Assembling a list of 20 websites to visit if you want to be a better musical theater performer can be tough. But it can be done. The word “theater” was loosely used here anyway. So you can count on websites that provide useful information. Internship opportunities and volunteer work along with some other advocacies can be seen on this list too.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
20. Mission Paradox
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 21,879,291
Meet Adam Thurman, owner of the website Mission Paradox. You may have seen him from TEDx Talks. He spoke at TEDxMichiganAve and TEDxBroadway to explain the marketing side of theater. And it’s a crucial talent to learn when promoting your own production. So apart from speaking about his job as marketer for the arts. Thurman blogs about it too. An essential blog to visit when learning new promotional tactics as a theater professional.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
19. Broadway Bullet
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 18,890,457
While Broadway Bullet covers all types of theater productions, the bulk of the content is still about musical theater. It also helped that Broadway Bullet rode on the podcast trend. This helps when learning new things from the theater professionals themselves. From directors and writers that dared put up their own production to achieve full creative freedom. To unedited versions of interviews conducted. You learn new things as a musical theater enthusiast on a different angle.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
18. Patty and Emily
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 18,497,741
Patty and Emily proved one thing in their podcast episodes and video blogs found here. That the brainstorming process is best enjoyed uncensored. Yes, it’s one of those podcasts found on iTunes with a red letter E on it. E for “explicit”. Thoughts on “color-blind casting”, “gender-blind casting” are addressed here too. It proves how the brainstorming process can go as outrageous as it can possibly be. Pushing the envelope is the best lesson you can learn from the self-proclaimed “Broadway super-fans”. If this 2015 Tony Awards video blog hasn’t convinced you enough how devoted Patty and Emily are as Broadway super-fans, go on a Patty and Emily podcast marathon. (Yes. They’re the women on this article’s featured image.) Expect a trip to the toilet after an hour.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
17. Thoughts on Theatre
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 17,627,569
With so many Facebook fan pages offering motivational self-talk, you notice how very few addressed a target market. Thoughts on Theatre addressed the theater community using motivational articles. The category “Bite-Sized Wisdom” is a gold mine of positive thoughts needed to keep that Broadway dream alive. Of course, professional tips are included under the category “The Moving Pictures”. You’d find several theater-friendly articles there too.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
16. The Ensemblist
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 17,616,953
A website dedicated to the unsung (pun intended) heroes of musical theater. The Ensemblist serves as a spotlight that featured several ensemblists and the road to their current musical theater production. Important career milestones like the Actor’s Equity Association and the training earned to be where they are today are discussed. In what way can it be discussed best but by interviewing the ensemblists themselves? This made the podcast episodes pleasant to listen to. Tons of inspirational stories and motivational talk are found in The Ensemblist’s podcast episodes.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
15. St. Lou Fringe
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 13,748,724
“Brave Artists. Bold Audiences.” The tagline is more of a reference to the motivations behind the productions staged here. Applying social relevance in theater is still the more potent approach in making people aware about issues that will affect them for the next decade. There will always be effective and charismatic speakers out there. But theater still ends up educating more. And St. Lou Fringe is one of the sites worth visiting for learning to infuse social relevance into your performances.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
14. Arts in Color
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 13,551,998
Arts in Color addressed the race card that still existed in musical theater today. But it was addressed in a fair manner. Musical theater productions like Hamilton may have pushed “color-blind casting” aside. (Because Lin-Manuel Miranda deliberately assembled a multi-racial cast.) But Arts in Color has tackled the multi-racial community long before “color blind casting” reached mainstream levels. An effective reference for aspiring musical theater performers when concerned about roles to fit in.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
13. Metro Theater Company
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 12,636,912
Metro Theater Company not only emphasized the educational benefits of theater. They even classified the information as “For Educators”, “For Parents”, “For Artists”, “For Supporters” and “For Fans”. This makes you view your participation in proliferating musical theater on a closer scale. Fans will always be supportive of musical theater, no matter what. But fans also consisted of educators, parents and artists too. This includes aspiring musical theater performers. Finding an outlet for your talents in a way that benefits the community is explored at Metro Theater Company.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
12. Lapis Loquens Blog
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 11,813,381
While Patty and Emily provided a no-holds-barred approach to the creative process through their explicit podcasts. Lapis Loquens Blog took the inspirational talk to the written word. Sharing stories about how controversial plays got whipped up into an award-winning musical give aspiring musical theater composers new ideas for their next project. And actors would definitely see their writing talents grow with ideas that the Lapis Loquens Blog provides.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
11. Ozark Actors Theatre
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 7,175,335
Using theater to promote local tourism? The Ozark Actors Theatre may not be the first theatre company to have thought of that. But it definitely boosted morale for theater professionals. If they needed inspiration with which they can model their community theater from. Ozark Actors Theatre website is the ideal site to fish ideas.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
10. The Black Rep
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 7,119,788
The Black Rep stages performing arts workshops with the participants’ age in mind. Instead of taking the generic approach in teaching the theater arts. The Black Rep classified them into “theater performance” and “theater production”. Those are just 2 of the courses promoted here. Grades K to 12 get exposed to theater very early in their age. An ideal site for parents to check out in support of their kids’ Broadway dreams.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
9. St. Louis Shakespeare
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 7,091,258
Old school theater enthusiasts still go to The Bard for inspiration. If Billy Shakes can still spur contemporary classics like Something Rotten, surely it will inspire more musical theater productions for us to enjoy. And St. Louis Shakespeare has that Shakespearean inspiration as right, left, front, back and center of its main drive behind as its main force. Their way of promoting theater is best summed up in their “Bard-in-a-Box” program. Learning about Shakespeare is still different when you are one of the actors as opposed to simply reading his works on your notes. Hamlet, anyone?
