Broadway Choreography: Telling the Story

 (I’m dedicating this week’s blog to Mike Davis. A talented young dancer/choreographer/teacher that is on our directing team for Hairspray.)

You Can't Stop the Beat

Touring cast of the Broadway musical, Spring Awakening. Choroegraphed by Bill T. Jones.

Good choreography has to tell a story. In musical theatre, it not only needs to entertain but also tell the story and move the plot. It’s not enough to put a bunch of dance steps together; it’s how the movement enhances the story’s vision.  Great choreography moves and connects us to the performers. Brilliant choreography stays in our hearts forever.

As new groundbreaking shows on Broadway find innovative ways to refine the art, so do choreographers. One more recent example is Bill T. Jones, 2007 Tony Award winning choreographer of Spring Awakening. His work is earthy and raw, telling the story of teen angst in a thrilling combination of movement and style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEYV5bNMZVo&feature=related

Bill T. Jones          Photo: Joseph Moran

Jones is the founder of the Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and has more than 100 original works to his credit. In 2010, he won the Tony Award for his choreography for the musical Fela! and  was also one of five recipients of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors. Jones is best known for his works' focus of social issues.

The most moving choreographed work I have seen in years was sent to me by a friend on Facebook. It was from the Canadian production of So You Think You Can Dance, the song, Will I? from Jonathan Larson's musical, RENT. Choreographed by the brilliant, Mia Michaels.

I have never experienced a work that so embodied the depth and meaning of a song's lyrics. Michaels fully developed the passion and anguish of the piece in a stunning presentation.

Will I? from the musical, RENT, featured on So You Think You Can Dance. Choreographed by Mia Michaels.

I had the pleasure of directing the first amateur production of RENT in 2009, closely following the original Broadway staging. I knew at some point I would want to stage it again, using a totally original concept and reinvent it. When I saw Michaels staging, it was like a light bulb turned on, "THIS is how I want to interpret this!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCK_fJXdSeo

Mia Michaels      Photo: Kelsey McNeal/FOX

Though not a Broadway choreographer (yet), Mia Michaels is known around the world for her innovative work combining all dance styles into original works of passion and beauty. She is best known for her work with pop and contemporary artists and has won numerous Emmy Awards for her work.

Aspiring Broadway choreographers need so much more than training and technique. They must have and share the director's overall concept and vision for the production and tell the story. It's not enough to say, "this is jazz or modern piece....". The movement has to not only interpret the dancer's character and emotions, it has to be visual and intricately relate to the rest of the staging and the story being told. A showy dance number may be entertaining, but what does it have to do with the plot? Great choreography blends a seamless transition between dialogue and song in a way that appears effortless and full of life. It's all in the interpretation and artistry.

Sources

Bill T Jones Arnie Zane Dance Company Official Website: http://www.billtjones.org/.

Broadway Database. Bill T. Jones. Retrieved from: http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=448814.

Mia Michaels Official Website: http://www.miamichaels.com/.

Spring Awakening Official Website: http://www.springawakening.com/.

Photo: Bill T. Jones by Joseph Moran. Retrieved from: http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=207

Photo: Mia Michaels. By Kelsey McNeal/FOX. Retrieved from: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b152581_good_news_mia_michaels_will_be_back_on.html

Photo: Touring Cast of Spring Awakening. Press Photo. Retrieved from: http://losangeles.broadwayworld.com/article/Bloomingdales_South_Coast_Plaza_Hosts_Performance_by_SPRING_AWAKENING_Cast_Members_1119_20091110

Photo: Touring Cast of Spring Awakening. Press Photo. Retrieved from: http://www.fanpop.com/spots/spring-awakening/images/3669368/title/touring-cast-photo

Photo: Will I? Choreographed by Mia Michaels. Retrieved from: http://www.homorazzi.com/tag/mia-michaels/

Agent vs. Manager vs. Self in the Entertainment Industry

How To Succeed

Theatre artists have a difficult time establishing themselves in the highly competitive, low-paying Broadway arena.  Auditions, classes, workshops, staged-reading, interviews, housing, jobs to pay the bills—there is an endless list of ongoing necessities for actors living in New York. You often hear from performers that return home, having failed to get that lucky break, “I just got burned out”. What if they had some assistance? What if they had hired someone to look after the mundane activities, seek out the best opportunities and schedule their life? Maybe they could have had a better chance.

Paul Weber, Paul Weber Casting

In the old days, everyone had, or was looking for an agent. If you wanted to get the job you had someone to represent you with connections to get you a shot at those coveted opportunities. As with everything, times change. According to an article in Variety several years ago, there are fewer and fewer agents and agencies than there used to be and their focus has changed. You seldom find a dedicated agent battling the rigors of the industry for a small number of clients. Today, one agent may represent forty or more actors and the focus is all on the almighty dollar, not the interest of the client. In the 1980’s the work previously done by agents was suddenly being consumed by a dedicated band of individuals known as personal managers.

What is a personal manager and why do actors need them? According to the National Conference Of Personal Managers (NCOPM) website, “A personal manager advises and counsels talent and personalities in the entertainment industry. Personal managers have the expertise to find and develop new talent and create opportunities for those artists which they represent. Personal managers act as liaison between their clients and both the public and the theatrical agents, publicists, attorneys, business managers, and other entertainment industry professionals which provide services to the personal manager's clients.”

Many performers can’t afford the services of a support team. Many of the same performers can’t afford to not have one. Hiring a personal manager is an investment. Initially, actors can benefit from the knowledge and experience a personal manager can offer to shape their image and persona and focus their efforts toward sound potential opportunities. Once an actor is established, they need the benefits of someone who can look after their daily schedules, work toward future projects and keep things rolling while the actor does what he does best: Eight shows a week.

Resources

Hofler, Robert. (2005, September 12). N.Y.'s stage managers: H'w'd phenom invades legit, changing face of biz deals. Variety. Retrieved from http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117928852?refCatId=

National Conference Of Personal Managers Website http://www.ncopm.com/index.htm

Photo: Paul Weber from http://www.daisyjade.com