Guest Blogger: Christopher Panella

Hello, readers! It's been a long time since I've uploaded an article. My high school readers know that the January to April area is a particularly difficult one, especially with AP classes, senior events, and college decisions. I decided that this article should be an update on my past three months and a guide for future seniors who hit those college and future obstacles.

We love musicals. Musicals are so common, so known, and so loved. Almost everyone knows of iconic musicals like Wicked and Chicago. Every theater kid knows every word to The Phantom of the Opera. The best part about musicals is that they are universally popular. The idea of a musical is not a niche, cult-followed topic. Musicals are enjoyed by the non-theater people as well. I mean, look at Hamilton. Its popularity beyond the theater community is staggering. But what about the other side of theater? What about the side where performers do not break out into song and dance every few minutes, solve their problems with a six-minute tap number, or sing catchy lyrics that stick in the audience's mind for the next few weeks? Yes, I am talking about straight plays. Why don't we hear about their impact and popularity? Why don't I see theater kids running around wearing The Glass Menagerie shirts instead of Dear Evan Hansen? This leads to the basis of this article: let's support straight plays. 

2016 is officially ending, and while much of the year was filled with major upsets (RIP David Bowie, Carrie Fisher, Prince, Muhammad Ali, Carrie, Alan Rickman, and many others) and some seriously stressful moments (2016 presidential election, I'm looking at you!), the year had bright moments too! Thus, I run through a few of my favorite moments of 2016.

The past month was a jam-packed rush of rehearsals, Thespian competition, and performance after performance. Thus, I apologize for not writing. My lack of blogs is partially because of my schedule and partially because I needed new material to write about. I didn't realize that my jam-packed schedule could be the source for my new material. 

In my short absence from BroadwayWorld, I spent my time interacting with my community, meeting new people and having new conversations. These conversations focused on local and school theater. From parents to teenagers to elementary students, I met people who expressed their excitement about South Florida's rich theater community, but also their worry about the uncertainty of that rich theater community. Every year a budget cut occurs, the arts are the first item on the chopping block. While South Florida is a strong theater hub, many communities across the nation aren't as certain. These communities exist in a state of chance, which is an awful environment for developing arts education and promoting creativity for all ages. Thus, I present a well-thought plan that you, YES YOU, can use to bring theater to your community and keep it there. 

In our highly competitive day and age, students in every school across the nation push themselves to succeed. From five to six college level classes to multiple clubs and activities to family obligations, students find themselves stressed and nervous about managing it all and finding balance. Kids who put themselves through it all deserve recognition for their dedication, but no one deserves praise more than the theater kid. Theater kids raise the bar for all students.

It's the fall, which means thousands of high schools across the country are beginning their spectacular seasons of theatre. From Shakespeare to Carrie, drama clubs are performing some very complicated and complex musicals and plays. The same goes for Fort Lauderdale High School, where the Stageplayers have officially begun rehearing one of the most underrated, hilarious, and intricate shows, The Drowsy Chaperone. 

I take my craft too seriously. Yes, I said it. Every theatre kid takes their craft too seriously. Now, I know how misleading that sounds. It sounds like I'm claiming we should all relax and stop working on our pieces. Trust me, that is NOT WHAT I AM SAYING. What I am saying is something that is built on advice hundreds of people have told me. From vocal coaches to directors to fellow cast members, basically everyone I know has told me that I take my craft too seriously. And I do. But I think we all do. I think we all spend far too much time worrying and questioning rather than doing. Thus, I present new advice for a new school year: stop taking your craft so seriously!

Hello, readers! After taking a short break from blogging to enjoy family time, I come back with a blog about the most stressful time of the year: audition time. As show season begins and drama clubs start long rehearsals, line learning, and vocal lessons, we theatre kids jump back into what we do best. However, starting the long process towards show day that we enjoy so much starts with one agonizing event: auditioning. Yes, I know, I've previously written about how much I love and enjoy auditions because of the creative opportunities and exploration they offer, but no person can deny that audition week is the most nerve racking experience (show week is a close second). Thus, I present a guide to handling this time of year with, as Meryl Streep said at the Democratic National Convention, "grit and grace."

Summer: a time for reflection, relaxation, and work. As I have been reading, writing, and working on my craft, I reflected constantly back to a few months ago, during Seussical the Musical, when I saw firsthand the stress crew undergoes to provide the best environment for cast members. I have said it before and I will say it every day until I die: without the thankless work of crew and tech, the cast wouldn't even exist. Thanks to these reflections, I have decided the best blog as the summer begins to come to an end is a blog with a theme that I hope carries into the next school year and theatre season: tech deserves the spotlight. 

