The beginning of school brings lots of fun activities, some homework, and new friends. A lot of the time, with theatre or music activities there are auditions that go hand in hand with it. I know that I am preparing for a week of auditions next week, and I'm trying to figure out all of the songs, dances, and scenes I'll need to know for these auditions.

On this episode, take a peak behind the curtain and see how The Belmont Theatre brought the freaks of 'Side Show' to life!  

Going back to school means getting to see your friends again, meeting new teachers, and homework. It also means back to auditions. Whether you are a Freshman or a Senior it is always scary for everybody. From picking the right monologue to the right song, I've got you covered. Read below to see my tips for a stand out audition.

Hello, readers! After taking a short break from blogging to enjoy family time, I come back with a blog about the most stressful time of the year: audition time. As show season begins and drama clubs start long rehearsals, line learning, and vocal lessons, we theatre kids jump back into what we do best. However, starting the long process towards show day that we enjoy so much starts with one agonizing event: auditioning. Yes, I know, I've previously written about how much I love and enjoy auditions because of the creative opportunities and exploration they offer, but no person can deny that audition week is the most nerve racking experience (show week is a close second). Thus, I present a guide to handling this time of year with, as Meryl Streep said at the Democratic National Convention, "grit and grace."

Summer is officially over for me, and I'm immersed into the school year again. I'm already working on a school production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and my classes are already piling on the homework, tests, and projects. Somehow, I'm not fazed by this mass chaos. It probably is related to the fact that I did not take a break this summer. Summer classes filled my summer until the second week of July (don't worry, I took these classes to lighten my junior year), babysitting was a routine job for me, and I was in a production of Shrek the Musical at a local community theatre. 

High school senior Patti Meadors gives advice she would have loved going into high school. Incoming freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors and anyone who has a high school student should know some of these tips to have a more comfortable transition into high school responsibilities and the college application process. 

BWW Interviews: Northwest High School Welcomes New Drama Teacher

Sometimes you just have to turn to music to tell the story.

I have less than one month until school starts. In less than one month I will be a senior in high school and I will have to worry about the future that lies ahead of me after graduation. But as of right now, I'm not going to worry about that. I am trying to stay as busy as possible; not worrying about the future but focusing on the present!

Allison Rambler takes you behind the scenes of The Belmont Theatre's production of 'Side Show' in this video blog dedicated to exploring and celebrating community theatre at it's finest.

As summer comes to a close, the infamous back to school commercials hit the TV screens. Often times, schools provide a student planner or other recommendation to stay organized. Some students may find these planners useless, and jot down assignments on their hand. Most of the time, these students are those who don't have after school commitments.

As the opening night of The Belmont Theater's 'Side Show' quickly approaches, the activity in the black box studio has increased ten-fold. The set is becoming more elaborate, the swell of music from the orchestra now fills the air, and the costumes are coming together piece by piece. Tech week has begun, and it can both an exciting and somewhat stressful time for any production. As an actor, it can sometimes be difficult to lose sight of your character and even the meaning behind the show itself among the bustle and flurry of tech week. That is why I felt that the time had come to interview some of the actors in our show, in order to provide a bit of insight into their characters and to explain from their perspective the importance of a musical such as 'Side Show.' And for Nik Olson, this was no small task.

As summer comes to a close, the infamous back to school commercials hit the TV screens. Often times, schools provide a student planner or other recommendation to stay organized. Some students may find these planners useless, and jot down assignments on their hand. Most of the time, these students are those who don't have after school commitments.

You've been preparing for this audition for weeks. Your monologue and 16 bars have been rehearsed to perfection; your headshot and resume impeccable. You feel as if the role is practically yours--all you have to do is walk into the audition room and take it. Then, right before your audition, the nerves hit. Your heart races. Your mind spins, thinking up all kinds of scenarios in which your audition can go terribly wrong. This hinders your performance. You leave frustrated and unsatisfied. 

Can a group of talented teenagers make this adult musical work?

Ever since a young age, I've known that I wanted to be a performer in musical theatre. My parents have been incredibly supportive of me and have helped me pursue my dreams, which are becoming increasingly real as I apply and begin to audition for college musical theatre programs. Unfortunately, some kids do not have the support I have received.

