Post written by Toronto Stage Manager and Producer, Erin Maxfield. I have been working professionally in Toronto’s arts and culture sector for just over two years, and as wonderful as it is to be pursuing my passion, there are a few things I wish I had known back when I was in high school, before I decided to study theatre in university, and long before I entered what people refer to as the “real world” (??) which I guess can be defined as a place where, instead of working for grades and learning new skills with the safety net of school, you’re working to pay your rent, honing the skills you already have, and learning new ones because you have no choice and someone’s got to design sound for the show you’re working on, so you better figure it out. The entire list of things I wish I had known is probably too long for a blog post, but I hope these three things will help you wherever you are within your journey of pursuing the performing arts.
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One of the great things about theatre is what a collaborative art it is, and how connected we all become by being involved. A great benefit to that is that we all want to help pass on our knowledge, passion and experiences to others! Today we had a wonderful guest panel of former TAS Musical Theatre students come in to talk with this year's class about the jobs they had last year, advice they wish they'd known, and tell some great stories too. I think Emma's nosebleed on stage while wearing a white costume as Scuttle was a favourite story :) A huge thanks goes to our panel: Emma, Tesla, Jade, Keely, Melissa, Kait, Robert, Trevor (and bonus panel members Will and Simon), who spent some time with us today teaching us about their experiences and paying it forward. Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School has a rather unique way of running the musical theatre program - it's actually a two credit course offered to senior students, rather than an extra-curricular activity. Of course, there are pros and cons to running the program this way, but one of the major pros is that the students really do run the whole show, both onstage and behind the scenes! Semester two is gearing up to begin in February 6th, and both staff and students are looking forward to getting started with the Musical Theatre courses (one is focused on Music, and the other on Drama - taught by Mr. Jackson and Ms. Tye respectively). And are we ever jumping in quickly! We will be spending a couple of days getting to know each other and go over how the semester will be working, then the first set of auditions will be happening that first week! Ms. Tye and Mr. Jackson want to see what each of the students can do, and learn what their strengths and interests are before finalizing the choice of musical for this year.
After that first set of auditions, students will be working with their teachers to learn all kinds of skills - vocals, acting, and dancing - and improve upon the skills that they already have in each area. A guest panel of last years musical theatre students will talk to this years class about their production roles, advice and more, to help this years students decide what they want to do during the courses. Once the show has been announced, students will be able to start preparing for the show-specific auditions, where they will learn a song from our show and work on scenes and characters from the show that's been chosen. They will also look into the production roles that they are most interested in and decide which department(s) they would like to work in (such as stage management, props, tech, box office, make-up or marketing - just to name a few options!) The first section of the course will finish up with those show-specific auditions and callbacks, the cast announcement and our first read through of the script! Exciting times are coming up ahead! Keep an eye on this website and on social media so that you are always up to date with the latest news! Meet our Choreographer, Mr. Simon Mazziotti!
1. What is it about dance/choreography/musicals that you love? Having dance be such a big part of my life I think it is amazing to find new ways to bring that creative element to a bigger picture such as a musical. Being able to tell a story with my love for dance and theatre through a production like a musical is one of the most exciting things a performer can do! 2. What is your dance/musical education and background? From the age of 8 I have been a competitive dancer at studios in the Peterborough area, I am currently training at Premiere Studio of Dance where I will graduate from this year and move onto post secondary. Over the past few years I have had the privilege to work at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre as a Youth Arts Counsellor for their summer theatrical and dance intensive camps where I got to choreograph and work with the young talent in Peterborough. This has really inspired me to work with other musical productions such as the ones as TAS! 3. What's your favourite musical? I will never be able to pick just one! However some of my all time favourites are Chicago, Hairspray, Rent, Kinky Boots, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Bare. 4. What is your favourite production you've been involved in and why? There are way too many to choose from but I think being apart of any of the TAS and other local shows are my favourite, being able to showcase what you have been creating for your peers and the public has brought a new sense of pride and love for performing for me personally. Also seeing what others have been working on is so amazing, seeing your classmates and friends finished work is such a cool experience! 5. What are you looking forward to most this year? What I'm looking forward to most this year is seeing the progress of all of the students and watching them grow as performers and cast members. I think that the rehearsal process is just as exciting as the show itself, I cannot wait to start putting together yet another amazing show that everyone involved can be proud of and showcase the awesome talent that the TAS students have to offer! |
AuthorOur blog and website is managed by T.A.S. Musical Theatre staff and students. Guest writers are also welcome - contact us if you'd like to contribute. Archives
January 2018
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