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Special New York City Section
Danny Burstein (right), who played
Adolfo in The Drowsy Chaperone, and
playwright Michael Watson conduct
a NYC Group Tours workshop.
Workshops include a drama master class, stage combat, audition
classes and seminars with actors. One recent tour group saw
Chicago and then attended a workshop led by a cast member,
who taught Fosse’s choreography from Sweet Charity. Classes are
held at the same rehearsal spaces where professional actors and
dancers work, including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
studios, providing students with a behind-the-scenes look at the
world of professional artists.
Students can also attend an “Audition Process” seminar to
learn how seasoned actors approach auditions, as well as “A Life
in the Theatre,” where they can find out exactly what’s involved
in becoming a professional, including the challenges, rewards
and nitty-gritty of living in New York City.
Tour director Koryn Young advises group leaders to contact
the company at least six months in advance in order to secure
the best seats and hotel accommodations. “We’ll set up a proposal
and itinerary,” says Young, “and they can add and subtract
as they see fit. We do everything from transportation to hotels,
if necessary.”
Manhattan Tour and Travel
800.879.6828
www.mtatnyc.com
High school drama students from all over the U.S. and Canada
come to New York to study with Broadway talent via Manhattan
Tour and Travel. “We change their lives,” says the company’s
director of marketing, Mark Devine. “They’re exposed to what
it’s really like working on Broadway, and some decide that’s what
they want to do, while others decide to stick to theatre as the
world’s best hobby.”
Seminar leaders include Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone),
as well as Gary Beach (Les Misérables). The company offers workshops
with directors, conductors and designers, from Q & As to
musical theatre classes.
Manhattan Tour and Travel also can arrange trips for community
theatres, so amateur thespians can brush up on their theatre
skills in the heart of the Big Apple, as well as fundraising tours
for patrons of the arts. “We can do a red carpet, high-end trip for
patrons,” says Devine, “and we work with the theatre company
to ensure that the trip is a great value for the money.”
Any advice for potential travelers? “Find out where in the
theatre you’ll be seated,” says Devine. “Find out where the hotel
will be located. Will it be in the theatre district or in the financial
district?” By asking the right questions you’ll avoid last-minute
surprises.
32 April 2007 • www.stage-directions.com