Theatre students join off-Broadway productions at Royal Family Productions
Belmont’s Department of Theatre and Dance recently showcased its talent in New York City through two off-Broadway productions and an original showcase piece, providing students with an exclusive opportunity to shine in the heart of the theatre world.
A group of 15 theatre students collaborated with Royal Family Productions, a nonprofit theatre company steps away from Times Square, to perform in “Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home” and “Marilla of Green Gables: Discovering Family.” The students also prepared their own showcase –– a scripted adaptation of Lucy Maude Montgomery’s “Charlotte’s Ladies” –– which they performed once after each play.
The intense preparation began in Nashville, where students had just over two weeks to craft their original showcase while learning interlude songs for the two professional shows. The group traveled to New York Oct. 31 for final rehearsals and performances.
Traci Ledford, assistant professor of theatre at Belmont and freelance director and actress, tapped into her personal industry connections to offer students the opportunity. Ledford shared the stage with Royal Family Productions’ co-founder, Christine Henry, during their time studying at Baylor University. 30 years later, the pair had the opportunity to collaborate again when Henry called to ask if any Belmont students would be willing to work on a project with the company.
After opening interest forms and holding auditions, Ledford chose 15 juniors and seniors to take the stage, one of them being senior theatre performance major Jack William Johnson. As appointed music director, Johnson taught the songs used in the plays to the other 14 student performers.
“We worked almost every night on creating our short story piece as well as learning the songs the company had provided for us to integrate into their show,” Johnson explained. “It was honestly a huge undertaking, but we did it pretty effectively.”
Senior theatre performance major Savannah Raeder recalls what the collaboration looked like once she and the other students arrived in New York. “Once we got to New York, it was about adapting it to fit their stage and the director's vision of how she wanted us to be choreographed into the show itself. It was many hours on the first day of working things out with the professional cast.”
“People in our 15-person group would be playing characters but also linking together in creative ways to create fences, bushes, trees, beds and anything else the script called for,” added Johnson. “We all worked together beautifully and pulled off something amazing.”
During their brief three-day stay in New York City, the students gained an invaluable experience that they will take into their future careers.
“I will first and foremost take away the lesson that collaboration will make any big task seem smaller,” said Raeder. “It seemed impossible that our showcase could come together in such a short amount of time, but with our incredible director Traci Ledford guiding us rather than dictating us, we were given the opportunity to collaborate with each other and the professionals we met when in New York.”
“I learned the magic of off-Broadway is just as, if not more, influential than Broadway as it is more accessible to people and tells unique and empowering stories,” Johnson reflected. “Royal Family Productions has strived to tell these stories for years now, and I am so proud to have worked with them. The Belmont theatre department has given me some insane opportunities I never thought were possible when I was a kid, so obviously, huge thank you to them.”
This unforgettable experience not only showcased the students' talent but also paved the way for exciting opportunities ahead, leaving a lasting impact on their artistic journey and continuing the legacy of the Belmont Department of Theatre and Dance.
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