Make Broadway dreams come true

Dan Tracy didn't know what to expect when he enrolled in the Broadway Dreams summer program at the Holland Center in 2010. Minimally, he hoped the weeklong session would improve his dance techniques. He never thought he'd find himself in New York a year and a half later auditioning for shows and signed with an agent.

That's because Broadway Dreams isn't just about musical theater; it's about the business of Broadway. Participants receive professional headshots, audition in front of national casting directors and perform onstage at the Holland Center. Annette Tanner, Broadway Dreams Foundation's executive director, likens the nonprofit program to college where students choose courses in different areas.

"If you want to work on dance, you can work on dance," she said, "but you also work on practical things like auditioning, writing resumes and working with agents."

For these reasons, Omaha Performing Arts describes the program — open to performers of all ages, experience and talent levels — as akin to a Broadway "all-access pass."

Joan Squires, OPA's president, sees Broadway Dreams as a perfect fit for the organization.

"Our mission is to bring the best performers to Omaha and to bring students to see them," she said. "This is a key program; we're bringing something to the community that doesn't exist in other cities."

The key to that key program is the performers, because they are also the instructors, and they've been involved with such buzz-worthy Broadway hits as "Wicked," "Legally Blonde: The Musical" and "The Producers." Three slated for this summer (barring last-minute changes) include James Kinney, who has worked with Christina Applegate on Broadway; Tyler Hanes, who performed with Kristin Chenoweth on "Dancing With the Stars" and Quentin Earl Darrington, who has performed to sold-out audiences at the Kennedy Center and starred in the first national tour of "The Color Purple."

Access to this caliber of professionals was a main draw for Tracy, who was so impressed with Broadway Dreams he enrolled again in 2011.

"People in Omaha just don't have exposure to performing artists like people on the coasts do," he said. "We don't realize how little contact we have with the outside theater word. This program is so unique. "

That contact extends well-beyond camp, because participants receive ongoing guidance and mentoring. "I get emails and Facebook posts from kids everyday," Tanner said. "The faculty stay in touch with them and give advice on what roles to audition for or what songs might be good for them."

Tracy, for example, said he never could have moved to New York without guidance on basic things such as how to find an apartment.

"Broadway Dreams has helped me exponentially," he said. "I moved the city knowing these people. I got opportunities I never would have gotten elsewhere."

Less quantifiable and perhaps more important is the encouragement participants receive to pursue their passions, encouragement they often don't get in their everyday lives.

"The kids see others who are as committed to musical theater as they are," Tanner said. "They're in a room with 100 people who care about the exact same thing as they do."

This was a revelation for 16-year-old Kaila Cassling, a junior at Millard West.

"It was awesome being together with people who felt the same way that I do," she said. "That's not always the way it is in high school. It was very inspirational and uplifting. It really opened my eyes,"

Squires has witnessed how critical such camaraderie can be.

"It's fun to watch the students at the beginning of the week and see those who are shy, who don't look you in the eye," the OPA president said. "By the end of the week, their feet are firmly planted on the stage, and they're singing and dancing."

Of course, not every participant goes on to pursue a career in theater, but Broadway Dreams teaches kids how to present themselves with confidence and communicate better whether during a job interview or in a college classroom.

"There are lots of pluses," Tanner said. "You learn how to represent yourself and network. These are lifelong skills. I tell people in the program, 'You just do not realize how lucky you are to have Omaha Performing Arts dedicated to bringing this kind of program to the city.' "

Broadway Dreams
When: July 9 to 15
Where: Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St.
Application procedure: Acceptance by application and audition only. Auditions take place March 11 and May 5 at the Holland Performing Arts Center. Students must register in advance.
Auditions: Dance performers should bring dance shoes and attire; vocal performers must be prepared to sing 16 to 32 bars of a
song and provide their own accompaniment CD.
Cost: $895; $100 discount if registration is completed by
March 12; limited number of scholarships available
For more information and to apply: www.mybroadwaydreams.com

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