Broadway Theatre Project Educates The Next Generation Of Musical Theatre Artists Online

This summer, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Broadway Theatre Project moved its musical theatre intensive to the virtual landscape. From July 15-25, 23 pre-college and pre-professional students from all over the U.S. logged onto a videoconferencing platform to refine their performance techniques and learn about the industry from legendary performers, casting directors, agents, music directors, vocal coaches, and arts educators. A portion of the project was designated toward teaching students how to audition for and perform musical theatre onscreen.

The program was helmed by Debra McWaters (President, Co-Artistic Director, Dance Dept.), Herman Payne (Co-Artistic Director, Head of Dance Dept.), and Clay Christopher (Program Director, Acting Dept.) as well as Tucker Tab DeGregory (Associate Program Director, Co-Assistant Artistic Director, Dance Dept.) and Giulia Falabella (Co-Assistant Artistic Director, Acting Dept.). Resident faculty included Matthew Buffalo (Acting Dept.), Tim Evanicki (College Audition Coach, Head of Voice Dept.), Darren Lorenzo (Voice Dept.), and Brett Scott (Head of Acting Dept.). Guest artists included Carmit Bachar, Michael Cerveris, Greg Daniels, Mark Madama, Donna McKechnie, Peisha McPhee, Michael Orland, Michael Rodriguez, Daniel Spector, Duncan Stewart, Greg Uliasz, Ben Vereen, and Scott Wojcik.

From 10:00am-6:30pm each day, students participated in Q&As, independent coachings, and classes in Laban movement, monologue study, song study, voice techniques, dance techniques, dance repertoire, script annotation, choreographing narrative, preparing for college auditions, voice acting, theme park and cruise entertainment, intention through movement, and improvisation. Additionally, a select group of students participated in BTP's inaugural Creative Lab: an experience designed to simulate the process of workshopping a new, original musical. Four students took on the roles of playwright, director, choreographer, and composer/lyricist and developed a working libretto and short preview performance.

Broadway Theatre Project is inspired by all of the artists and students who made the summer 2020 virtual intensive such a success! The intensive culminated in an online performance, which can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1169403293459027