If all the world’s a stage, New York City is certainly one of the larger ones. Home to the famous Broadway district, the city has a rich history of advancing the performance arts. From Feb. 21-23, TheatreMcLean embarked on their annual trip to this metropolis of musicals in order to enhance their perspective on theater.
“The New York trip is a tradition because it [gives students] a chance to see professional shows on the Broadway level and participate in workshops to elevate their own craft,” theater teacher Phillip Reid said. “It’s a great chance for people to learn and have fun at the same time in a new environment.”
The trip’s attendees saw such productions as Cabaret, The Outsiders and The Great Gatsby. This diverse set of shows–all exploring vastly different themes and tones–motivated students to pursue and expand on their own performance styles.
“The Broadway shows were the most amazing thing because they reminded me of why I do theater,” sophomore Astro Baxter said. “I [felt] connected to the stories onstage once more and better understood why performers do what we do.”
After seeing others perform, students got the opportunity to build their acting skills with two distinct workshop options. One option revolved around stage combat and the physicality behind pantomiming a realistic fight between characters.
“The workshop taught the idea of illusion; the whole system [of stage combat] is created by illusion,” Baxter said. “Illusion is key, suspension of disbelief is key.”
For those who wanted to pack a punch with their vocals, the other workshop option instructed students on the craft of musical theater. The class was headed by a cast member of The Great Gatsby ensemble, providing a unique opportunity for participants to see how rehearsals can be transformed into spectacles onstage.
“It was really cool to talk to somebody who performs professionally,” junior Nicole Sterner said. “I thought it was neat to learn part of a song and dance for a show we were actually going to see, because then we could see the actual [application] of the choreography.”
Though the students have left New York, the inspiration and memories gained from the trip will remain with them as they continue learning theater and performing.
“There’s a sense of excitement when you see a Broadway show: you realize you want to put on stories of that caliber,” Reid said. “[The trip] pushes students to think about how to tell stories creatively since [they’re] seeing directors tell these stories creatively.”
