NYU Productions

<p>Hey SoozieVT! That's great about N'Harmonics! They were excellent when I saw them! I'm curious about the Tisch Scholar group - are there many in that group in musical theater? Do many of them sing? I'm assuming many can act, since Tisch is primarily for acting (at least I THINK most Tisch students are in drama!) That must have been exciting for you to watch!
I don't think you'd be able to get a ticket for Parade anyway; as I said, I couldn't even get one the "regular" way. Although your daughter might have been able to get one! Good luck to your older daughter with the ski championships! I'd hate to have your airplane expenses, lol!
I don't think you owe me an email; you're pretty good about responding! TTY soon!</p>

<p>SoozeVt:</p>

<p>Theatredivasmom here. I'm not really supposed to be posting here. I've been disallowed by D. She just doesn't like me to do it at all, but you know what, she is in Buenos Aires, Argentina, doing her study abroad this semester, so while the mouse is away..... I just noticed that you mentioned that your daughter is going to be in Jesus Christ Superstar at Strasberg. What part was she cast as? I wish my D wasn't doing her studying abroad so she could have auditioned. I remember my D talking with one of her good friends about the show right before she left. He is a wonderful actor. I'm wondering if he is in the play with your D. I never checked with my D to see if he was cast or not. He is quite comedic and goes by an initial and then a name, not just a first name. If I remember correctly he has reddish hair, also. He and my D did a duet in Dec., he is quite talented. My D and several acting students from her class at Strasberg have started a production company, bjt I don't believe he is one of the members. There is also another young man with dark hair from Strasberg who was incredibly gifted both vocally and in acting and I can't remember if he auditioned for Jesus Christ Superstar or not. I know he is in my daughters' production company. They are putting on a musical in April already. There are 14 or so of them involved. It is a non-for-profit production company that my husband has helped them set up. They are all so incredibly motivated. These kids are all just so incredible. </p>

<p>I love Jesus Christ Superstar. I saw the original cast back in 1972?? in Chicago when I was in 8th grade. It was my first Broadway show. I was so bummed that my D would not in NYC to audition. She is loving her study abroad though. The theatre culture in Buenos Aires is rich.</p>

<p>I think it is possible that her roommate who went to the London Royal Academy of Drama Fall semester may be in the musical with your D. Not sure, I'll have to check. I bet your are very excited. I have been to several productions at Strasberg and they have more than one theatre there. The two that I have been in can seat many more than 40 people, but exactly how many I am not certain. When we were at the musical revue in December I believe they were at least 60-75 people in attendance. There were more seats available in that theatre, if I remember correctly. </p>

<p>You certainly have a couple of extremely talened daughters. Good luck to your other daughter with her skiing. I'll be thinking of you in April while you're enjoying Jesus Christ Superstar.</p>

<p>Theatredivas mom</p>

<p>Theatredivasmom,
Nice to hear from you. It is very exciting that your D is studying abroad in Argentina. My other D has had several friends who have studied there, particularly last semester and loved it. My older one studied in Florence last semester and loved it. My younger one (Tisch) would love to have such an experience actually. It is tricky as she doesn't want to miss studio at Tisch to do it. She'd have loved to do the summer in Amsterdam program but we simply can't afford to do a program abroad for the summer in addition to four years of college. She has talked to several older students who have encouragd her to study abroad and she has mentioned the possibility of doing so fall of senior year. CAP21 studio is actually 3 1/2 years itself. The fourth year is like a workshop semester with casting directors, etc. and a showcase and can be done either first or second semester and if she did it second semester, maybe she could go abroad first. We haven't really discussed it too much as she is currently a sophomore. She went with Tisch Scholars to Brazil in early January and that was a great experience. There will be many more shows in your D's future and the experience in Buenos Aires is a once in a lifetime one! </p>

<p>As far as who is cast in JCS, I know my D has said it is a very talented cast drawn from many Tisch studios. I believe the actor you are mentioning who has an initial preceding his name is the very talented young man who played Cinderella's Prince and the Wolf in the Into the Woods production that my D was musical director for this past fall. My D had mentioned that he is a lead in JCS (I did know his part a while back but now my mind is fuzzy...he may be Jesus or if not, then Judas). It is definitely the same guy you mean by the description. The other guy you mention, I just don't know who he is but once I see the show, I could tell you. My D is one of the three Soul Girls plus various ensemble parts with various small solos. She is also understudy for King Herod and I believe will get to perform that role in at least one performance. I haven't seen JCS ever myself. We will be going to this production. I believe it is in the Lee Theater which I have never been to. The rehearsals are conveniently located for my D as she lives extremely close to Strasberg studio! The director is Scott Flaherty who is on the voice faculty at Strasberg and seems really great according to my D. Perhaps your D has studied with him.</p>

