practically any real/online bookstore/drama bookshop. Better yet, if the opportunity presents itself, go see a local production of a classic work! As the saying goes, "It's 7 o'clock somewhere, which means Our Town is playing somewhere."

2.) Listen to a musical you wouldn't normally jam to - Most of us have "our genre" or "our top-five." There's an unbelievable amount of musicals that have yet to bless our earphones. This is why I challenge you to at least try the first act of a musical that you have either been avoiding or have never thought to study. Are rock and pop operas your ammunition? Take a shot at something Rogers and Hammerstein. Are you partial to gigantic, harmonizing ensembles? Try a musical with a small cast. (Two Jason Robert Brown musicals come to mind, Songs for a New World, with a cast of four, and The Last Five Years, with a cast of two.) To expand your tastes, consider giving stylized theatre a whirl (Anything of Fosse's will razzle-dazzle you.) Learn something new with a historical musical (something other than the obvious, or the obvious, if you've been withholding for some reason.) There's song-cycles, jukebox musicals, and adaptations to be explored! Go find an alphabetical list of musicals and find a show beginning with an unusual letter. Or a number. Just something unconventional! A "top-six" may be a result of this venturing.

Where these can be found: Music-streaming providers, music purchasing platforms. Vinyl Shops. The CD section at the library. (Over the course of one summer I got about 60 musical CDs and downloaded them all to my laptop. Instant. Musical. Database.)

3.) Learn about someone on Broadway - The pool is larger than it appears. These performers could be in our drama textbooks one day, so take advantage of the legacies occurring before our eyes. Find a name of someone starring on The Big Stage and research about their credits, their alma mater, their favorite teachers. Their own favorite shows. A random anecdote or two. Their advice to young performers. These tidbits of knowledge can be inspiring. They're also great for Cast Parties. I'll jumpstart your investigation with some names: Annaleigh Ashford, Andy Mientus, Leslie Odom Jr., Michael Arden, Tavi Gevinson.

Where this can be done: Online, in interview videos, social media, on personal websites.

4.) Research about a famous practitioner or pioneer of theatre - To contrast the currency of the previous suggestion; here is some history. At the time theatre was becoming a mainstream construct, artists built a solid foundation of methods and statutes. They explored for the answers of questions like "What makes a story?" or "What is acting?" or "How can we communicate reality?" The parents of our art should be honored-and the best way to do this is to act on their teachings. Theorists and authors like Standford Meisner, Uta Hagen, Anton Chekhov, and Stella Adler were visionaries. Their processes are varied but all tested by the ages and proven useful. These artists wrote most everything down, too. Take advantage of that and pick up your newest handbook. (Maybe pair suggestion #3 with this suggestion. Which methods do those actors use?)

Where this can be done: Online, in their books found at libraries and real/online bookstore/drama bookshops.

5.) Try something out theatre-related that you wouldn't do otherwise - I cannot draw for my life. Put a colored pencil in my hand and you'll get a colored pencil snapped in two. That does not change how much I love costumes. So maybe I'll never costume a professional show-I can envision my steampunk Shakespeares all darn day. No one is seeing these crayon sketches. If tech-booths scare you like they scare me, then try learning about lighting or sound design. Can you sing a Gershwin number with your feet planted on the ground? Then attempt learning a basic tap combo! Do you love acting in beautiful sets? Design a set for a musical you listened to because of Suggestion #2. Research about theatre management and what goes into funding for a show. Theatre happens in so many ways. You can discover a whole new form of performing-whether it be in the wings or in the lobby.

Where this can be done: On extra notebook paper. Look for lessons online or in drama bookshops. Oftentimes local theatres really appreciate someone willing to learn the ropes and help out!

Pushing our limits and discovering new things-that's how our passions are developed. Your love of the theatre can be expanded by a click of a button or the turn of a page.

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