Student Blogger: Michael Scuotto
Michael Scuotto is a theatre journalist and musical theatre writer who began writing for BroadwayWorld as a student blogger in 2020. Born in Philly and raised in Brooklyn, Michael has spent his life splitting time between New York and Pennsylvania, fostering a love for theatre in both places. He is currently attending Sarah Lawrence College to study theatre, music, and dramatic literature. Michael wrote and produced his first musical while still in high school and is in the process of finishing his second. He is stoked for the opportunity to continue writing for BroadwayWorld!
MOST POPULAR ARTICLESStudent Blog: Back on Campus
September 9, 2021 Student Blog: Yeah, But Not Right Now by A.J. Holmes September 24, 2021 Student Blog: Rewrites August 11, 2021 Student Blog: Carving Out A Niche September 9, 2021 |
Student Blog: Yeah, But Not Right Now by A.J. Holmes
September 24, 2021
Yeah, But Not Right Now is a deeply personal exploration of Holmes' childhood and past relationships. It was also a meditation on the nature of performance in daily life. How much are we using our talents to find fulfillment in our day-to-day life? As an artist, this through line was particularly impactful to me. Holmes' stories are linked together by musical comedy songs, which allow for a showcase of Holmes' unique writing style. His comedic lyrics are complemented by his complex and gorgeous melodies.
Student Blog: Back on Campus
September 9, 2021
I'm extremely lucky to have all my classes in person (masked, of course). While I'm thrilled for each and every one of my classes, my theatre classes have been particularly exciting. The opportunity to be in a room again with other theatre makers has been magical. In just a few days, I feel like I've established a thriving community of artists and makers who are gonna take this privilege to do wonderful things. There's a sense of joy and excitement vibrating throughout the air, and I cannot get enough of it.
Student Blog: Carving Out A Niche
September 9, 2021
Carving out your niche as an artist is difficult. As I think ahead to my career post-college, I'm realizing that goes double for musical theatre writers. There's not a gigantic market for original musical theatre. Unless you're adapting a recognizable property, or centering a star, it's not the easiest thing to get a massive audience invested in your musical.
Student Blog: Rewrites
August 11, 2021
Rewriting can sometimes be tedious and arduous. At times, it feels like the joy has been seeped from the creative process. A lot of the work is very technical. There's less spontaneity and opportunity to revel in creative joy. There's also a weight on your shoulders: you're so close to finishing. Finishing the song, the draft, the script. You know the pure euphoria you'll feel upon completion. You know that with a little more elbow grease, you can make a hat where there never was a hat.
Student Blog: Can Theatre Be Back?
July 26, 2021
For years, my mother and I have volunteered as ushers at a local theatre. I know some of the folks who perform there, and it's a great way to see their shows for free. As soon as I stepped into the theatre, a surreal feeling washed over me. Standing in an actual brick and mortar theater was overwhelming. As I showed patrons to their (socially distanced) seats, I got more and more excited.
Student Blog: A Place For Us: Celebrating Trans and Non-Binary Artists in Musical Theatre
July 7, 2021
This past weekend, I watched A Place For Us: Celebrating Trans and Non-Binary Artists in Musical Theatre. This was a theatrical virtual event that did exactly what it says on the tin. And believe me when I tell you it was an absolute joy from start to finish.
Student Blog: Joe Iconis + Lauren Marcus at Two River Theater
June 28, 2021
I was not in the audience of the St. James. I was somewhere better: Redbank, New Jersey to be exact. I was there for the second show in a series of concerts featuring Joe Iconis and Lauren Marcus. This show was part of Two River Theater's Plaza Players series, which takes advantage of their newly renovated outdoor plaza space.
Student Blog: My Show Program Collection
June 3, 2021
It's a fun little niche. And it's a great way to have an experience with a show, even years or decades after that show is closed. Do any of you collect Playbills? What are your best finds? Or your dream finds? I'd love to hear about them!
Student Blog: Productivity and Downtime
May 25, 2021
Summer is almost upon us! That means it's time to kick back and unwind. Or at least, that's what I try to tell myself. See, I have a really hard time with 'downtime'. There's always a voice in the back of my head telling me that I should be doing something more productive, or that I'm 'wasting time'. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.