<p>It sounds so exciting about the production company that your D and her peers have set up! What is the musical they are going to do this spring? There are so many talented kids doing so many interesting things at Tisch.</p>

<p>RossJi....about Tisch Scholars....the Scholars come from all fields at Tisch: Drama, Film, Dramatic Writing, and Dance and are a very talented group of students from what I can tell and my D has said. Not all Scholars were involved in this production, only those who chose to do it and I think many were second years. The evening was not just made up of my D's musical production. There were other parts that kids created and it was called Kids With Issues. My D's musical was called Stuff: The Musical. So there were group and solo dances, films, original monologues and scenes, as well as my D's mini musical. My D wrote the musical including the music and lyrics and it involved a small cast of about 8 actors. From CAP21, were my D and another girl in their class who is a Scholar who is also an excellent dancer (she is from Manhattan). There are students, as you know, in other Tisch studios who sing/dance but choose to study drama. I think the other actors may have been from other studios except my D asked one NON Scholar to play one of the lead male roles. This is a boy I'm sure your D knows but he unfortunately landed in the hospital shortly before the show went up and shortly after the semester began and had to be replaced by a good friend who is in CAP (who is now in Pippin) who used to post on CC! He had to learn the part very fast. For that matter, the show went up in very short time. My D wrote it all over XMas week. It was a lot of work but she really enjoyed doing it. There were about six songs in it and also dance involved in the script. It had to do with the culture of excess.</p>

<p>SoozieVt,</p>

<p>I believe the young man I spoke of is csat in the role of Judas, although I am still not positive. I have to speak with my daughter to find out the name of the musical their production company is doing. The production company is Eight-O-Eight Productions. I love the name because they chose it as that's the time everyone is seated by at the theatre. I thought it was really a great idea. Anyhow, I'm really gonna get it for posting here, but I know she is not checking this website out while she's in Argentina. Shame on me :). I just can't help it, because I think it's so important for all of the parents reading this to see what these kids do with this great education they receive through NYU.</p>

<p>My husband, who happens to be an attorney, helped them set up the not-for-profit corporation. The kids, however, have run fundraisers, financed the production with some of their own money, my own daughter included, even continuing on after she left NYC for Buenos Aires. The production company had to get special permission from the playwright to do the musical and he was incredible to the production company. It started out as a very bumpy adventure for all of the members of the company and I think it has turned into an incredible experience for everyone, even my daughter who is working with them from half a world away. She will, hopefully, be in the next production. </p>

<p>Can't wait to hear about the musical, as I mentioned before. When I find out the name of the musical I'll post it here and also will let you know what theatre the show will run, for anyone on the boards interested in going to see some talented tactors. </p>

<p>Kris (THeatredivasmom)</p>

<p>I think that is so cool what your D and her peers are doing. I have heard of others at NYU doing such things in the past. My D did something on a smaller scale here in high school and also the first summer after college. She created her own musical theater cabaret shows and then produced them, directed, musically directed, choreographed, and performed in them. It involved every aspect of producing shows and included fundraising, etc. The difference was that she did not secure established scripts but just created her own shows. The one she did last June here in VT with another CAP21 student and an Ithaca BFA student involved renting theater space as well. For the shows, she had to hire a band, etc. Your D's group is going to learn a lot and I hope they can continue to put on shows. Student run productions are a big accomplishment. My D has been involved in two GAP shows. But with those she was only responsible for one facet. With the shows here at home she took on every facet herself which became an enormous undertaking on top of school, all her ECs/classes/lessons, other productions AND college auditions one of the years. Your D's group hopefully will be established after this first production and be in a better place on the second round from the experience. I'll have to let my D know, if she doesn't already, about the group. As far as the young man you mentioned that is my D's friend in JCS, yeah, I think he is Judas. She told me back when it was cast but I can't remember the details now. I get fleeting two min. calls when she is walking in the city and so it is hard to be up on too much with such small sound bytes, lol. She recently told me she is going to be musically directing a show at the Laurie Beecham Theater in NYC in April with a talented young man who just graduated Tisch directing. I think it is a new musical. I don't even know the name of THAT! LOL I don't know how she can fit it in as she is in her own show. The boy who just graduated (who is from Playwrights) has produced and directed his own shows in NYC. You may have heard, for instance, of last summer's production in NYC of Merrily We Roll Along. I am assuming this is a separate venture from your D's group as I believe this is a new musical, not an established one.</p>

<p>Anyone here going to see JCS, and what night? :)</p>

<p>Wish I could have gotten tix.... all sold out! And it's one of my favorite musicals!! :(</p>

