BWW Interviews: Steven Kennedy and Dylan Lambert Talk TUTS' Humphreys School of Musical Theatre at the 2015 Junior Theater Festival

Thirty-nine students from the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre have been bestowed with the honor and invited to participate in the 2015 Junior Theater Festival (JTF) held in Atlanta, Georgia on January 16, 17, and 18. Created by New York's iTheatrics and produced by the Junior Theater group, this nationwide event is dedicated to celebrating young people and musical theatre.

Events include a competition, a New Works Showcase, masterclasses and an audition for future Broadway Junior DVD shoots. For the New Works Showcase, Humphreys School students will premiere selections from two pieces: DISNEY'S THE LION KING JR. and DISNEY'S THE LION KING KIDS. In addition to premiering the two pieces, our homegrown talents will be presenting selections from DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 JR. as part of a competition hosted by the Junior Theater Festival. 101 groups representing 26 states, the District of Columbia and two countries will attend. But have no fear, it's a friendly competition. The goal of the event is to celebrate musical theatre, so there is plenty of camaraderie among the young artists and support from industry professionals.

I talk to Steven Kennedy, Vice President of Publishing for iTheatrics and Broadway Junior's Resident Choreographer, and Dylan Lambert, a student director representing the Humphreys School at the festival. Kennedy is warm and encouraging, both great characteristics of a master educator, and Lambert is the rare artist who is exceptionally articulate about his work. I'm sure he'll do Houston and the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre proud.

BWW: Please tell me about the Humphreys School's presentation of DISNEY'S THE LION KING KIDS and DISNEY'S THE LION KING JR.

Steven Kennedy: The Humphreys School of Musical Theatre has been invited to premiere selections from DISNEY'S THE LION KING JR. and DISNEY'S THE LION KING KIDS at the Junior Theater Festival. DISNEY'S THE LION KING JR., is about a 60 minute version, and DISNEY'S THE LION KING KIDS is a 30 minute version.

BWW: Did you help choreograph those?

Steven Kennedy: I did not. What we end up doing at the showcase is allowing groups to present their own version. That's part of the fun, to see other people's versions. We've been working on these shows for so long, so it's fun to see somebody else's version of the show. I did go out last week and kind of got a sneak peek of it, just to give them a little "What do you think about this?" and "What do you think about that?" and it was beautiful. They didn't even need my help.

BWW: You treat the students as professionals.

Steven Kennedy: That's the funny thing. When you do site visits with the groups, you totally forget that they're young people. They are truly just wonderful examples of focus and education. It's a privilege to work with them. I really, really love it.

BWW: How do you select which groups perform?

Steven Kennedy: Traditionally, especially with the New Works Showcase like with Theatre Under the Stars, it really is based on just knowing that they're willing and able to do it. It's a lot of work for these groups to not only put together their 15 minute adjudication piece, like DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 JR. for TUTS, but now they're also putting together this performance that will be seen by about 5,000 people. We're actually asking them to do double duty, so we want to make sure that we know the groups, the groups know us, that the kids feel comfortable, and their community feels comfortable with the responsibility.

BWW: Dylan, you're a student director representing TUTS' Humphreys School of Musical Theatre. Tell me about your directorial approach to DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 JR.

Dylan Lambert: I have everyone cast as all the main characters, but since it's set in a summer resort/country club, they are all, except for one of the actors, going to be high schoolers working there. Of course, during HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, there are little conflicts like the two main characters Troy [Bolton] and Gabriella [Montez] get into a fight that is resolved in the end.

Since we've condensed HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 so much to make it fit into 15 minutes, a lot of the storytelling is quicker paced, because I want to get a complete story across starting at the country club all the way to the end of the show when they do the talent show.

It's was kind of challenging trying to condense it but it was doable. And the cast is doing fantastic.

BWW: How did you deal with the challenge of condensing it to 15 minutes?

Dylan Lambert: I worked with our Humphrey School of Musical Theatre Director, Ms. Rozie Curtis. She and I sat down with the script and we decided what were good scenes to have in there. We took out some lines and made some scenes merge until we got a full script.

