What does it take to be on Broadway?

http://www.makingitonbroadway.net/

http://lizcallaway.com/about/

http://www.artsjournal.com/aboutlastnight/2013/01/tt_the_one_good_reason_to_take.html

"Talkin' Broadway - Broadway 101." Talkin' Broadway - Broadway 101. Robert Rusie, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.

How is the road to Broadway? What do you need to make it onto Broadway?

Acting, Singing, and Dancing on Broadway takes motivation, dedication and passion. No matter how hard it will be talking classes and doing a show for thousands of people every week, if you work through it, its worth it.

Broadway is a street in New York that has come to represent live theater entertainment all around the world. In 1811, city planners of New York City began an enormous building execution, which is now a major characteristic of Manhattan. More than 40 theaters filled with lights and thousands of people advertise the latest performance along numerous other venues beyond the actual street of Broadway. The 19th Century saw the development of American theater throughout the country.  Shakespeare’s plays were preformed from the earliest days of American theater.  It’s always good seeing amazing actors up on center stage entertaining the audience with a story they love.  European actors were imported and American soon produces its own stars and companies. The prospects of fame, fortune, and freedom were appealing to all actors. A lot of legends started off their Broadway and acting career very young. Broadway had continued success with the fact that many plays had joined into the Hollywood film industry.  While musicals moved from being on stage to a screen, musicals were some of the first productions released on the silver screen. Not only did the scripts travel from stages to the screens, many actors and stresses did as well. Many film actors to this day began their career on Broadway.  During the 1940s, Broadway began to lose its uniqueness and effort. Broadway began to face competition from television and movie. The film industry had overpowered Broadway that some theaters were pulled down, and theater no longer dominated Broadway. The theater business was diminishing all over the city to the point where there were not enough productions to support the available playhouses.   Theaters all over the area were being torn down and theater as an industry had become obsolete and movers were beginning the take over the entertainment business. Broadway had to call a general emergency meeting for all unions and theater casts for the first time in its history. Although Broadway had lost some of its scope, it still retained its joyfulness and spirit in an increasingly corporate environment.  Broadway preserved a sense of freedom of speech and actions, ideals on which the nation was founded. The list of successful performances and performers, including Liz Callaway and Laura Benanti remain to grow each year.

Liz Callaway never thought of having a career on Broadway. Nancy Rosati, once a director, interviewed Liz Callaway and learned about her experiences in Broadway and leading up to success. Liz’s older sister, Ann Callaway, knew at a very early age that she wanted to be on Broadway and become an actress. Although, Liz didn't decide till much later.  Ann and Liz grew up with music and acting in the house, their mom was a voice teacher and a singer. Liz was very shy; she never wanted to sing in front of people. Ann on the other hand was the complete opposite.  It wasn't until high school when Liz started preforming.  Liz was 17 when she got a job with the Musical theater Repertory Company, an Equity company in California. She later moved to New York City with Ann and had a little plan, “a goal of getting into the chorus of an Off Broadway show in three years, thinking I would start small and move up.”  Liz was taking classes as she progressed in her career. She took classes on singing and acting. As she continues on her year she achieved many nominations. Liz had got a Tony nomination for her first role on a Broadway show.  Liz tells Nancy that Broadway is a great experience yet hard work, “We did a workshop and it was a very long process with tons of backers’ auditions…..a very long journey, but it was so wonderful.” Liz never took her success and opportunities for granted. She has learned that in the theater business there are highs and lows, but it’s just a continuing process and you have to enjoy it all. Throughout Broadway people find out who they are and how their lives will turn out. In Liz’s case, she found her husband, a director, during one of her productions.  The process of a Broadway productions is hard to get into Liz’s mind sometimes.  “I find it very challenging and exciting. To me the most interesting process of putting together a new show is putting in new things and seeing if they work, “Liz says, “I've had experiences where it was a catastrophe, but I love the process.” There are challenges during a performance that actors go through, such as forgetting a line and making it seem like you didn't mess up or inventing your own personality into the scene. What is also tough is getting comfortable on stage, some actors can both be not comfortable at all and has stage fright or too relaxed on stage. Liz enjoys being on Broadway no matter how it turns out, “In order to get on stage you have believe in what you’re doing. I've been in some real turkeys in my time, as everyone has. But there is a point when you commit to what you’re doing.” Liz loves doing Broadway and all though she did take a little break, she was happy to come back.