Student Blog: Looking Back
May 18, 2021
This past week, I finished up school for the year. I'm now officially a Junior. My college experience has been particularly odd. I spent more of my college career on Zoom than I did in person. It's been really rough. However, in all that time, I never stopped creating. During COVID-19, I learned a lot about myself, my craft, and my process.
Student Blog: Now Is The Time To Seize The Day
April 23, 2021
I've been thinking about Newsies a lot this week. At its core, it is a show about activists fighting for change and battling against the status quo. Obviously, this is a fairly pressing and urgent idea, this week especially. It tells us that we should raise our voices to protest unjust systems, and that if we hold out, important bounds forward can be made to better things for ourselves and others.
Student Blog: 18 Songs for 18 Sondheim Shows (Part 3 of 3)
April 13, 2021
In celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 91st birthday, I’m compiling a list of 18 Sondheim songs, one for each show he’s written!
Student Blog: 18 Songs for 18 Sondheim Shows (Part 2 of 3)
March 25, 2021
In celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 91st birthday, I’m continuing to compile a list of 18 Sondheim songs, one for each show he’s written!
Student Blog: 18 Songs for 18 Sondheim Shows (Part 1 of 3)
March 9, 2021
When I was about 7, I saw the West Side Story movie for the first time, and I loved it. I memorized the entire script, snapped my way around the school yard during recess, you know, normal kid stuff. Even then, I remember thinking “hey, this Sondheim guy is pretty cool”.
BWW Blog: Film Everything!
February 18, 2021
Proshots are a marvelous thing. At the risk of generalization, I simply don’t believe there are any cons. Many proshots begin their lives with theatrical releases in movie theaters across the country. Most of them also see release on streaming platforms, notably BroadwayHD, which is slowly gaining a beefier library.
BWW Blog: Utilizing TikTok as a Creative Tool
February 8, 2021
Classes are back in full swing for me, so I’m happy to have a creative outlet like this, and such a wonderful platform here on BroadwayWorld. I hope everyone is doing well.
BWW Blog: Ship's Log - In & Of Itself on Hulu
January 28, 2021
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of watching Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself on Hulu.
BWW Blog: No Musicals for the Moment
January 14, 2021
For as long as I can remember, I’ve turned to music, and more specifically musical theatre, to help me sort out my feelings.
BWW Blog: What is the Current State of Movie Musicals?
December 18, 2020
I wanted to talk about the bigger picture: what is the current state of movie musicals?
BWW Blog: 5 Joe Iconis Songs You Should Listen to RIGHT NOW
December 7, 2020
Joe Iconis is one of my favorite songwriters, and he helped reinvigorate my drive to write songs when I started my songwriting class this year.
September 24, 2021
Yeah, But Not Right Now is a deeply personal exploration of Holmes' childhood and past relationships. It was also a meditation on the nature of performance in daily life. How much are we using our talents to find fulfillment in our day-to-day life? As an artist, this through line was particularly impactful to me. Holmes' stories are linked together by musical comedy songs, which allow for a showcase of Holmes' unique writing style. His comedic lyrics are complemented by his complex and gorgeous melodies.
Student Blog: Back on Campus
September 9, 2021
I'm extremely lucky to have all my classes in person (masked, of course). While I'm thrilled for each and every one of my classes, my theatre classes have been particularly exciting. The opportunity to be in a room again with other theatre makers has been magical. In just a few days, I feel like I've established a thriving community of artists and makers who are gonna take this privilege to do wonderful things. There's a sense of joy and excitement vibrating throughout the air, and I cannot get enough of it.
Student Blog: Carving Out A Niche
September 9, 2021
Carving out your niche as an artist is difficult. As I think ahead to my career post-college, I'm realizing that goes double for musical theatre writers. There's not a gigantic market for original musical theatre. Unless you're adapting a recognizable property, or centering a star, it's not the easiest thing to get a massive audience invested in your musical.
Student Blog: Rewrites
August 11, 2021
Rewriting can sometimes be tedious and arduous. At times, it feels like the joy has been seeped from the creative process. A lot of the work is very technical. There's less spontaneity and opportunity to revel in creative joy. There's also a weight on your shoulders: you're so close to finishing. Finishing the song, the draft, the script. You know the pure euphoria you'll feel upon completion. You know that with a little more elbow grease, you can make a hat where there never was a hat.
Student Blog: Can Theatre Be Back?
