Most everyone knows the story of "The Princess and the Pea", but few know what actually happened. For instance, did you know that Princess Winnifred, from the Ragnarok Marsh Lilies, actually swam the moat to reach the castle? You'll learn about this and much more from Susquehanna Stage Company's next show, Once Upon a Mattress Jr.!

With the success of shows such as NEWSIES being filmed live onstage, it's proven that shows filmed live on stage are beneficial, so why aren't more shows doing it?

On Tuesday, April 25th the Greater Philadelphia Cappies released their list of Award Nominees for the 2016-2017 season.

OHP is burning up the quarter mile at Scarborough High School as opening night speeds towards them. The cast is hard at work polishing this iconic musical for the first performance on May 4th.

Hello, readers! It's been a long time since I've uploaded an article. My high school readers know that the January to April area is a particularly difficult one, especially with AP classes, senior events, and college decisions. I decided that this article should be an update on my past three months and a guide for future seniors who hit those college and future obstacles.

Take a trip back to the 1950's as the Acting Troupe of Lambert moves and grooves in Grease, the original high-school musical!

In the year 1935 times are hard for everyone, but especially for Girl, who-with no family of her own-gets passed around from household to household, until, following clues and whisperings of her heart, she encounters the eccentric Mother Hicks.

The calendar is fast approaching commencement season all over the country and seniors in high school theater programs are preparing for their final shows on their familiar stomping grounds - like Nashville's Franklin Road Academy senior Micah Frizzell. As he prepares to open tonight in director/educator Ross Bolen's musical update of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing (he plays Don John), he's already looking ahead to next fall when he enrolls at Syracuse University as part of their group of 24 incoming freshmen for the BFA Musical Theater program.

On Wednesday, April 12, UCF students showcased their short films as part of "UCF Celebrates the Arts" at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. A brief Q&A session with the filmmakers followed the event.

Circle Theatre has announced the four finalists' and four semi-finalists' plays in the annual High School Playwriting Project.

This past Sunday, UCF faculty members Belinda (Be) Boyd, Cynthia White and Sybil St. Claire hosted a female playwrights panel as part of "UCF Celebrates the Arts." Boyd and St. Claire provided insight on playwriting, while White offered advice from the developmental perspective. 

PINKALICIOUS: THE MUSICAL at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater is pinktastic! See my review of the show below.

On July 15th, 2016, I began writing the first piece of the first theatre project that would be performed outside my head. It wasn't until August 23rd that I decided to chronicle the building of what would become State Your Case.

This Friday, April 7, marks the beginning of 'UCF Celebrates the Arts,' a week-long showcase of student art and pieces that demonstrate the vital role of the arts. On Sunday, UCF faculty members will hold a female playwrights panel. I talked with two of the playwrights, Belinda (Be) Boyd and Sybil St. Claire, about their inspiration to become playwrights, their start in playwriting and what to expect at the panel. 

This is the sixth post in my series about Apples and Oranges Studios' THEatre ACCELERATOR. THEatre ACCELERATOR utilizes new technology to develop musicals in a unique way. For a full explanation of THEatre ACCELERATOR, see my first post here. 

One normal night is not what you'll get at Thornton Academy! I was invited to talk to the performers of THE ADDAMS FAMILY at the Thornton Academy Auditorium. I was able to speak with Zack LaChance and Braden Foley who play Gomez and Fester Addams, respectively.

The past two weeks have been nothing but rewarding for Cinderella at UHS! I am writing to you off of a successful opening weekend and could not be more appreciative. Since I have shared with you all last, we have added costumes, lights, sound and held several dress runs with all of the elements! 

It has been practically two months now and I am still suffering from Post BroadwayCon depression. For those who don't know, BroadwayCon was a convention held at the Javits center in New York City from January 27th to the 29th and I am not exaggerating when I say that it was one of the best weekends of my life. Honestly, I did not know what to expect going into it. It was only the second year that Playbill and Mischief Management teamed up to put this event on and last year's convention was visited by a giant blizzard. I had gone with my two best friends and even though this was our first year going, we went all out with a different cosplay each day. These consisted of The Schuyler Sisters, all three Heathers, and Danny, Sandy, and Rizzo from Grease. As soon as we stepped into the Javits center it was as if we were stepping into another world. A world where it was okay to burst out into showtunes, find a way to quote a musical to any conversation, and meet your favorite Broadway actors as they were just walking around. There were Glindas, newsies, and Hamilton's galore. 

This is the fifth post in my series about Apples and Oranges Studios' THEatre ACCELERATOR. THEatre ACCELERATOR utilizes new technology to develop musicals in a unique way. For a full explanation of THEatre ACCELERATOR, see my first post here. 

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of taking Fredi Walker-Browne's three day workshop at my school, the OCVTS: Performing Arts Academy. Being able to take such an informative class on the entertainment world was eye opening and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to take this class at my school as both a freshman and senior. When learning about show business and casting I found myself reflecting on how big the performance world is, and how thankful I am to be apart of such a crazy yet thrilling field.

Do you hear the students sing? The Brunswick High School Players are presenting LES MISÈRABLES SCHOOL EDITION under the direction of Pam Mutti.

There's a solid reason why the Sophomore One-Acts Festival at my school is called Short and Sweet. These little bites of theatre are a delight to watch, study, and perform.

Jess here.  I recently saw my first show at Cockroach Theatre, a well-established theatre company located here in Las Vegas.  SPINNING INTO BUTTER by Rebecca Gilman exposes current social issues through an honest story that could, in reality, have taken place in Anywhere, USA.  This play dealt with concepts not normally portrayed on a stage, and delivered a powerful punch that left the audience enlightened.  The story is set at fictional Belmont College in Vermont, and explores racial issues that college campuses sometimes face.  The show begins with Sarah Daniels, a Dean who is trying to get a student to lie about his ethnicity so he will be a stronger candidate for a scholarship.   She does this with the best intentions, but it's not taken well by the student, Patrick Chibas.  Meanwhile Simon (a character in name only), an African-American student attending the predominantly white Belmont College, reports a series of hate crimes being inflicted upon him.  Dean Daniels along with two other Deans struggle to fix the issue, yet against Dean Daniels' better judgment, decide that a campus-wide forum is the best way to remedy the situation.  Ultimately, the forum is a huge failure, and results in more of a divide than it began with.  Dean Daniels continues to try to do what's right, but struggles with the process due to her subconscious racism.  This story discusses the complexity of race and discrimination and how, despite the outlawing of segregation, America still struggles to treat all races equally.

The Woodruff School ACE Music Theater Program has its cast completed for their spring production of James and the Giant Peach JR

In January, I said goodbye to working on one of the plays I wrote in my junior year of high school, 'Supermarket of Lost,' which you can read about my experience here: http://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/BWW-Blog-Cassandra-Hsiao-Opening-Nights-and-Goodbyes-Looking-Back-on-SUPERMARKET-OF-LOST-20170123