Ah, summer. A time for rest, relaxation, fun, and as of last week, catching virtual Pokemon in a multitude of locations. Of course, Pokemon Go can't make up for total boredom of summer. Yes, summer is a great time to accomplish activities that just don't fit into our school year rut. However, many of us fill our summers with naps and Netflix-binging and video games (and reading, right? Especially plays like 4000 Miles) which is not always the best idea. Thus, I present a guide to overcoming the plague of laziness that we all face during summer.

Plays can be the most riveting, inspiring, heartbreaking, and exciting pieces of literature to read. Plays are consuming and often remind me of great classics because of their elegance and sheer effortlessness. Just like The Great Gatsby effortlessly leaves you questioning the morals of the wealthy class, plays can leave you with questions, answers, emotions, and nothing. As it's summer and most of us are traveling, working on our crafts (you'd better be, I blogged about it earlier), and relaxing, I propose a great piece of advice: read more plays!

For some performers, taking center stage can be effortless and natural. It comes to them almost as easily as breathing. Others, however, are hesitant to stand in the spotlight and perform. I have seen both types of people and am not afraid to admit that I am the latter. I am not a natural performer. It has never been easy for me to be comfortable in my own skin, especially when I am constantly surrounded by theatre kids who are effortlessly talented. That doesn't mean I can't become a natural performer, and if you're like me, you can too.

?WARNING: I am assuming that if you are reading this blog, you have watched the 70th Tony Awards this past Sunday. If you have not, are you even a theatre kid?

Twenty years ago, artist had a different meaning than it does now. Artists used to be so invested in their work that they often forgot to eat, sleep, or handle the normal routines of daily life. Nowadays, artists are more well-rounded than anything. Almost every high school theatre kid I meet also excels in academic subjects and other extracurriculars. Almost every college theatre major I meet has a dual major in something that older folks would consider more practical, like business or pre-law. This well-roundedness is fantastic, don't get me wrong. I consider myself one of the most well-rounded people, but when it comes to identifying as an artist, there should be more of a commitment to art than anything else. 

The theatre world is full of people who would love to see you fail, people who want to watch you crash and burn. You constantly have to deal with foul personalities that refuse to see the progress and good in you. The world of theatre is just like the real world in that many of its inhabitants are negative in every meaning of the word, but that doesn't mean you have to be. 

Destiny's Child pushed for women to be independent in 2001 with Independent Woman, and I am pushing for actors to be independent today with this blog. Independence is a quality few people possess, a quality I am thankful enough to have, and a quality I hope to instill upon people. This quality is useful in almost any situation. But truthfully, I think it can be most useful to actors. 

Performers love the stage. Actors love every single second they get onstage, every moment under the spotlight. It's the best feeling in the world for us. But the worst thing to be in this highly competitive theatre world is specialized in only one aspect of theatre. For instance, only being trained in one style of dance isn't going to help you out in the long run when you audition for a dance company. The same is for performers. Stop performing. Quit thinking that it's okay to only be an actor, a singer, a dancer. Learn every aspect of theatre, every talent you can. This may seem annoying, but as an artist, it will help you in the long run to be knowledgeable about as much as you can. 

Auditions. The thing theatre kids hate most. Auditions cause massive anxiety, stress, sleepless nights. They are hellish and terrifying. Regardless of the hate we all feel for auditions, this blog is dedicated to advising theatre kids to love auditions. Wait… is that even possible? Anything's Possible! Loving auditions can be the best thing theatre kids learn. Even though every person in the theatre world seems to hate them with a passion, learn to be different: love what everyone else hates.

?Your craft is only good with continuity over time. - Me. just now. But seriously, continuity is important, especially when it comes to theatre and the arts. As actors, we grow with every performance, every note, line, and count a step building stairs that only go up. In theatre news, there is never an actor who talks about not pushing themselves for years to be their best before getting their big break. Big breaks come with practice and dedication, not sheer luck and ability. For high school students, theatre can seem like a school year activity, summers spent relaxing. I mean, I get it: high school is the high note and the summer is the needed catch breath. Yet, this industry and profession finds itself with more of a willing supply than demand. For this reason actors need to, more than ever, develop their craft to be the best it can be any chance they get, especially high school actors.