BWW: Steven, could you tell me about your role in the Junior Theater Festival?

Steven Kennedy: When it comes to the festival, I am responsible for supervising all the choreography that comes out of it. I'm also one of the adjudicators. I think we have 101 groups coming to the festival, and I will be adjudicating their 15 minute pieces that they bring, give constructive criticism and help to assist with their productions.

BWW: In what way do you assist with the student productions?

Steven Kennedy: Food for thought. When the groups come to the festival, some groups have already performed their shows in local communities and some have not. We are given the opportunity to say, "Hey, have you considered this?" or "Have you thought of this?" And also just give them a pat on the back. These groups are working so hard. Schools especially. With curriculum and testing and so much going on, these groups just sometimes need to hear, "Yes, you're doing the right thing." The way I think about musical theatre is that it takes a village, and I always take my responsibility really seriously.

BWW: The event is described as a celebration of theatre.

Steven Kennedy: Absolutely.

BWW: How so?

Steven Kennedy: When it comes to Broadway Junior and iTheatrics, we believe that it's not about making a star. It's not about the next Broadway or Hollywood star. It's a team sport. The kids that come out may be the next best journalist or the next best doctor or postal carrier. It doesn't matter what they end up becoming. We believe that this makes a better world. And we hope that the next generation will as well. We're celebrating the fact that all of us love musical theatre.

BWW: Dylan, I know it's all in the spirit of celebrating theatre, but are you even a little nervous about the adjudication?

Dylan Lambert: Yes! [We Laugh] Well, the last two times that I've been they've always complimented the student direction. They've complimented them on the choices they made for their actors and where they went with it. I just feel like I need to live up to that. I don't want to let TUTS down. So it's definitely nerve-wracking. But in the end, it is my show and I will be proud of it no matter what. Of course, I am nervous. They're judging me. [Laughs]

BWW: I remember reading about adjudicating and I tensed up, and I'm not even part of the festival! Steven, how do you keep that constructive and not heartbreaking?

Steven Kennedy: One of the ways that we adjudicate each group is to literally work with them, so we do work with each group and say, "OK guys, stand up. Let's go to the top of that number again and this time, keep your arms straight. No noodle arms." [I Laugh] We end up giving them a little direction. It's never an issue for me or any of our adjudicators. When you look at a group that is loving what they're doing, has a passion for it, and have worked so hard to achieve it, there are moments where you go, "Yes! You did it!"

BWW: What are you looking forward to most at Junior Theater Festival?

Dylan Lambert: There's a point in the weekend where everyone comes into the convention hall. We have this gigantic convention hall where the entire festival is held. And my favorite point is one morning everyone comes together in the convention hall and we get to have this little pow wow where the Junior Theater Festival has a special guest. For instance, last time we came, it was Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Corey Cott. Alan Menken came on stage and played a little medley for us.

I think what I'm looking forward to most is seeing all the presentations they have and all the people they bring in the industry to just talk about what they do and what their experience is like. The entire center is filled with 4,000+ young actors and actresses who are really inspired by what they do, and want to pursue this. Everyone is there for the same thing and we're all celebrating the same thing. It's fun. There's this energy all throughout the room. Everyone is excited. There's no one saying musical theatre is stupid. Everyone is happy about being there and being with each other. And I like that feeling.

BWW: That's very sweet. Steven, what are you looking forward to?

Steven Kennedy: The kids! [I Laugh] That's easy. That's the best thing. The festival to me is always about the kids. The crazy thing for me is always seeing the kids and the students a year older. I have known some of these kids now for 10, 12 years, and suddenly they're the next generation bringing students to the festival. I have a student named John Newsome who is coming back to the festival as a director. I've known him since he was a young performer at the festival. So it's always the people. The directors, the teachers, the students especially.

BWW: It's amazing that you get to see the students grow into the people that they're going to be. What are you looking forward to least?

Dylan Lambert: Probably the feeling I get right before we go on with our adjudication piece, because my nerves are a wreck right before we go on. It's so scary. You don't want to mess up anything.

BWW: Steven, is there anything that you're not looking forward to?

