BROADWAY OR BUST - PBS- Page 2

[HoldThatThought]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 9:47am

Thanks for posting this in a thread. I look forward to watching this show, but missed it last night. I hope it is on VOD so I can catch the first episode.

I think that with any competition show, you have to take their advertisement of it with a grain of salt. They will say anything to attract an audience for the show. My wife and I watch a few of these competition shows (from cooking to dancing, etc.) every so often, and you just have to wonder how some people even make it on to the show, or how the judges could even pick so-and-so to move on and win. I would not be surprised if some of them were fixed before the actual ending in order to build drama and gain viewers. While this show may not have this element, it looks like it will be fun to watch.

[supportivemom]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 9:59am

The show IS very fun to watch!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 10:03am

^I felt the exact opposite. For some reason the show made me uncomfortable. The kid who sang Master of the House was annoying. I won't be tuning in for the other episodes.

[newintown]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 11:01am

"You're looking at the future generation of broadway."

I doubt that. You're looking at a group of enthusiastic youngsters whose parents agreed to pay what is probably a hefty "registration fee" (the amount of which isn't specified on the National High School Musical Theater Awards website), as well as travel to New York.

As to what their futures hold, no one here or anywhere has any idea, but it's unlikely (just given the odds) that more than a few of them (if any) will find lifelong performing careers.

Updated On: 9/10/12 at 11:01 AM

[supportivemom]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 11:29am

Dottie- for me it was fun because even though some of the kids were good and I enjoy the process of it all, I still enjoy being critical! I totally agree about the Master of the House kid. I just wanted to say stop the excuses and sing already!

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 11:39am

But seriously, how do you go to something like this without preparing at least a couple songs you can sing all the way through? If he didn't feel he deserved to be there, he shouldn't have gone.

[Nettik]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 11:59am

I loved it and can't wait to see more. There were a few kids that I didn't particularly care for, but at the same time, I don't have any favorites yet.

[leefowler]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 12:31pm

I liked the choreographer, but then I've always enjoyed Kathy Griffin's work.

Posted: 9/10/12 at 12:45pm

"I doubt that. You're looking at a group of enthusiastic youngsters whose parents agreed to pay what is probably a hefty "registration fee" (the amount of which isn't specified on the National High School Musical Theater Awards website), as well as travel to New York."

The black girl who sang "I'm telling you," said her and her mom lived out of a car... so unless she got a HUGE scholarship I kind of doubt that...
---
"But seriously, how do you go to something like this without preparing at least a couple songs you can sing all the way through? If he didn't feel he deserved to be there, he shouldn't have gone. "

I totally agree. when you're competing with students who ARE prepared with a song, can act, can dance, you can't just barge in not knowing what you're going to sing or how to sing it.
I mean, it seemed like he didn't even know how to read music. did you see him flipping through the pages in the middle of the song?

Updated On: 9/10/12 at 12:45 PM

[newintown]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 12:48pm

"The black girl who sang "I'm telling you," said her and her mom lived out of a car... so unless she got a HUGE scholarship I kind of doubt that..."

That brings up another question - why did she choose a song that she can't sing or act?

[LaurPenn2]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 1:02pm

karimphantom- his name is Mike Ferlita- he is an absolute STAR. I worked with him this summer at Paper Mill Playhouse.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 2:37pm

I've just started watching so I don't have a total opinion yet but before I forgot...why does that Mason kid think he's Kurt from Glee? Please take off those ridiculous looking clothes.

I can't decide if Evan or Drew is hotter.

[wonkit]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 6:21pm

I only caught the last 20 minutes, but it appeared that many performers had not chosen their audition songs particularly well. Choose something you can sing well, comfortably and project some personality. If you start with a blockbuster that you can't effectively deliver, you have created an initial negative impression, nerves or no nerves.

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 7:47pm

I agree with what supportivemom said about needing a lead role to qualify. In high school, politics often become a huge part of who gets the lead, including anything from who had the lead last year to which students the director just doesn't like. And then, there's the curse of the dancer--at many schools, great dancers with good singing and acting skills will never get the lead because they need a dance captain or many strong dancers in the ensemble. And of course, many drama teachers in schools with low funding for the arts are probably not very good and don't always make the right casting choices. In high school, there's always that one person who the teacher takes a liking to and is handed everything and never has to work. These seem to be the kids who end up on this program, instead of their dedicated, hardworking peers. Adding to the list of reasons a more talented performer might not get the lead, I have a friend who has done lots of work in award-winning equity productions, but she doesn't get leads because she is very tiny and therefore always gets cast as the little kid. In high school, there is always a lot of drama whenever a cast list is posted, and so I don't think every high school drama teacher's credibility should be trusted as a means of eligibility.

[jazzynat]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 10:14pm

I'm actually watching it right now as I'm reading this....I think what's been said about it not necessarily being a group of "the best" teens in America is a fair assessment. While Nick (the kid who sang with Michael Feinstein) is from the Bay Area it seems like HS theatre isn't hugely competitive here.

As for the kids being slightly annoying, they're theatre kids, they tend to be slightly eccentric that goes with the territory. They're not refined yet, they will be soon.

I do agree we will see a some of these kids in a few years.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 11:41pm

Sometimes the "best singer and/or actor" is still not RIGHT for the lead.

As for the competition, thanks to SupportiveMom about the requirements for eligibility. I'm going to assume, that without some sort of ruling, they would simply have too many applicants.

