Student Blogger: Kat Mokrynski

This past month, I had the opportunity to speak with Tim Dolan, the owner of Broadway Up Close, a company of storytellers who share stories to help visitors get a closer look at the world of Broadway. There are three different components that make up Broadway Up Close - Tours, gifts, and workshops. The tours are given both in-person and virtually, going over a range of different topics related to Broadway.

Scar Tissue is a play that revolves around two roommates, Jessica (playwright Victoria Fragnito) and Sam (Rita McCann), each going through their own struggles in dealing with toxic relationships from their pasts. Jessica is attempting to break free from the memories of a man she dated in college, Luke (Nick Ritacco), a man who haunts her current relationship with Jack (Brandon Ford Green). Sam, on the other hand, is struggling with her relationship with her sister, Hannah (Jillian Vitko), who abandoned her in a time of need. When both women have to face their pasts head-on, truths are revealed and realities are shattered, threatening the relationship between the two roommates.

Walking into 'The Gallery' at the Green Fig truly makes you feel like you're entering some kind of secret society. I won't go into much detail but be prepared to be wowed! Once you're inside, a cast member gives you a shot and escorts you to your seat as other actors interact with the audience, asking questions and making jokes. The venue has a very 'speakeasy vibe,' perfect for a drinking club with a Shakespeare problem. Before seeing the show, I got to interview Lisa Klages, the Associate Director and Production Manager, as well as Nate Betancourt, the drunk actor at that night's performance

In early December, I had a chance to speak with Brian Blythe, one of the creators of the Costume Industry Coalition and the Showstoppers exhibit that ran until December 5th in Times Square. We reflected on the creation of Showstoppers and how the costume industry has been impacted by the pandemic, as well as what theatre fans can do to help the industry recover.. Enjoy!

Over the past week, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to cover the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for BroadwayWorld’s Student Blog Center. As a part of this process I attended performance rehearsals, the balloon inflation, and of course, the parade itself! Read on to find out more about what it’s like to spend a week with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Alex Wyse and Ben Fankhauser have joined forces to write and star in A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet, a new musical off-Broadway. The show is “is everything you want the first new musical premiering in NYC to be: whip-smart and stupid funny, packed with songs as catchy as a jingle.” I had the opportunity to see Regina Comet this past weekend and had such a fun time!

Back in September, I saw an announcement on social media that AJ Holmes (apologies, Broadway's AJ Holmes) would be performing a solo show at the SoHo Playhouse. As an admirer of AJ's work who had some time to kill after class one night, I decided to pay the show a visit. After all, the show's blurb claimed that I was going to be hearing about 'the worst, most embarrassing, humiliating, potentially irredeemable parts' of someone I had been a fan of for many years - Who wouldn't want to see something like that? But as I took the subway down to the theater, I couldn't help but wonder what AJ was going to talk about. What had he done? Would I still admire him after the show had ended? Who exactly was AJ Holmes?

Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej will be starring in the final season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural, premiering this Friday on the BuzzFeed Unsolved Network's YouTube Channel. Need some convincing to join the boys on “one last nightmarish odyssey”? Here are my top 5 reasons to look forward to the final season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural!

Would you consider yourself a picky eater? I definitely would! Even though I’m always down to try a new food, it is rare for me to find something that I really enjoy and would consider ordering or cooking again. But luckily for all us picky eaters out there, BuzzFeed has a show made just for us.

For the past few years I have had a tradition of driving out to Manheim, Pennsylvania, to spend a day at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. It's been a way for me to forget about the stresses of everyday life during some crazy times. But now that I'm living in New York, I decided it was time to give a new Renaissance Faire a try.

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to attend Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical and review it for BroadwayWorld. Recently, I also had the chance to speak with Nick Flatto, the director of Stranger Sings. We talked about the show, the effects of the pandemic, and even TikTok. So without further ado, let’s get into it!