Steven Kennedy: Oh my gosh, no. [We Laugh] The lack of sleep. You end up not sleeping because there's so much going on. You get your coffee in the morning. Then you go downstairs and the enthusiasm and energy picks you right back up. So no, there's nothing that I'm not looking forward to.

BWW: Will you be teaching a masterclass at JTF?

Steven Kennedy: Most of our adjudicators do classes with either students or directors and teachers. I will be doing a variation of a masterclass. My main workshop is an audition where we invite probably 300 or so of the students to participate in a big audition or cattle call, which sounds terrible [Laughs], for our Broadway Junior Choreography DVDs. During the festival, 300+ students will audition for me and my choreographic team. We run this audition as a professional, full-on New York City audition. We run it fast. We run it serious and they sing, dance and act. We run them through the paces and they put their best foot forward. We have auditions on Saturday and callbacks on Sunday. Some of those kids are invited to the choreography DVD shoot, which we hold in New York City in the summertime. But, whether they get that invitation to come to New York City or not, the way I run audition is to give them a great experience right there.

BWW: Do you have anything that you look for in particular?

Steven Kennedy: Absolutely. It's called a choreography DVD, but I'm looking for those young people that have the stamina, because musical theatre is a lot of hard work just like any other team sport. I'm looking for focus, maturity, and of course talent.

BWW: Since they're already at the Junior Theater Festival, you have at least one of those down. Hopefully, all three. [We Laugh] So past festival attendees have included Zac Efron and Stephen Schwartz. Are there any celebrities that you're looking forward to seeing?

Steven Kennedy: Yes, I am. And I wish I could say something.

BWW: Aw, no!

Steven Kennedy: But, at this point, I'm not allowed to say. There is one very special celebrity who is going to be doing a concert for us that I am very excited to see and I won't say anything more. [We Laugh]

We always try to keep it a surprise. We try to make it a big holiday like Christmas day. We just want to make sure that the teachers, the directors, the students, everyone, has a little bit of that tingly moment.

BWW: That's much more fun. My final question: what advice do you have for a student looking to make a career in musical theatre?

Steven Kennedy: Like I said earlier, Broadway Junior doesn't necessarily make a career for you or make a star, but if you want to do that and if that's your aspiration, my advice is to get an education. I have never met an unintelligent actor. They are well-educated. There is a time and a place to be onstage and then there is a time for education. So my biggest advice is to stay in school, get educated, and find that program or school that's just right for you. Stay in school. [Laughs] I'm a big supporter of education.

BWW: It's great to know that your interest in the kids and their lives is genuine and real. I would hope so. You're an educator!

Steven Kennedy: [Laughs] Absolutely.

For more information about the Junior Theater Festival, visit www.itheatrics.com/junior-theatre-festival/.

The Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) students heading to the Junior Theater Festival are: Lindsay Bates, Mallory Bechtel, Jenna Bobbora, Cole Bracey, Lauren Breath, Alaina Brownfield, Chase Callahan, Peyton Crenshaw, Lauren Dodds, Ella Ducharme, Nicole Fish, Daniel Fonseka, Scott Fonseka, Gerra Gistand, Preston Granger, Simone Kennedy Haygood, Fernell Hogan, Fallon Jones, Katelyn Kapocsi, Hannah Keller, Sarah Klein, London Lane, Sam Linda, Kelly Lomonte, Alexa Magro, McKenna Marmolejo, Miles Marmolejo, Savannah May, Lauren McDonald, Lily Ohanian, Joi Pierre, Courtney Robertson, Carlie Sachs, Hanna Seay, Michelle Smith, Jacqueline Touchet, Fallon Williams, Matthew Smith, and Dylan Thomas Lambert. For more information about TUTS and HSMT, visit http://www.TUTS.com/HSMT.

iTheatrics mission is to "ensure kids everywhere experience the transformative power of musical theater." The company adapts Broadway musicals for performance by elementary, middle and high school students and provides educational resources to musical theatre educators. For more information about iTheatrics, visit http://www.iTheatrics.com.

Photos Courtesy of Theatre Under the Stars