Students from LIU Post had the pleasure of learning from Kelli O’Hara and getting to watch her perform at our campus’ professional theater. Additionally, I got to interview her! Check out this blog to read about how talented and well accomplished she is, as well as grounded and generous.

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, many are looking forward to spending time with family and friends, taking a well-deserved break from work and school. Besides indulging in the wonderful food associated with this national holiday, families, children, and individuals like me are looking forward to waking up at 9am to watch Macy’s 95th Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast live from New York City. Unlike last year, where in-person viewing was prohibited to avoid the spread of COVID-19, spectators are returning to attend this year’s version of a time-honored tradition. With a huge live audience again, I am personally excited to watch and experience the tangible excitement as the crowds witness the parading of larger than life balloons, precise marching bands, and of course, incredible singers, dancers, and Broadway casts.

I feel like I am a fifteen-year-old that got thrown into the adult world, while still living with my parents. No one can prepare you for life. Which is fine but I wish there were people that could be like 'Oh you want to do that, you should check out this place or this place'. I kind of wish that someone would just tell me what I am going to be and how I should do it because man oh man, am I lost.

Our student bloggers write about how they're coping with the current global health crisis, give insight on their school's performing arts programs, share their opinions on the latest theater news, and so much more. Broadway characters as songs from Red (Taylor's Version), seeing Hadestown on tour, going on as an understudy, tips for a great rehearsal, and more-- read the latest from our college student bloggers!

This performance marked my first time on that stage, physically and figuratively, since the pandemic. Just a few too many firsts for one slightly overwhelmed understudy. The moment before my first scene was rough. I felt completely vulnerable, a far cry from the way I usually feel while performing. During the first scene, I actually went on a kind of autopilot. I just let my work take over while I mentally got used to the feeling of an audience again. I was shaking as I walked offstage. That rocked me. I loved theatre more than anything in the world. Why was I so nervous?

The connection of this community is unlike any other and, even better, anyone can be part of it. We all witness community in theatre in some aspect - whether it's your own community or maybe it's the Broadway community many of us have grown to love. It's a special kind of community. One where we share a common interest, we share our talents with each other, and we build each other up so that we can all be at our best.

The day has finally arrived. Red (Taylor's Version) is in the hands of avid music listeners around the world, but most importantly, Swifties who have been awaiting the re-release could not be any happier. The album is the second Taylor Swift has re-recorded and released again to own her music after the sale of her masters to Scooter Braun a few years ago. And there's no denying that the anticipation for Red (Taylor's Version) was well worth it.

Tomorrow I start my fourth and last week of rehearsals before Tech Week, which gets me excited, nervous, thankful and anxious. I have to admit, even if I love my rehearsals, my cast and directors, being in a room for 8 hours every day is such a challenge. I've been reflecting on this a lot and I want to share some tips and thoughts that come from my experience and heart to help you have a smooth rehearsal process whenever you need it.

Taylor Swift just dropped her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version), and I am more obsessed with it now than I was when it originally came out in 2012. So, in honor of this momentous album and all of the wonderful songs on it, I've decided to assign a broadway character or relationship to each of the 30 songs on the album, excluding acoustic versions and songs that are on the album twice. Also, I will be skipping 'Ronan' because that song makes me very sad and cry a lot and I cannot emotionally handle analyzing it.

One of the songs from the project, 'Pura Vida', particularly caught my attention. It is about environmental preservation and nature. Pura Vida literally means 'pure life', but in Costa Rica it's like a motto; it's an expression used in almost every conversation. It means that everything is fine, but it can also mean thank you. When I first listened to the song I wondered if Jonathan Larson had ever been to Costa Rica. How did he come up with the phrase?

This show was absolutely immaculate and there is nothing that can compare to it. I could honestly continue to go on and list every detail I noticed and analyzed, but that would be a very long read for you. I am just so grateful I was able to see this talented company with my sister and her grandmother, and I loved being able to show them why I love theatre so much. The touring company of Hadestown is no joke. I highly recommend to anyone who is able, to go and see the show when it comes to a city near you, you won't want to miss it.

It's Friday, I'm in my seat, and I'm waiting for the show to begin. I'm ashamed to say that I had never seen Pippin, or listened to any of the music. So I was going in blind. But I was kinda glad that I did. Being able to experience the story of this boy named Pippin, who is looking for something extraordinary, and going on this journey of self discovery was amazing.

The BroadwayWorld student blogger program is excited to welcome 19 new writers to the student blogging team this season, running from October to January. The bloggers represent colleges from all over the world! Get to know our new writers and read their latest posts here.

BRECHT ON BRECHT is playing now through November 20th, 2021.

Our student bloggers write about how they're coping with the current global health crisis, give insight on their school's performing arts programs, share their opinions on the latest theater news, and so much more. A love of tap dancing, the highs and lows of life in NYC, the importance of music, and more-- read the latest from our college student bloggers!

All in all, this time of year is just a time to wind down and reflect. If that means cutting some toxic people in your life out, that's perfectly fine. If it means bringing new people in, that's also great!

I also have a lot to be thankful for within the theater world and community. I think that it is incredibly important for everyone to be able to sit down and think about what we are thankful for during this crazy year.

Coming back to school this year was a difficult transition. I felt a little bit cheated out of my freshman year, as I am sure so many can relate to. Between online classes and limited activities and clubs, meeting people and feeling connected was difficult. This year, I decided I wanted to seek out hope and connection through my passions.

Over the summer, I learned that self-care is super important for myself. Now more than ever, I am realizing that I need to continue doing this self-care as it can be easy to get overwhelmed with my busy school schedule, homework, a part-time job, rehearsals, and a packed social calendar. I thought I would share some of the ways that I have been keeping calm and recharging myself after long days of classes and rehearsals this year:

Everybody—whether they were involved in theatre on campus or not—was hungry for a sense of community. They wanted somewhere they could congregate, somewhere they could be loud and support their peers. Finally, after what felt like ages, I finally saw the live performance that I love return: raucous, joyful, loud, and spectacular.

This past September, I got a new job working in the front of the house at The La Jolla Playhouse. My job title, Audience Concierge, includes many patron services responsibilities including checking vaccine cards/ID upon entering the theatre, ticket scanning, helping ushers, being available in the lobby during the show, and locking up. Working in the front of the house has given me lots of insight into what working in a professional environment is like while also teaching me about another aspect of theatre that I did not know much about coming into the job.

If you're reading this, chances are you can point to times in your life when musical theater was there for you, helping you through your lowest moments. Musicals can provide much-needed catharsis, an escape and a relatable storyline. Sometimes, musicals can also remind us of the power we hold. They help us tap into our inner strength and make us feel like we have the capacity to save the world—or burn it to the ground.

Hello, BroadwayWorld readers! I’m Brighton (they/them) and I’m a current senior at Marymount Manhattan College on the Upper East Side of New York City! I am studying for my BA in Theatre Arts with concentrations in Directing and in Theatre & New Media.

'What makes a successful actor?' is a question I hear all too often at workshops and intensives, questionnaires, and even in classes. A question with no defined answer, open to perspective and experience to guide it. A question that prompts me to raise another, much more important question that I find somewhat synonymous; 'what makes an educated actor?'

Need some spooky showtunes to jam to this weekend? Look no further!