<p>Just thought I would let everyone know that one of S's peers from the Georgia thespian society was recently cast in the Broadway company of Spring Awakening.</p>
<p>The kid just graduated high school from Cleveland, Georgia and was set to enter University of Evansville this fall. He was one of our state student officers this year. His name is Blake Daniel. They say he was absolutely obsessed with Spring Awakening after seeing it this past year, knew everything about it, and just decided to go to the auditionsfor the heck of it because he loved the show so much. I think he will be replacing Gideon Glick. I never saw him perform in anything, although he was in the ensemble of the international cast of Thoroughly Modern Millie at the thespian festival in Nebraka this year.</p>
<p>Kind of weird when we are all so obsessed about getting our own kids into college, with the hopes of making it to Broadway someday, and this kid just walks in straight from high school and makes it.</p>
<p>Actually, there are many cast members in Spring Awakening who do not have college degrees. There were some who were in the OBC who did not have a high school diploma yet either. You don't need either to be cast on Broadway. For the long term, a college education and rigorous training is likely to be beneficial. Don't go to a BFA program with the hopes of getting on Broadway. That goal is a very narrow one. Go to become educated, well trained and with hopes of getting work in the field at any level. I am just making a comment about the goal of "getting on Broadway" which I see very often with theater college hopefuls. Dream big but be realistic about one's goals. A successful actor is a working actor.</p>
<p>Shoot for the moon....even if you miss...you'll land among the stars</p>
<p>I really give a big Congratulations to those that have made it into Spring Awakening. I'm a big believer in being college educated. But when you're going to college just hoping to get this kind of break - CARPE DIEM!!!</p>
<p>He is finishing his jr. yr. at umich. He was cast as Hanschen and begins his journey in July. As a mom, I am hoping that he will be back in 2010 to finish his senior year, but am supportive of his decision to pursue this exciting opportunity.</p>
<p>It was a very long process - he intially attended a non-equity open call in Chicago last april. Got a call back for the next day, then heard nothing until October of this year when he was called back to NYC to audition. A few weeks later, he got a final call back - 60 kids were brought in to audition for the tour - approx 5 per role. He was there for 3 days of vocal, acting and movement workshops with the final day being on the actual spring awakening stage for the directors/producers and writers. Then the stagehands strike hit so final word didn't come until December. He said it was a wonderful experience - everyone very nice and relaxed.</p>