Student Blogger: Grace Callahan

You know what time it is! Summer is peeking around the corner, and if you're in the celebratory mood, I have the perfect playlist for you! Jam out to some Broadway hits while counting down the days to that glorious LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. Happy (almost) summer!

I’m a 3rd year Musical Theatre major at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois – one state in which the mask mandate has officially been lifted. After two years of a pandemic, Gov. Pritzker has done away with the mask mandate that was originally reinstated in August of last year.

Well, it's time again to apply and audition for your summer homes. This can be a slightly stressful time - taking new headshots, recording countless auditions to send all over the country. I'm going through that exact process right now, and the most important thing for me was narrowing down my options based on my wants and needs.

The other day, I watched “Tick, Tick...BOOM” - one of the greatest pieces of art I’ve seen in a while.

Just days ago, the theatrical community lost one of it’s greatest minds and hearts; Stephen Sondheim. His old age did not make his death any less of a shock, and his admirers are feeling the weight of his absence.  

Need some spooky showtunes to jam to this weekend? Look no further!

Our favorite Sunday awards show has come and gone, and it was exactly what the theatre community needed. Only a few weeks after Broadway began to re-open, our favorite stars took the stage to celebrate each other's art. And who better to host than Audra McDonald and Leslie Odom Jr.?

Last week, in preparation for their re-opening tonight (Sept. 21), the returning cast of Little Shop of Horrors paid a visit to Jimmy Fallon at the Tonight Show. The cast, including Christian Borle, Tammy Blanchard, and Jeremy Jordan (having replaced Jonathon Groff in this run as Seymour) performed a medley of the title song and 'Skid Row'.

The return of Waitress brought Sara Bareilles back as Jenna and Drew Gehling as Dr. Pottamer. At the opening night curtain call, the cast called Amanda Kloots onstage to pay tribute to her husband, Nick Cordero. In productions of Waitress around the world, audiences will be able to spot Cordero's 'Live Your Life' Pie' on the menu board in honor of the late actor.

As universities send out their Fall 21’ COVID plans and requirements, students across the country prepare for the new ultra-hybridized way of learning. As for me, this semester won’t be unlike the previous year – masks worn indoors on-campus and in classrooms, and minimal in-person contact. With as familiar as I am with this mode of education, you’d think I’d be less disappointed. 

As we begin to reemerge from the shadow of a pandemic, the first thing many of us want to do is go to the movie theater. Before the world shut down, it was my favorite thing to go out and do; so when 'Spirited' is released Christmas of 2022, you'll find me cozied up in a seat with a bucket of popcorn.

Last Friday, the first two episodes of the new musical comedy television series 'Schmigadoon' aired - and I think I've found my new favorite thing. The comedy stars Cecily Strong and Keegan Michael Key as Melissa and Josh, two Doctors who've sought couples' counseling after recent struggles in their relationship. On a counseling retreat, they stray from the rest of the couples and suddenly find themselves in a town called 'Schmigadoon' where life is one big musical. Dove Cameron, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Ariana DeBose and Alan Cumming also star.

After learning about this and thinking of as many movie MacGuffins as I possibly could, I realized that MacGuffins also play an important role in many of our favorite musicals. So, without further ado, Musical MacGuffins.

As we know, Broadway is returning this fall (FINALLY!). While many shows were forced to shut their doors permanently due to the pandemic, several productions have already set re-opening dates.

Summer is HERE! If you’re like me, that means rolling down the windows and cranking up the ‘tunes. By tunes, of course, I mean showtunes.

It’s almost time for THE movie release of the summer – In the Heights. You’ve rewatched every trailer, and now it’s time to prepare for the real thing. But how do you even begin to plan a watch-party for this season’s most anticipated release? Us theatre-lovers have waited a long time for this movie, so if you’re going to celebrate, you’ve got to do it right.

​​​​​​Hey! College student here. It’s finals season – but you probably already knew that. It’s an incredibly stressful time for students, and easy to feel burned out. Though I can feel myself approaching exhaustion, I’ve been able to keep moving and working. Every student is different, so I’m not about to tell you “the” way to avoid running out of steam. We all have different responsibilities, and for some students the fatigue is unavoidable. With that in mind, below are some ways I’ve stayed inspired and determined. 

With one year in the pandemic down, theatre is beginning to reemerge. One particular theatre, the Manhattan Class Company (MCC), has recently announced the return of their annual concert “Miscast”.

A few days ago, I read an article about Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new stage adaptation of Cinderella. There are few details on the story, but we do know that Emerald Fennell has written the book, and that Carrie Hope Fletcher is set to star. Due to the May reopening of the West End, the production recently dove back into rehearsals.

It’s officially been a year since the world shut down, and theatre with it. Since then, we’ve adapted to the new circumstances and in many ways have continued to thrive artistically however we can. From what I’ve seen, much of the initial fear has begun to subside as vaccinations become more and more available. Because of all of this, college life experienced some major shifts. If you’re a high school senior worrying about what college theatre will look like in the fall, I thought I’d share some ways that my college (Millikin University) has overcome some of those obstacles.