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
8. Theater People
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 4,147,588
Ever thought how Tony Award winners like Michael Cerveris started out in musical theater? He and other multi-talented Broadway superstars must have been doing something right and consistent throughout their careers. And their best practices are shared in podcast episodes provided by Theater People. Musical theater fans would find this website handy to know more about stars like Cerveris on a personal and professional level.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
7. EverythingMusicals.com
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 2,965,062
EverythingMusicals.com has served as a database for everything that theater critic Chris Caggiano has written. Most of them are found in this website while there are several articles found on his About.com account. The website’s banner clearly emphasized the learning approach on viewing theater. The line from A Critic’s Manifesto summed it up best. “I will write to serve the reader rather than my ego.” An important start for musical theater performers with a knack for writing critiques. These performers end up discovering another theater-related career.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
6. Seth TV
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 2,082,237
Seth Rudetsky is one of the master class providers affiliated with Playbill.com with his own website. Musical theater performers can choose to go to SethTV.com or go straight to YouTube and subscribe to his channel. Either way, you will learn a lot from Mr. Rudetsky himself regarding the musicality required in theater performances. From deconstructing musicals to getting rid of the worst habits acquired as a theater performer. Mr. Rudetsky’s knowledge would surely give you a technical approach to musical theater as performance art.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
5. Opera Theatre St. Louis
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 2,039,914
Speaking of the technical aspects of singing, we go to Opera Theatre St. Louis. Opera is never too old for the young to learn. An academic approach is used towards learning opera. Various courses from lectures to previews are constantly posted here for everyone to attend. Information about opera camps are also shared to encourage everyone interested in learning theater basics.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
4. Stages St. Louis
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 893,385
Sometimes the simplest way to teach yourself the basics of musical theater production is by grabbing internship opportunities with an established company. This analogy applies to musical theater too. Most of the opportunities found online are with STAGES St. Louis. From joining the ensemble to handling backstage concerns like the wardrobe. Viewing the STAGES St. Louis website would help you decide on careers worth pursuing in theater.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
3. The Actors’ Diet
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 874,546
Pushing for a musical theater career meant keeping yourself healthy. That means eating the right food that would avoid dizzy episodes on the rehearsal floor. You will need all that energy to keep yourself in top shape. So what better way to know what to eat? By learning what other performing artists eat too. This is where actress-singer-blogger Lynn Chen found a niche worth serving online. She liked to eat. But having other careers meant the need for knowledge on the right food to eat. Her podcast featured mostly actors that wore several hats too. You are never too nervous to eat weeks or days before opening night. Besides you have a career to prepare for. So might as well eat what your body needs for the best performance you can dish out.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
2. The Producer’s Perspective
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 758,487
Who else can help you establish a career in Broadway but a producer himself? Ken Davenport has made money as a producer through his blog, The Producer’s Perspective. And he made musical theater as a viable investment opportunity even for casual fans to think about. Submitting your script is okay. But he also shares knowledge on learning how to budget your first ever Broadway musical. Lessons on how to raise funds are found here. Still skeptical? You’d even find his reasons behind producing “Allegiance The Musical” on Broadway. Once in awhile, he’d also share important data to consider through infographics like the one screen-grabbed above.
20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer
Top Spot. MUNY
Alexa Ranking as of 12 October 2015: 546,812
Sharing knowledge about musical theater is great. But it would help musical theater performers better if they earn the credentials straight from the institutions themselves. MUNY’s current crown jewel is its partnership with the Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts. Otherwise known as the MUNY/Webster intensive. This intensive program is set to produce the best musical theater talents as early as in their junior and senior high school academic year. With musical theater programs this dedicated. MUNY’s place online as the premiere website to go for aspiring musical theater performers is secured.
To keep track of announcements and real-time updates on the next MUNY/ Webster Intensive for Emerging Young Artists. Follow MUNY on their social media accounts. Like MUNY’s official Facebook page. Follow MUNY on Twitter. And subscribe to MUNY’s official YouTube channel. You’d then understand why it topped our list of 20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer.
Did we miss something in our list of 20 Websites to Visit If You Want To Be a Better Musical Theater Performer? You might have other websites in mind. Follow us on our social media accounts so you can send us links and feedback. Like our official Facebook page, Musicals Online. And follow us on Twitter @musicalsnews. Thanks for reading.
