The best-known professional theater in the US, Broadway Theater District in New York City, is considered to represent the highest level of commercial theater in the world. For student group travelers interested in theater and acting, Broadway represents a world of exciting learning opportunities.
Historically, shows that hit and thrive on Broadway have been considered more mainstream than those produced off-Broadway and off-Broadway. Therefore, it is not surprising that most Broadway shows are commercial productions aimed at generating profits for producers and investors. Musicals tend to have longer runs than non-musical productions. In fact, The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theater became the longest running Broadway musical in 2006, beating out Cats. To date, musical productions such as Wicked, Hairspray, Chicago, The Lion King, and Rent are just a few of the Broadway musicals that have captured the imagination of their audiences.
The area near Times Square in midtown Manhattan is home to many Broadway theaters. The dizzying neon lights of stardom could make any aspiring performer giddy. And this is where groups of traveling students interested in acting can take advantage of theater education programs. Two great options are Broadway Student Lab and Hands-On Broadway, both offered by student travel provider Travel Adventures, designed to introduce students to what it takes to be a star on stage.
Developed for acting, singing, and dancing students, Broadway Student Lab presents an exciting week of theater projects, performances, and workshops featuring talented singers, dancers, casting directors, and writers. This program is an excellent value for theater teachers who want to empower leading artists in their high school theater programs. In between master classes in acting and voice techniques, groups of traveling students also attend Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and meet with cast members.
After arrival and check-in at a New York City hotel, students participate in drama games and an improv exercise, designed to dramatize events currently in the news. On the second day, student performers attend “Show Business,” led by an experienced theater professional who shares about the long road it takes from studio to stage and how students can be successful too. Later, a question and answer session with a working Broadway actor highlights career opportunities in the theater. Students also meet “Fresh Talent,” a group of aspiring performers who pursue careers on stage. This group shares interesting stories about what the road to stardom looks like. At night, students get into the magic of “the Great White Way” by attending a live performance.
The third day begins with a guided sightseeing tour of New York City. The tour highlights the city’s cultural icons such as Lincoln Center, Central Park, and Greenwich Village. From 86 stories above the heart of Manhattan, student tours enjoy views from the Empire State Building. The attraction’s observatory offers panoramic views from a glass pavilion, the same one where Cary Grant once waited for Deborah Kerr in An Affair to Remember.
The week is rounded off with three additional Broadway performances, plus workshops by Broadway professionals, and a visit with a casting director that provides an insider’s perspective on the audition process.
An exclusive and unique workshop for theater students, Hands-On Broadway features 90-minute themed sessions that are fun and educational. During this program, participating students go behind the scenes with a Broadway professional who strives to expand and improve their skills.
For example, student performers can explore the techniques of how a theatrical text comes to life by partnering with an instructor to better understand the creation of inventive, honest, and detailed stage work. They can also gain a better understanding of what it means to pursue a career in the arts with a workshop designed to arm students with an arsenal of information, including headshots, resumes, auditions, and college admissions. Choir students can perform alongside a Broadway professional as they learn about vocal technique. With the help of a music director, groups perfect a prepared piece of music and then sing along with a professional. A question and answer session concludes the workshop.
Tourism can also be included in this program with visits to New York’s favorite places, such as the Theater District, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall, enhancing the experience of group trip of students.