Are there any special guest instructors?
YES! Each week our classes have master classes and question/answer sessions with young performers currently in Broadway shows. In 2008, we had private sessions with Heather Spore (Wicked), Kristen Gorski (Dance Captain Wicked), Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins), CJ Tyson (Wicked), and Aaron Albano (Mary Poppins). In 2009 we had a session with Tony Award Winner Sutton Foster, currently starring as Fiona in Shrek!
The Destination Broadway workshop includes training in singing, dancing and acting. My child is very good at one and has no training in the others. Is that a problem?
Definitely not. There are opportunities to concentrate in one or two areas of strength or interest. At the same time, students are exposed to vocal, dance and acting technique because all are essential to success. The week-long workshop is a great way to explore all aspects of performance guided by Broadway professionals.
What OPPORTUNITIES does the Destination Broadway program offer?
• Students work directly with Emmy Award winning, Broadway Music Director Michael Rafter in vocal training and coaching. Theater/acting classes are taught by Broadway performers (Valerie Wright in Damn Yankees opposite Jerry Lewis).
• Dance classes are taught by Broadway professionals. Four of the dance instructors performed with the opening night cast of Fosse on Broadway. Several performers currently on Broadway taught dance routines from their shows (Wicked, Hairspray, Mary Poppins and Chorus Line).
• Recent Classes had these special opportunities...
• Performed at Fordham Theater at Lincoln Center with Sutton Foster who won the Tony Award for her performance in Thoroughly Modern Millie!
• Recorded the theme song for a TV pilot in New York recording studios!
• Worked with Tony Award Winner Idina Menzel (the Green Witch in Wicked!
• Met the cast of Hairspray, Mary Poppins and Wicked and learned dance routines from the shows!
• Spent an hour learning about auditions from the casting director for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins and Fiddler on the Roof.
• Worked with three Tony Award Winners including Anika Noni Rose (one of the "dreams" in Dream Girls)! |
• And Great Things Happen ...
• The Editor of Dancer Magazine visited our 2005 classes in New York City and wrote a feature article on the program and the Destination Broadway students. Look for the article in the November 2005 edition of Dancer Magazine!
• Each summer over 26 Destination Broadway students were selected to audition for Broadway shows and did so during their week in New York. Destination Broadway students auditioned for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins, Fiddler on the Roof, Secret Garden, Shrek and several other shows.
• One of our students was recommended by Michael Rafter and selected to sing as a soloist on the Disney Junior Broadway CD Collection!
• The July 2005 class went into New York recording studios and recorded the back-up tracks for a TV pilot theme song written by Michael Rafter.
• Two members of a recent class recorded part of the McMillan-McGraw Hill Educational Series sound track Nashville with Michael Rafter.
• Many of our graduates have been selected for starring roles in productions in their local areas and have been selected for “call backs” to shows in New York City!
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• Fantastic New Opportunities in 2009...
• Every member of the Class of 2009 will be interviewed and evaluated by a Broadway casting agent. Resumes and headshots will be accepted and kept on file for future reference.
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How do students get accepted into the Destination Broadway program?
• Destination Broadway is unique in that students are accepted only after a successful audition. We conduct auditions in several cities each year as well as at selected StarQuest Dance Competitions and ConQuest Dance Intensive programs.
• Over the past few years we have conducted auditions in Durham (NC), Nashville, Fairfax, Columbus (OH), Pittsburgh, Arlington, Woodbridge (VA), Southern New Jersey, Baltimore, Virginia Beach, Hampton/Newport News (VA), Williamsburg, Richmond, Albany, Binghamton (NY), Fredericksburg (VA), York/Lancaster (PA) and New York City.
• The audition consists of a one-on-one interview with Michael Rafter. Each student will be asked to vocalize and may sing a song of their choosing. There may be a dance portion to the audition as well.
• Information about upcoming auditions is posted on the website and is constantly updated through the year as we select new audition locations.