July 26, 2021
For years, my mother and I have volunteered as ushers at a local theatre. I know some of the folks who perform there, and it's a great way to see their shows for free. As soon as I stepped into the theatre, a surreal feeling washed over me. Standing in an actual brick and mortar theater was overwhelming. As I showed patrons to their (socially distanced) seats, I got more and more excited.
Student Blog: A Place For Us: Celebrating Trans and Non-Binary Artists in Musical Theatre
July 7, 2021
This past weekend, I watched A Place For Us: Celebrating Trans and Non-Binary Artists in Musical Theatre. This was a theatrical virtual event that did exactly what it says on the tin. And believe me when I tell you it was an absolute joy from start to finish.
Student Blog: Joe Iconis + Lauren Marcus at Two River Theater
June 28, 2021
I was not in the audience of the St. James. I was somewhere better: Redbank, New Jersey to be exact. I was there for the second show in a series of concerts featuring Joe Iconis and Lauren Marcus. This show was part of Two River Theater's Plaza Players series, which takes advantage of their newly renovated outdoor plaza space.
Student Blog: My Show Program Collection
June 3, 2021
It's a fun little niche. And it's a great way to have an experience with a show, even years or decades after that show is closed. Do any of you collect Playbills? What are your best finds? Or your dream finds? I'd love to hear about them!
Student Blog: Productivity and Downtime
May 25, 2021
Summer is almost upon us! That means it's time to kick back and unwind. Or at least, that's what I try to tell myself. See, I have a really hard time with 'downtime'. There's always a voice in the back of my head telling me that I should be doing something more productive, or that I'm 'wasting time'. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.
Student Blog: Looking Back
May 18, 2021
This past week, I finished up school for the year. I'm now officially a Junior. My college experience has been particularly odd. I spent more of my college career on Zoom than I did in person. It's been really rough. However, in all that time, I never stopped creating. During COVID-19, I learned a lot about myself, my craft, and my process.
Student Blog: Now Is The Time To Seize The Day
April 23, 2021
I've been thinking about Newsies a lot this week. At its core, it is a show about activists fighting for change and battling against the status quo. Obviously, this is a fairly pressing and urgent idea, this week especially. It tells us that we should raise our voices to protest unjust systems, and that if we hold out, important bounds forward can be made to better things for ourselves and others.
Student Blog: 18 Songs for 18 Sondheim Shows (Part 3 of 3)
April 13, 2021
In celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 91st birthday, I’m compiling a list of 18 Sondheim songs, one for each show he’s written!
Student Blog: 18 Songs for 18 Sondheim Shows (Part 2 of 3)
March 25, 2021
In celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 91st birthday, I’m continuing to compile a list of 18 Sondheim songs, one for each show he’s written!
Student Blog: 18 Songs for 18 Sondheim Shows (Part 1 of 3)
March 9, 2021
When I was about 7, I saw the West Side Story movie for the first time, and I loved it. I memorized the entire script, snapped my way around the school yard during recess, you know, normal kid stuff. Even then, I remember thinking “hey, this Sondheim guy is pretty cool”.
BWW Blog: Film Everything!
February 18, 2021
Proshots are a marvelous thing. At the risk of generalization, I simply don’t believe there are any cons. Many proshots begin their lives with theatrical releases in movie theaters across the country. Most of them also see release on streaming platforms, notably BroadwayHD, which is slowly gaining a beefier library.
BWW Blog: Utilizing TikTok as a Creative Tool
February 8, 2021
Classes are back in full swing for me, so I’m happy to have a creative outlet like this, and such a wonderful platform here on BroadwayWorld. I hope everyone is doing well.
BWW Blog: Ship's Log - In & Of Itself on Hulu
January 28, 2021
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of watching Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself on Hulu.
BWW Blog: No Musicals for the Moment
January 14, 2021
For as long as I can remember, I’ve turned to music, and more specifically musical theatre, to help me sort out my feelings.
BWW Blog: What is the Current State of Movie Musicals?
December 18, 2020
I wanted to talk about the bigger picture: what is the current state of movie musicals?
BWW Blog: 5 Joe Iconis Songs You Should Listen to RIGHT NOW
December 7, 2020
Joe Iconis is one of my favorite songwriters, and he helped reinvigorate my drive to write songs when I started my songwriting class this year.
