Personal Narrative: A Career As A Theater

Broadway was one of the first forms of entertainment. Before there were television programs, or movies, there was Broadway. Broadway originated in New York in 1750, when actor-manager Walter Murray built a theatre company at the Theatre on Nassau Street. A musical would show about once every weekend. The shows were very male based, and would commonly show a relationship between young boys and their fathers. Women were slowly integrated into Broadway, and as society changed its point of view on women, so did theatre.

The very first theatre production credited with being the first Broadway musical impacted the theatre world in many ways. (The Black Crook, p.1) In the spring of 1866, the Academy of Music in New York City burned to the ground, leaving a troupe of Parisian ballerinas with nowhere to dance. (The Black Crook, p.1) William Wheatley, who was producing playwright Charles M. Barras’s melodrama The Black Crook, approached the dancers and offered them a spot in his show. (The Black Crook, p.1)

Theatre means more to me than just something to do when I get bored or something I need to get through for high

I saw my first Broadway show at only seven years old and have seen over ten more since then, due to the fact I live only two hours away from New York City by train. I always enjoyed theatre, but I didn’t grow the deep love I have for it now until acting became a career option. I spent a week of the summer completely in the business world of theatre and came out knowing I had to be an actress. I dived into all things Broadway, bought as many albums as I could, watched as many interviews as possible, saved up to see more shows, but even with all of this love for

The Broadway Musical has been a sensational part of the American culture ever since it started in the 19th century located in Manhattan, New York City; however, they were not always in Manhattan. A musical is a play or movie in which singing and dancing plays an essential part. Musicals developed from light opera in the early 20th century. Musicals originated in England; however, musicals developed into their modern form in the Broadway theatre located in New York City. Broadway is also known as “The Great White Way” because of the millions of lights that light up the night that surround the billboards and theatre marquees throughout Broadway.

Broadway Theater is a form of entertainment that has been around since the mid 1700s beginning with operas and skits, progressing to modern musicals that we still enjoy today. Most scholars believe that 1866 marked the beginning of musical comedy, bringing the theater out of the era of skits and operas. Today's musicals still contain elements of these first musical comedies Before we get to that however, let's start with the beginning of Broadway... II

Broadway has evolved tremendously since its opening, from more theatres to a larger audience. A numerous amount of plays have been performed that have left unforgettable memories on everyone. Broadway has made major effective impacts on the economy, tourism, and entertainment industry.

From the Ancient Greeks, to the Romans, and all the way to present day New York City, theatre is a tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years. The art of expression through live performance is something that will never go out of style. The history of Broadway is a rollercoaster with flourishing highs and devastating lows, but they both have significantly contributed to shaping the industry into the prosperous business that it is today.

Theatre and Musical Theatre has been a form of entertainment since before North America was “discovered”. Broadway shows have been dated back to the early 1920’s and 1930’s. By 2016, over 25,000 tickets are sold to Broadway shows in a week. Thousands of people enjoy the shows that are featured on Broadway but have no idea the work and process that brought it to life. The process of getting a show on to Broadway can be broken down into three phases: pre-production, staging, and performance/promotion.

The crew sets up the stage, you can hear the quiet rambles of the audience, The music starts as the curtain whirls open. That rush you get of being on stage, or putting a production together or just being in the audience and seeing it, is an unexplainable thrill. In my opinion I think think that Freshman should join Theatre because you can meet lots of new people, be apart of many activities of the school and is very entertaining.

The first professional show I ever saw was an Off-Broadway production of On the Twentieth Century, starring Kristin Chenoweth. I remember getting swept up and consumed by the music, the dancing, the romance, the comedy, the story, and walking out of the theater astonished by the idea that there are people that do that for a living, there are people that do theater for a career, not just for fun. That is part of the reason that I decided to pursue theater, for the thrill of adventure and I know that I am not going to be doing some boring-ass desk job, but in the future I will get to use the skills that I learn in college to get my degree, and apply these skills to a career that I am excited about. To me, theater means that I get to work with

I joined crew and painted sets, worked the curtains, helped the prop master, and was a stage hand. I did not audition until the fall of my junior year for A Christmas Carol. I received the part of the Ghost of Christmas Future and caroler. Then in the spring I auditioned and was given the role of Emily Parrish in Phantom of the Soap Opera the Musical. I also started auditioning for shows at Muncie Civic Theatre and got into The Little Mermaid Jr. and Once on this Island Jr. both in which I was chorus. Each time I stepped on that stage I experienced the same thrill. The same rush of jittery ecstasy that I experienced for Romeo and Juliet. I was addicted.

Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I have searched and searched for a talent that would give me a unique identity to make me stand out from my peers. When I was five years old, I was given the chance to be in a musical in our city's community theatre, PMT. This musical was "The Wizard of Oz", and I played the role of a munchkin in the Lollipop Guild. This initially sparked a great interest in theatre, and I fell in love with acting. I had an amazing mentor for my youth acting career, the late Jack Ewing. He played Harold Hill in PMT's production of "The Music Man", while I had the opportunity to play the role of Winthrop, the young boy that helps Harold Hill become a better person. (Jack later died a year before I had the chance to play the role of Harold Hill in my high school's production of "The Music Man Jr.") When I was about nine, PMT dissolved as an organization and therefore there was no community theatre around me for years, which put a setback in my interest and talent for theatre.

I have accomplished lots of things in my lifetime. I have accomplished getting a job and getting my license to go to that job. I have accomplished working two jobs one is being a machinist and a referee.

I’ve adored theatre for as long as I can remember. From writing plays throughout elementary school, to being involved in Drama Club in middle school, to performing in community theatre in high school, and to visiting the theatre as often as I could from the very beginning, theatre has always been a part of my life. Every aspect of it engages me: the directors working to bring their vision of the show’s scenes, choreography, or music to life, the actors transforming into different characters through their expression of dialogue, song, or dance, the costumers and set-builders transporting the audience into the setting and time period with their artistry, the backstage tech and crew working quickly and precisely to keep the show flowing to curtain call, and the orchestra bringing the show to life through music. There is nothing like the experience of live theatre, both as a member of the audience and as a member of the cast and crew.