Full disclosure, cast members were possibly reviewing choreography from our dance call before walking into our very first Footloose rehearsal. Our fabulous co-choreographer, Jeff Dimitriou, set the bar high prior to day one and we wanted to be ready. More importantly, there was so much recall from that audition day because it was an exuberant experience! And, the moves were accessible because they were married to impulse. The choreography Jeff gifts to us is full, extended and comes from the heart. Dancing it out on stage is totally visceral, but only when we honour the steps as intended. It is so interesting how the energy of a scene shifts drastically by simply 'being bigger'. There is no grand explanation, but the energy percolates when we give in to the story told through movement. Over lunch, Jeff and I took a corner of our rehearsal space and talked life, art and Footloose. If you did not know before, Jeff's artistry stems far beyond choreography - he is a painter as well. We began by talking about this side of his work. 

Summer is for friends, family, fun times, and fearing reading assignments. In the months of schoolless weekdays, some of us thespians do summer theatre camps, in and out of town. Some take master classes, or perform in mainstage theatre shows, or rehearse for show choirs or Thespian troupes. If you're an older theatre kid like me, there's also college-searching to be done.

During my week in New York, I had the amazing opportunity to interview Harvey Evans! He was a Jet in West Side Story on Broadway and in the movie, and danced alongside legends such as Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera, and Ann Margret. Harvey was so sweet and kind to talk to, and here are my questions and his responses!

Every two years, across the nation, State Thespian Societies hold an All-State Play. This year, the Missouri All-State Play is the greek tragedy Iphigenia: the sad tale of what happened to Agamemnon's family in order for the greek ships to sail to Troy. In January of this year, the Missouri State Thespian Conference was held in Kansas City, Missouri where six members of my troupe auditioned and interviewed for spots in the show--in between running to individual events and workshops. It was the most emotional audition process I have ever been a part of. It was like being on a bullet train that makes frequent turns and trying to walk in a straight line. 

The powerhouse Courteney McClutchy and the lovely Katie Davis lead the cast in this enjoyable version of the classic Disney musical.

Summer: a time for reflection, relaxation, and work. As I have been reading, writing, and working on my craft, I reflected constantly back to a few months ago, during Seussical the Musical, when I saw firsthand the stress crew undergoes to provide the best environment for cast members. I have said it before and I will say it every day until I die: without the thankless work of crew and tech, the cast wouldn't even exist. Thanks to these reflections, I have decided the best blog as the summer begins to come to an end is a blog with a theme that I hope carries into the next school year and theatre season: tech deserves the spotlight. 

Directing Kids and Teens sounds like a very difficult job, but for these 4 directors, the task is very easy. Cheryl Baxter-Ratliff  (Los Angeles), Joel & Christine Seger (Massachusetts), and Kelley Manson (Massachusetts) have had their fair share of young adult productions to be proud of.  No matter what coast they are from, they all can agree that kids and teens are "sponges" that can soak up information and that they do not have any bad habits they need to break on stage. They also talk about their beginnings in directing kids and teens, memorable moments thus far in their directing, and more. Read my Q&A below to see what they said. 

Last night at 501 Queens Road in Charlotte NC, the sound of laughter shattered the confines of the 13-row theater by transporting the audience into the world of 'The Drowsy Chaperone.' This musical, put on by Theatre Charlotte's Student Theatre Guild is the 5th STG musical and the 8th TC production I've had the privilege of being a part of. In August of 2009 my feet entered Theatre Charlotte's doors for the first time. I smelled its smell. I stood in its wings. I accepted its welcoming invitation to audition for those 13 empty rows-all for the very first time. Little did I know that this audition for 'Annie' would mark the beginning of a beautiful relationship between a little girl with a dream and a little white theater awaiting a dream to foster. Little did I know that this smell would become my haven, these wings would become my comfort and this tiny theater would become my own little corner of the world.

My life is as crazy as ever. Just because it is the summer does not mean that it is any less busy than the school year. I interned at Sportody.com this summer, I have to write an Extended Essay for the IB program, I have to get Inbound Certified for my fall internship, I just started my own blog, koffeekisses.com. I have schoolwork. And I haven't even thought about preparing for the District Festival for Thespians this fall.