As for not being prepared, while I was shocked by that, perhaps they simply had no idea what they were really getting into -- thought it would be more like camp, and that through the classes a "winner" would be selected. Who knows. They are KIDS, with little to no professional experience. For most of them, it's "an experience". SHOULD they have known? Sure, but I've seen kids show up to college auditions without being truly prepared.

[violet72]

Posted: 9/11/12 at 8:39am

I have to say as a hs theater director some of us have favorites and it is political but I know with me I always go into auditions looking for the best people who can fill the roles. I don't even judge the first round (I am in the room though). The judges I pick don't even know the kids and have theater backgrounds. I have often cast someone suprising. Last year a senior boy thought he had Higgins in the bag and came to auditons not prepared and was highly upset when a Junior boy got the lead instead of him, tha is the way I do things, if you are prepared and show just a little raw talent, I will cast you and work with you....we don't compete in Rising Star anymore because we are a tiny hs and even though we have won somethings in the past we can't compete wit the huge HS up in North Jersey

Posted: 9/11/12 at 3:07pm

To add on to what Supportivemom has said, for NY, high schools nominated one of their leads to compete in the Gershwin awards in NYC. The requirements for this award was to be the lead in a musical during the school year and to provide a DVD copy of the musical. There were three winners of the Gershwin Awards: Best Actor, Best Actress, and Up in Coming Award. The students were awarded by their solo performances from the musical they were nominated for. The Best Actor and Best Actress went on to participate in the Jimmy Awards.
And I do have to agree that some kids are annoying. The girl sleeping on camera won the Gershwin awards. Given such an opportunity, who would sleep through it?! Even if you are tired...

Posted: 9/11/12 at 7:27pm

karimphantom- his name is Mike Ferlita- he is an absolute STAR. I worked with him this summer at Paper Mill Playhouse.
---

I was looking at his biography on the BOB website and found it SO weird that both of our musical theater aspirations are Ramin Karimloo. We're both the same age. And I was actually working on the song "Alive" with my voice teacher. Although I was singing it in the originally key. When I heard him sing it I felt like I only had a fragment of his talent. Belittled.



Since everyone is talking about high school drama...
This guy I went to school with got the lead in every play and musical we did. He's a year older than me. But the reason why I'm bringing this up, if you heard him sing you would be holding in laughter. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit... but seriously, NO VIBRATO at ALL. His tone is really pressed/nasally. Like his tone is something you would hear from the muppets or maybe Avenue Q. He is a medium-low voice and he gets lyric baritone / tenor parts. My community's theater was doing Sound of Music and he got cast as Rolf. When I saw the list, I wasn't even sad or angry. I actually laughed, I was in such disbelief that someone who can't even read music got a part over 3 (including myself) great singers.

So guys, MY GREATEST ADVICE. If you think there was unfair casting, guess what, that's THEIR problem, for the fact that they lost raw talent.

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 12:42am

Some HS teachers frown on vibrato, actually coach against it or won't cast students with vibrato.

As for eligibility there was a list of "eligible" roles of what the organizers considered "lead" roles. I recall there were some surprises both as to what was on and what was not on, but the list appears to not be up anymore. And some interesting questions - for example, Pseudolus is the only role from Forum and it's listed as a male role - but some schools have females who play that role. The link from the Illinois website goes to an empty page on the national site right now. I'm sure a new one list be posted - hopefully in time for schools with an interest to pick an eligible show.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 12:45am

I just watched it. I hope they get into NYADA.

[ZiggyCringe]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 1:01am

I love this show! It's like "Dance Moms" on PBS.

Anywho, I did not enjoy the "And I'm Telling You" gal. I did not enjoy the Andrew Lippa "Wild Party" girl. I thought the girl that sang "Waiting for Life to Begin" was weak. I really liked the kid who did the "Parade" number. He nailed it. And the guy who did the aria from "Light in the Piazza" was terrific as well.

[japhun2]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 1:45am

Enjoyed the show and am excited to see what happens next. I would imagine it is a ratings boost for PBS (if there is such a thing).

I loved the Spam-a-lot girl and could not stand the Master of the House kid--get a grip and quit making excuses. They should have cut him on the spot to prove a point that time-wasters need not apply.

Posted: 9/12/12 at 1:46am

Some HS teachers frown on vibrato, actually coach against it or won't cast students with vibrato.
----
that's absolutely absurd. Vibrato is what your vocal folds NATURALLY do when they are healthy. you need vibrato to sing above your second passaggio (most of the time)

Singing without vibrato is called a "pressed tone." That means, your vocal folds aren't vibrating like they need to be. Psychologically, this makes singers tense up and push more air out, blowing out the vocal folds.

You may think "tension smentsion." I know people who have gained 2 notes JUST by doing tension releasing techniques. One student at the age of 24, an age where the voice is already almost at full maturity.

FURTHERMORE, MOST high school drama teachers aren't exactly "educated" when it comes to music, and singing in general. Hence, the reason for an artisic director AND music director.

I know for some musical theater roles, no vibrato is positive,
but ROLF FROM SOUND OF MUSIC NEEDS VIBRATO.

Updated On: 9/12/12 at 01:46 AM

[LifeisaMusical]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 6:33am

The choreographer is actually my teacher....she's awesome but she's blatantly honest so you have to get used to it. Don't get me started on Van Kaplen....