Summer 2009 was the 6^th year of Destination Broadway.  The classes of 2009 brought the total number of Destination Broadway graduates to 880!

This summer we had 36 returning students.  Eight were returning for their 3^rd year, one for their fourth year, four for their 5^th year and two returned for their 6^th year!

We had fantastic teachers, wonderful guests, and we made wonderful impressions on the “casting community” in New York City. More students than ever before were selected to audition while in New York.  Three of our dancers were selected to attend the final audition for Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway as a replacement that would start working in the show the Wednesday following Destination Broadway!

The Destination Broadway “experience of a lifetime” was shared by 172 young people, some of whom will go on to careers in the performing arts.  Regardless of what career choice you make, every member of the Class of 2009 will be changed forever by this incredible experience.

• Our end-of-the-week “showcase” integrated all aspects of musical theater in a program that focused on “Hair-The Revival”.  Students sang, danced and several were selected to perform monologues. • We attended the Broadway show Shrek.  After the show we met many members of the cast including Fiona (played by Tony Award winner Sutton Foster), the King, Pinocchio, and several others.  On Thursday after class, Sutton Foster visited our classrooms and talked about her career, gave advice to students, answered questions and, in session 2, sang a wonderful song that was actually cut from Shrek!

What a great summer!  We had fantastic teachers, wonderful guests and we made a wonderful impression on the Broadway “casting director” community.  This “experience of a lifetime” was shared by 172 young people, many of whom will go on to careers in the performing arts.  Regardless of what career choice you make, every member of the Class of 2008 will be changed forever because they shared this wonderful experience.

• Our end-of-the-week showcase integrated all aspects of musical theater as we combined dance, singing and acting in the amazing presentation of “A Chorus Line”.  Much credit goes to Valerie Wright, Mary Ann Lamb and Mary MacLeod for putting this number together in a few sessions.

• In addition to seeing Mary Poppins on Broadway, we were fortunate to meet Bert (the male lead) at the talkback (Session 1).  Ashley Brown (who played Mary Poppins) came to our studios and talked with both classes about her experiences in auditions and on Broadway and answered questions.  Aaron Albano (Poppins) worked with students in class and taught the actual “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” routine.  Parents, guests and our students met with members of the cast and the Stage Manager after the show.  We even went on a tour of "The New Ambassador Theater”.

• Classes and instructors were fantastic.  Enclosed is a list of our 2008 faculty.  These are all experienced professionals with wonderful teaching skills and outstanding careers themselves.  We were very fortunate to learn from them.

• We had the chance to learn from a number of young working professionals from different Broadway shows.  They spent time with our classes, taught audition technique and talked to us about careers in the performing arts.  Included this year were Aaron Albano (Bombay Dreams, Wicked tour, Mary Poppins, Spelling Bee, A Chorus Line), Kristen Gorski (Footloose and Dance Captain for Wicked Broadway company), CY Tyson (Wicked Broadway), Heather Spore (Wicked Broadway and Glinda understudy), Meghan Sikora (Wicked, Curtains, Thoroughly Modern Millie and 42nd Street).

• On Sunday evening we met Carrie Gardner, who has cast Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Cabaret, Big River and currently is casting Spring Awakening.  Carrie talked with students and parents about how shows are cast and gave everyone tips on resumes and headshots.  Carrie answered questions and helped us understand how this business works from the perspective of a casting director.

• And, of course, a major highlight of the week was the bus rides through New York City with Roger!