Hello, Broadway World!  Since this is my last blog, I'm going to get a little bit personal for a second.  I am not the sort of person who feels comfortable in a group -- in fact, I struggle to even speak at all with anyone I do not already know very well.  Because of that, I tend to get overlooked, lost in the crowd. Even in theatre, that still happens sometimes, but the funny thing is, even though the theatre is filled with big personalities, in almost every theatre community I have ever been in (and I have been in a lot), I have always felt seen.

So far in 2019 I've been honored to work on so many projects that make my heart sing! I got to work with the NJ Thespian Society, audition more often, perform in plays, book performing gigs, and act in film and video projects. While looking back at the things I've done in the month of March, I wrote a reflection and posted it to my social media on Instagram and Facebook. Below is an expanded version of that post- but here I don't feel the need to condense my thoughts and can further discuss the POWER OF INFLUENCE in regards to THEATRE!

As a BFA MT Freshman at the University of Memphis, I was so excited to learn that my department would be putting on the thrilling new musical Be More Chill. It is rare that a college production occurs while a show is transitioning to a Broadway stage; however, we are so fortunate to be performing such a relevant and high energy show.

On Sunday, March 31st, Anastasia played its final Broadway performance and closed its doors. Today, I'm saying "Happy Trails" to its cast, crew, and musicians. Anastasia holds a special place in my heart. I was lucky enough to see it six times during its approximately two year run, each time becoming more and more attached to its heartwarming and hopeful story, and grateful for the talented and compassionate artists telling that story eight times a week.

The semester is over! After today all of my classes and finals are completely finished (Until I come back for the next semester in a couple of weeks….)! 

The pressure of a Conservatory program can be intense and at times, relentless. Understandably so, a training program is trying to compact as much knowledge, wisdom, and growth into as short of an amount of time as possible. This then begs the question, "what do you do when the pressure can get to be overwhelming?"

Watching live theatre is a vital part of learning about the craft. Theatre has the power to show students techniques and ideas that they might not have seen before, or may show them real life application of things their teachers have taught them. Students can learn so much by watching shows but it is not always accessible. Tickets, especially in New York, can be expensive. I have been fortunate enough to go to a school that gives students the opportunity to see shows often.

Have you ever been in a room surrounded by people who are passionate about the arts?  How about people who are excited to make a difference and advocate for change?

Hello, Broadway World!  So last week, I talked about my college's social justice based season, and this week, I want to talk about something kind of related, but also different.  A few weeks ago, I had my Theatre Student Review, which is a process at my school wherein each theatre student meets with the theatre faculty every March to discuss our progress and prepare for the future.  It can be a little bit scary, but this year, I was given an exciting challenge -- create the next season for our company.  

If you're a theatre production student, you might be more comfortable spending hours working on a show behind the scenes then performing on stage in front of an audience. Some people prefer production, some prefer acting, and some dabble in each! However, if you haven't yet tried acting you should consider it!

Welcome back to my blog everyone. For those who don't know me, I'm Rebecca Prior and I am a Theatre Tech and Design major at BYU- Idaho located in Rexburg, Idaho. 

Where else can you find fog machines, winches, moving lights, outrageous fabrics and theatre lovers? Studio 54 in its heyday? No need to go back in time - all that and more were on display at the United States Institute of Theatre Technology's annual conference.

Hi again everyone! It's great to be back writing another blog for BroadwayWorld! I've been busy writing reaction papers for my History of Broadway class and my Acting I class, and it got me thinking. Both of those papers required me to go see a show- whether it be on Broadway, Off-Broadway, or even just a local theatre- and write a reaction paper on what I saw. That got me thinking about how important seeing live theatre is, and not just for academic classes, but for life in general.

Hello again, BroadwayWorld! As theatre artists, we have the ability to touch our audiences, to take a stand and to make a statement. Honestly, in times like these, it really feels more like our duty. A lot of people are really scared, or angry, or frustrated, and while theatre cannot fix everything single-handedly (as awesome as that would be), it can at least help people feel better and bring more awareness to important issues.

Hello BroadwayWorld! Welcome Back! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! Speaking of the holiday season…did anyone receive any Broadway gifts? I know those are always at the top of my list!

My name is Rebecca Prior, I'm a student at Brigham Young University in Idaho, and I am a Theatre Tech and Design major. The university is located in the small college town of Rexburg, Idaho which feels like the middle of nowhere (almost). 

This past week, my school's theatre department attended the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) 2019 Conference & Stage Expo in Louisville, Kentucky. At the yearly conference, theatre professionals and students spend several days attending panels, presentations, and workshops on all aspects of technical theatre. This was my first year attending the conference, and I left with new ideas about what can be done in the world of theatre production.

Hello, BroadwayWorld! My name is Chloe Lang, a junior Public Relations major with a minor in Theatre at Appalachian State University.  I'm so excited to be writing for BroadwayWorld! I have spent countless hours on this site reading blogs and getting updated on theatre news and I'm honored to be featured! I would love to share my journey to arts management with you all.

In a business that focuses heavily on spectacle for its commercial success, it makes sense that musical theater programs across the country train students to simply kick high and sing loud. But what happens to those aspiring artists who want to delve deeper into the artform? Where do they go to train? How do they develop their skills? The answer is simple: The Conservatory of Theater Arts at Webster University

Getting ready to open our production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" has my brain in 40 different directions, which had me stumped on this week's article.

Hello, Broadway World, and welcome to my first blog! My name is Sarah, and I am very excited to begin sharing my thoughts with you. Theatre has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember -- one of my earliest memories is sitting in the lobby of a local dinner theatre during the intermission of Wizard of Oz, watching them roll into place a giant mechanical structure for the actor playing the Wizard to stand in. I didn't know it then, but by high school, I realized that no matter how my future turned out, theatre had to be a part of it.

What's worse than facing profuse rejection in the acting world? In my opinion, the excruciating waiting game for said rejection.

Hey Broadway World! My name is Michael Gribble, and I'm not technically a theatre student! I am a sophomore Film Production major and Film Music minor at Chapman University in Orange, California. I've wanted to make movies since I was eight, and I'm thrilled to be learning by doing at Chapman's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. It wasn't until about three years ago that I realized I want to work in theatre as well, and subsequently began writing and composing for theatre.

Hi everyone! I'm so glad to be back for another week of writing for Broadway World! This week I'm talking about the ways social media has impacted modern theatre and the experiences surrounding it. Social media has made shows more accessible, more popular with younger audiences, and in some cases, social media has even brought shows from little regional theatres all the way to Broadway itself.

My name is Olivia and this is my first article! I'm looking forward to share my experiences here. I am a freshman at Beloit College in Wisconsin and plan on minoring in Theatre Production. I have been doing technical theatre since high school and currently work in my school's costume shop.