Broadway or Bust

Public art spotted during my last trip to Broadway and beyond in NYC

When this year’s Jimmy Awards (named after James M. Nederlander) were held in June, PBS had cameras rolling for their three-part “Broadway or Bust” series that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the week leading up to what’s formally dubbed The National High School Musical Theater Awards. You can watch the series online or go the TV route to see one episode on each of three successive Sunday nights.

The awards were presented June 25, 2012 by The Broadway Education Alliance in association with Pittsburgh CLO, and hosted by Constantine Maroulis and Deborah Cox. Those who saw tonight’s episode were introduced to Jimmy Award nominees from across the country, plus the three professionals they work with while in NYC — music director and arranger Michael Moricz, choreographer Kiesha Lalama and director Van Kaplan.

Some nominees have just a single year’s experience in musical theater, while others have been on stage since early childhood. Some are exceedingly confident, though many more are visible nervous and sometimes shaken to their very core. They’re all used to being the best actors at their local high schools, but being surrounded by equally talented peers amidst bright lights and a brisk schedule is a whole other animal.

The first episode of “Broadway or Bust” opens with scenes of high school actors preparing for travels to NYC. A boy enjoys an outdoor picnic with his family. A girl spars with her mother over what to pack. One actor treats family and friends to an impromptu “Wicked” riff while another shares that she’s the only person in her family to favor the arts over science and engineering.

Public art meets NYC

Soon all arrive in NYC, smitten with the sights and sounds of the city filled with taxis, parks, pedestrians and pizza joints. They spy street performers and the giant fountain in Washington Square Park, and marvel at the theater signs surrounding Times Square. All  have earned their place in the competition by winning best actor or actress in regional award ceremonies.

The best of 50,000 teens at 1,000 participating high schools enjoy five days of private coaching and rehearsals at NYU’s New Studio on Broadway. The first episode shows nominees learning an opening and closing number, working on a group medley and honing the songs they’ll perform before judges at the Minskoff Theatre on awards night.

This year’s faculty coaches were Michael McElroy of New Studio on Broadway, Liz Callaway, Schele Williams-Kleinberger, Telly Leung and Leslie Odom. Scott Ellis, Kent Gash, Montego Glover, Rachel Hoffman, Alecia Parker, Nick Scandalios and Bernie Tesley served as judges.

The Jimmy Awards, established in 2009, are supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Broadway League, The Shubert Organization and others. They’re designed to “elevate the profile of in-school arts education across America, provide college scholarships and create pathways connecting promising young performers to the professional theater industry.”

“Broadway or Bust” captures the elation of young performers who equate NYC with nirvana and want nothing more than the chance to perform on Broadway. It’s young love mixed with ambition, and it’s a genuine joy to watch. These kids work hard, dust off after their mistakes and adore what they do. Many lack the confidence they’ll need to stand out and stay strong, though some are learning to contain their fear.

There’s much young performers can learn from the “Broadway or Bust” series. Auditions start the moment you walk in the room. Be prepared. Take care of body and mind. Hit your mark. Skip the chit chat while learning choreography. Sing to touch the soul, not merely nail the notes. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Rock the spatial awareness. And never yawn on the job. Seems you don’t know tired until you get the real gig.

— Lynn

Coming up: Exploring new Phoenix Art Museum offerings for kids

Easter bonnets, Broadway style

As Easter Sunday drew to a close last weekend, it suddently dawned on me. For the first time since we’ve had children, there were no Easter baskets at our house.

We’ve long celebrated Easter as more of a cultural tradition than a religious observance, so bunnies and baskets are the mainstay of our celebration.

I suggested to my husband James a few years ago that it might be time to let the baskets go. All three kids were in high school and college — so they knew not to wait up for the bunny to magically appear.

But he wasn’t ready to give up the tradition. I suspect his affection for chocolate was to blame, or perhaps it was his hesitance to admit that our children weren’t really children anymore.

Oddly enough, I found myself missing those Easter baskets on Monday. Even wondering how Christmas might be different once our youngest heads to college in the fall.

But then I heard about the “Easter Bonnet Competition” — a 25-year-old tradition that “celebrates and concludes six intensive weeks of fundraising by the theatre community benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.”

I’m starting to question my decision last Saturday to actually get on that plane from the East Coast back to Arizona. Were Lizabeth and I still near NYC, I’d be hopping over to the Minskoff Theatre for Monday or Tuesday night’s “Easter Bonnet” event.

This year’s “Easter Bonnet Competition” features “more than a dozen companies of Broadway, Off-Broadway and touring productions offering skits, songs and dances, as well as bonnets created specially for the event.”

The celebration features a cast including “many of the season’s biggest Broadway performers.” Those scheduled to appear include Robin Williams, Judith Light, Dan Lauria, Christie Brinkley, John Leguizamo, Heidi Blickenstaff, Roger Rees, Josh Gad, Andrew Rannells, Jose Llana, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jayne Houdyshell, Maxwell Caulfield, Ron Kunene and Tshidi Mayne.

Think “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo,” “Lombardi,” “Chicago,” “Ghetto Klown,” “The Addams Family,” “The Book of Mormon,” Wonderland,” “Good People,” The Importance of Being Earnest,” “Cactus Flower,” and “The Lion King.”

You get extra points if you can match the actors to their respective shows, although the only prize I might have to offer is a cracked or crushed chocolate bunny from the half-price bin up at the local drug store.

You can click here to check your answers. Or here to see highlights of last year’s competition. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS reports that “the previous 24 competitions have raised more than $42 million.” Makes me wonder if we need to suggest a similar event for Congress.

Tuesday night’s performance will honor select actors with “top fundraising” and “best presentation” awards. Awards are being presented by Harvey Fierstein (“La Cage aux Folles”), Sutton Foster (“Anything Goes”) and Daniel Radcliffe (“How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”).

For those of you who missed the memo, consider this a gentle reminder that we can all stop calling Radcliffe “Harry Potter” now. And you can drop the “Equus” wand jokes too. Better to tastefully applaud Doris Eaton Travis — an original Ziegfeld Girl who died last year at the age of 106.

Several productions, including “Billy Elliot,” are scheduled to perform and present their own fabulous takes on the Easter bonnet. I’m big on “Billy” this week because the touring production opens Tuesday night, April 26, at ASU Gammage in Tempe.

Also “The Addams Family,” “Avenue Q,” “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo,” “Chicago,” “Freud’s Last Session,” “La Cage aux Folles,” “The Lion King,” “Mamma Mia!,” “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Priscilla Queen of the Desert.”

Others taking part include the national tours of “Les Miserables,” “The Lion King,” and “Wicked” — all shows we’ve enjoyed at ASU Gammage in recent years. Those who’ve missed it on previous tours can watch for “Wicked” to return to Tempe Feb 15-March 11, 2012.

Valley families eager to see the school edition of “Les Mis” can head to Peoria for the Creative Stages Youth Theatre production running through April 30. The new 25th anniversary production of “Les Miserables” comes to ASU Gammage June 7-12, 2012.

Folks attending the 2011 “Easter Bonnet Competition” in NYC will also experience the work of “Dancers Responding to AIDS” and “R.Evolucion Latina.”

I’ll be glued to the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS website later this week in search of photos of the 2011 event and news of dollars raised in the ongoing effort to beat AIDS.

But first, I’m off to hit the clearance bins in search of hollow chocolate bunnies and fluffy marshmallow chicks. I just hope James hasn’t beat me to it.

— Lynn

Coming up: More new season announcements