We recently had such a disappointing experience with one of the Broadway Dreams intensives that I want let others know this expensive program might not be what they are hoping for. We feel duped.
My family member was in a BDF intensive for the first time in Los Angeles last week. BDF, a nonprofit organization, advertises on their website that the performers who are accepted will perform in a showcase at the end of the intensive. These two quotes appear on their website: “Each summer The Broadway Dreams foundation travels the country for week-long summer intensives. Broadway-bound performers are selected by audition (live and video) from around the country and abroad, and attend the week-long intensive in the city or cities of their choice to embark on a strenuous week of Broadway-caliber training from the best in the field. Performers attend educational classes, along with rehearsals in preparation for a Broadway style showcase at the end of each intensive week, where they perform alongside their idols.” and “The Broadway Dreams Foundation is the premier performing arts training program. With a faculty of Broadway professionals, casting directors, choreographers and agents dedicated to giving back to the theatrical community, we provide invaluable training to anyone who aspires to a career in musical theater. . . . There is no better way to grow as a performer and auditioner while making valuable connections than through Broadway Dreams.”
The week long intensive seemed chaotic and disorganized, and the originally scheduled first and last days were cancelled. At first I wondered how, with that kind of disorganization, they could pull together a show. Eventually, through observation and with a little research, I figured it out: it was apparent that there was an established group of staff, interns and students with a history together who all knew each other very well. This group of “interns” and “students” were cast in nearly every “role” in the production, which was in the style of a revue but was most definitely not a showcase. The young man who was cast in most of the male “lead” parts is the son of the executive director of BDF and is in fact listed on the BDF website as a successful alumna. He is talented (and a very nice person), but there were certainly male students who could (and should) have been cast in some or all of the parts he played. Similarly, there were several young women (who we learned later have a lengthy history with BDF and/or close connections with the staff) who appeared repeatedly in the lead female parts; each one had several songs they performed individually alone on stage and individually within group numbers. Again, many of the female students could (and should) have performed some or all of those songs. At least one of the “featured” performers is identified on other websites as “touring” with BDF, one was on American Idol, one joins a national tour this fall, etc. In addition to the fact that they were “ringers” for BDF, not one of the performers was so good that they should have eliminated the chance for students to perform, especially since students were told this was a showcase they would perform in.
Following the show, someone in the lobby commented that it was obvious they were trying to promote their own contingent of longtime up and comers. It certainly appeared that way; I also think it is takes less work to use the same people over and over again, rather than actually cultivating the new talent they claim to care so much about.
Similarly appalling, the new students were frequently not even addressed by name, because no one knew their names. Of course, in the real world, when they audition for and are cast in real shows, that might be typical. But when you are paying close to a thousand dollars for the experience, it doesn’t seem like too much to ask that staff and instructors learn their names, or at least, that each participant be given a name tag. Even worse than not knowing who they were, no one seemed to have a clue of their abilities. As the week progressed, several of the instructors and individual directors seemed surprised to observe that my family member and some of the other new students who were “nameless” are actually very good and experienced performers. Several of these people offered very sincere compliments to these students; my family member was told repeatedly how talented he/she is. Yet at the performance, these students had almost nothing to do onstage.
Most of the instructors and individual segment directors that my family member met were very helpful and encouraging. This commentary is in no way a criticism of the instructors and individual directors themselves. My family member was very appreciative of the suggestions and advice his/her instructors and directors provided.
Unfortunately, the promised agents and casting directors never materialized.
In the emails prior to the intensive and during the rehearsal week, BDF requested both monetary and in-kind donations. We complied, at fairly significant expense, but have received no acknowledgment of our donation (which we need for tax purposes, since BDF is a tax exempt organization). They also represented that the student who sold the most tickets to the performance would receive featured stage time; because no announcement was made in that regard, I do not know whether they followed through on that promise.
Combining tickets purchases, donations and tuition, we are out of pocket approximately $1400, which I consider to be a lot of money for a short week and no chance to perform.