<p>I'm going! My voice teacher, Scott Flaherty directed it.</p>

<p>AlwaysAMom, I was supposed to have been going tonight and had tickets. I've been away for 8 days to CA and NJ (not counting being stranded in Vegas). I was to drive my mother from South Jersey to NYC tonight to see JCS as my daughter is in it, and then fly back to VT tomorrow. However, I learned very late Monday night when my D called from tech rehearsal that the building the theater is in is not handicapped accessable and the theater is on the third floor, three steep flights up. My mother cannot handle stairs. I had to bag the trip to NYC at the last minute and just flew in from Philly to VT. However, all along I have had tickets for closing night, April 14 with my husband and will return to NYC. So, now I am not at opening night as expected. If you are going or Jenny, I'd love to hear how it goes! Thanks.</p>

<p>RossJi....I think the tickets for all 8 nights sold out within a day. :(</p>

<p>Aw I'm sorry that your mum couldn't see your daughter, that's awful. I'm not going to opening night, I have to check with Scott which day because he's giving us the spares that faculty aren't using. Apparently it's all COMPLETELY sold out, even the waitlist is full! Enjoy closing night, I'm sure your daughter will be great!</p>

<p>Jenny, yeah, I know it was sold out within a day and I know people who could not get tickets. I'd love to hear about it once you see it. Actually, I just remembered, however, that my other daughter is traveling (from her college) to see JCS this Friday night and so I will get the scoop from her. My D said it went well tonight. All along, she has said the cast is really good. Scott Flaherty (director and your voice teacher) is really great.</p>

<p>Yes, I love Scott, he's brilliant. I saw the show last night (Thursday). It was excellent. The whole audience gave a standing ovation! Every cast member was very committed and passionate. It was an intense and powerful and often fun experience. They really involve the audience. The music was great, though the band was a bit loud and the singers sometimes had to strain their voices. It's a very vocally demanding show. I'd be interested to know what your daughter played! Apart from Mary and the girl who played Herod (that was suprising! she was very good though) the girls worked mostly as an ensemble, with some doing bits in small groups or solo lines, but there were definitely certain people who stood out even in the ensemble with stellar performances.
Also if anyone didn't reserve tickets and is thinking of going, I'd advise you to try the waitlist. It may have been because it had been snowing earlier that day, but I was very (pleasantly, because it meant I could see it!) surprised that quite a number of people who had made reservations didn't show up.</p>

<p>Jenny, thanks for letting me know how the show went. My older D is there right now watching it, so I guess I'll hear from her at some point. </p>

<p>My daughter is one of the three Soul Girls (I believe they sing Jesus Christ Superstar) and also in ensemble parts with some solo lines I think. She is understudy to Herod. I have no idea what she was wearing. If there is a program with bios, she is in CAP21 (or you could email and ask me her name if you wish). I know some other kids in it too.</p>

<p>Ohh the Soul Girls were in the silver dresses! They were excellent. I really enjoyed that number. Tell your daughter great job :) Although the girl who played her was great, it would have been fun to see her as Herod.</p>

<p>Thanks Jenny. I look forward to seeing the production.</p>

<p>CAP's second year production of "Pippin" was fantastic. If any of you are close enough to the city to see it, I highly encourage you to see it. Next weekend is the last weekend. Tickets can be reserved at <a href="http://www.cap21.org%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cap21.org&lt;/a> . It's pretty close to being sold out, if not already.</p>

<p>Hi TheatreGuy,
I was fortunate to see the production of Pippin by second year Cap students this past Sunday and agree that it was excellent. The talent in the class is high. I'm not sure if you realize it, but fellow alum from SDM played Catherine and Louis. I also saw the fine Tisch production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Strasberg Saturday (closing) night and we really enjoyed it and the performers from the many different Tisch studios. Our daughter was in that production.</p>

<p>I hope you have been enjoying your first year at CAP21.</p>

<p>I had the good fortune of seeing Jesus Christ Superstar when in the city two weekends ago and I enjoyed it. The show, while not one of my favorites, does have some beautiful music. This Strasberg show was a bit uneven, both in production values and in direction, in my opinion, but I did enjoy several wonderful performances, including that of Susan's daughter. The boy who played Simon stole the show, and I would have enjoyed seeing him go on as Jesus.</p>

<p>alwaysamom,</p>

<p>I believe the young man you speak of is a close friend of my D's who is also a Junior in the Strasberg program, although currently studying abroad in Argentina. She sang a duet with him in their musical revue in December and he is so very, very talented. He is a true Entertainer. I hope that she gets another opportunity to perform with him again before they leave NYU, although I imagine that is doubtful as she will not be back until July and I have no idea what his plans are for further study next year.</p>

<p>theatredivasmom,</p>

<p>The boy who played Simon was excellent. He's one of those kids, like Susan's daughter also, who just draws your eyes immediately to them when they're onstage. Gorgeous voice, fabulous actor, and, like I said, I would love to have seen him sing Jesus' songs! His initials are P.W., by the way.</p>