 Laura Benanti is best known for her Tony-winning portrayal of Louise in the 2008 revival of Gypsy alongside Patti LuPone.  Although all the practice and stress she has gone through on Broadway, she accomplished her goal. Laura Benanti first started her career at the age of 17. She auditioned for Liesl in the Broadway revival of The Sound of Music. She was cut. They thought she looked too old for the role, but that didn't stop her. At the age of 18 she became the understudy for Rebecca Luker as Maria. Although it was hard considering she never got to go on stage unless Rebecca was not there. Laura became Maria while Rebecca was on vacation for 2 weeks; after that she never got to go on and preform. Laura may have been a little upset but she took the positive side of the experience playing the role of Maria, “for those two weeks it was wonderful, because I was able to really focus myself and do it.” Laura’s parents were very close with the musical industry as well. Her dad was a performer and her mom was a performer and very good voice teacher. Laura’s parents would bring her to the theater while they performed. Everybody not on stage would come back stage and take turns watching her and making sure she wasn't in any sort of trouble.  The slightest memory Laura has of being back stage is seeing a ton of people going on and off stage with loads of make-up on.  Laura’s parents weren't very comfortable for Laura to be on stage at a young age because they wanted her to still have a normal childhood.  Laura could not be in shows such as Annie because although she was 12, she looked 17. She didn't make on Broadway productions because of the way she looked but again she took the positive of every situation she was in, “I really appreciate my youth. I really appreciate the time I had to grow and develop and have a creative imagination.” Laura tells us that the way to be a really good actor or actress is the way you feel about the play, “I think the most beautiful acting comes from true emotion and true understanding, and how you can affect people in the audience and yourself. You want to be able to listen and to speak truthfully, and if you grow up in a “black box” you’re never going to learn that.” Laura was a believer and that’s why she inspired me. She always took the positive side of something and always knew starting off in a wrong direction wasn't the end, but it was the beginning of going the right way. She took a lesson out of every experience. “That’s my resolution. I’m just going to learn,” Laura said. Laura is a real inspiration to me and I believe I could make it on Broadway one day.

Broadway has been around for many years now. Costumes, make-up, scripts, actors, directors and the stage filled with lights and props is just the start of the show. Preforming is what makes actors fall in love with acting. I love listening and reading other peoples experiences on the Broadway stage and the road and process they went through because it helps me believe that one day I could go there. My aunt is very musical and I am a dancer myself and my mom always tells me that I should start something with an actor career because I can be a good actress. From those backgrounds, maybe I will be able to make it on Broadway.  The motivation, dedication, and passion will get you anywhere you want to be.

Pet Peeves

not in any particular order

1.       Negative people: Why do you have to be so negative about everything? Take the positive side in a situation why don’t you? You will feel a lot better and it is so frustrating to hear people talk negative about anything every single sentence.

2.       The word “Like”: People need to learn how to talk. When people excessively use the word “like” inappropriately it makes me want to block me ears, sit on the ground and rock back and forth singing a tune until the person stops talking. Now every sentence they say even if they don’t use the word “like” makes me just breakdown and block my ears until they stop.

3.       Chewing: Chewing obnoxiously with the mouth open again makes me cringe. When I see someone chew unattractively it makes me lose my appetite. It’s gross, its unpleasant, and plain old spiteful.

4.       Those little noises: When I’m trying to concentrate, it bothers me when people just tap their pencils or make random little noises.  It makes me insane and I can’t concentrate anymore. Especially taking a test, it is the worst thing to listen to when you are trying to focus on an exam.

5.       Feet: I can’t stand feet. They are just gross. When people put their feet near me on purpose makes me just cry inside. I either freeze and sit there with my eyes and mouth shut until they take their feet away from me or I go ballistic and push their feet away from me. The worst thing is they do it to me on purpose so it makes me irritated even more

6.       Movie Theaters: Those people who makes noises such as talking on the phone or talking to a friend not about the movie. You can talk to your friend later I am trying to watch a movie. Sometimes I just stare at them until they notice me and they stop talking. Works every time.

7.       The use of directionals: I don’t drive yet but when I sit in the passenger’s seat and the car in front of me don’t put their directional on it makes me want to scream out my window. It’s a soon to be crash considering I don’t know where they are going. It is even worse when they break at the last minute and still don’t use their directional. Didn’t they teach people this is drivers ed?

8.       Overuse of movie quotes: When people overuse quotes from movies or TV shows gets old real fast. For example: mean girls. We all know of the movie and yes you may have thought it was funny once but it’s not funny anymore. I have never watched the movie and a basically know everything about it because of the amount people quote it.

9.       Rude words: The word retarted is just an awful word. I can’t stand when people say that, even if they are saying it to their friends it’s still bothersome. Go ahead and call your friend an idiot or stupid because they did something but don’t EVER call your friend retarted. I can’t even talk it it bothers me so much.

10.   The radio: When I’m in the backseat and there is a person in the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seat and the person in the passenger’s seat doesn’t change the radio station when there is a commercial or a bad song on its annoying because I either have to tell you every 5 seconds or I will reach over the seat and changing myself. You don’t have privileges in the front seat if you don’t do your job. Control the radio when you’re in the front seat please and thank you.