SCHOOL OF THE PERFORMING ARTS ENJOYS BROADWAY MASTER CLASSES
By Robert Campbell, Teacher
New York City and Broadway performing vets James T. Lane, Alfie Parker, Jr., and Sai Somboon visited the School of the Performing Arts in September, October, and November, respectively, for Master Class workshops in movement and dance.
Lane, whose college level training took place in the Penn State School of Theatre’s distinguished Musical Theatre program, visited on September 18th. Students interviewed him about his experiences as Richie in A Chorus Line in the acclaimed Broadway revival from a few years ago, as well as his work on Broadway in The Scottsboro Boys. Additionally, Lane spoke of recent experiences with both shows in London’s West End theatre scene and other experiences with national tours and regional theatre. He then led the class in a dance workshop that culminated in learning the original Broadway choreography from the famous song “One” from A Chorus Line.
James T. Lane (R, grey tshirt, black striped pants, back to camera) has students crossing the studio space with a jazz flair.
Parker, also a Penn State alum, stayed for a two-day Master Class in movement and dance on October 29th and 30th. Students talked with him about his experiences on Broadway in the recent acclaimed revival of South Pacific, as well as his work with the internationally renowned Pilobolus Dance Company and modeling and commercial work he’s done over the years in New York City. He balanced choreography work with an experience that allowed the students to explore and create some of their own movement and dance pieces. His work was focused on “creature movement” and horror-inspired movement, partly for Halloween, and partly to get the students into the mindset of their upcoming movement-intensive production of Frankenstein (December 13th-14th at the STMS auditorium as the second marking period “School of the Arts Night” showcase event along with the Schools of Visual Arts and Fashion Design).
Alfie Parker, Jr. (front, red hooded sweatshirt) leads students in a “creature movement” walking exercise designed to help them create character movement for their production of Frankenstein.
Somboon visited for a two-day workshop on November 18th and 19th. He shared his experiences with the innovative, movement-focused, avant-garde Off Broadway hit show / experience Sleep No More, a cross between a haunted house, a dance piece, and a production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth that had audiences raving in New York City and garnered national media attention. Additionally, he recently headlined an NYC Fringe hit one-man show, The ABC’s Guide to Getting Famous. Somboon, armed with a degree from Franklin and Marshall College and an MFA in Dance from Ohio State University, coached students on movement sequences in their upcoming production of Frankenstein and focused his workshop on character-based movement and movement storytelling.
One common thread among all presenters was the extraordinary amount of time and hard work that goes into becoming (and remaining) a Broadway caliber performer. “I’m in the gym every day I’m not rehearsing or performing, and I’m always taking voice lessons and dance classes,” said Lane. Parker, a self-described “gym rat,” continues to take dance classes several days a week to stay in top professional form. Somboon described the challenges of building a career in New York City while juggling part time jobs to pay rent, finding agency representation, and overcoming the challenges of New York auditions.
Sai Somboon (left, blue shirt, back to camera) guides students in an improvisational “statue pose” exercise designed to get them to be more fully expressive with their bodies while performing during his movement workshop.
Students were moved by their experiences with the professional performers. The following are some student quotes taken from written reflections created after the workshops were over:
“Through the workshops I learned to let dance move your soul, because it lasts forever.” –Ariel Wallace, sophomore
“It was phenomenal. It was a break in the routine with lots of fun and joy. They showed us how to move our body in ways we didn’t know. It was great, and I want to do more.” –Kyara Harris, freshman
“With Alfie’s workshop, I really loved the otherworldly feel of it all. It was amazing.” –Joe Agosto, junior
“I loved the immediate connection between student and Broadway professional… dancing and acting with them became more than a class, but an amazing time.” –Ayat Muhammad, junior
“I learned that movement is life, so always keep going forward with your life and stay positive.” –Alexus Smith, senior
“In the workshops there were moments where it felt as though, for just a second, we were swept into a different world.” –Kennedy Miller, freshman
“I developed skills I never thought I could have.” –Joelle Crews, freshman
“I felt so empowered. I never thought that I could move like that. The whole process was a blast.” –Logan Kieffer, junior