BroadwayCon 2017 included several excellent panels, with topics ranging from defining success in the industry, to the importance of women’s writers, to tales from one of Broadway’s most legendary makeup designers. There was truly something for everyone, whether you aimed to learn more about the historical context of classic shows, gain a better understanding of the day-to-day responsibilities of lawyers and general managers, or learn more about how brands, movies, books, and more are adapted for the stage. StageBuddy got a front-row seat to all the action, and the event left us feeling invigorated, informed, inspired, and proud of the creative business that we call Broadway! For those of you who weren't able to attend, here are recaps of a few of our favorite panels to get you up to speed.
Makeup Design on Broadway:
Makeup design has been in Joe Dulude II’s blood since he was a little boy. Growing up a huge fan of monster movies and dressing up for Halloween, he moved to NYC in the ‘90s to pursue his passion. He spent years fine-tuning his craft while working in both managerial and creative positions at MAC Cosmetics, before making the leap to doing makeup in the film/TV industry and then coming back to NY to break into theater. With Broadway credits including Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Sweet Charity, Holiday Inn, and countless others, Dulude’s most well-known gig was working on Wicked for Broadway, the West End, and several first and second national tours. He recalled the first time he met legend Idina Menzel and the process of applying her intricate make-up for the show. “The key was to adjust the opacity of the green to contour, as we couldn’t have any of the skin showing through,” he said. Joe also shared his must-have products for any show: a red lipstick, a natural lip color (slightly darker than your lips), eyeliner (both pencil and liquid), mascara, and a small palette of neutrals. In closing, this talented artist revealed that trusting his intuition and fixing mistakes by moving on quickly have been essential to his success.
Redefining Success on Broadway:
Hosts of the popular podcast “The Ensemblist,” Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone brought together a panel that took a fresh look at defining success in the theater industry. While in pop culture, success is typically measured in terms of being rich and famous, Brady used the metaphor of a piñata to get across the point that “success means different things to different people."Like the different candies and treats that are hidden inside, we don’t know what we are going to get or where our paths may lead. The surprise is the fun part! The panel consisted of Broadway actors and actresses, including Paloma Garcia-Lee, Kirsten Wyatt, Justin Greer, and Douglas Lyons, who were all were swings at some point in their careers and reflected on how their personal attitudes towards success have evolved over the years. Originally success was tied to getting the callback, booking the job, and figuring out where the next gig was, but now, the panel agreed, they evaluated success more in terms of personal happiness and contributing to the greater good of society.
Dorothy Fields: Blazing a Trail for Today’s Women Writers:
Musical theatre historian Kristin Pressley delivered an informative and moving tribute to librettist and lyricist Dorothy Fields. Pressley described Fields’ writing style as a dialect that was easy to understand, as she could write like people talk -- “kitchen sink language.” Although this talented female pioneer wrote over 400 songs for films and musical, and was the first woman to win an Oscar for writing the lyrics to the hit song “The Way You Look Tonight” and a Tony for Redhead, she was not recognized in the same way as her male counterparts and is often overlooked in musical theatre history. Over her more than five decades long career, Fields partnered with top-name composers, like Jimmy McHugh, Jerome Kern, and Cy Coleman and also wrote librettos with her beloved brother, Herbert, up until the time of his death in 1958. The brother and sister duo collaborated on musicals including Annie Get Your Gun, Something for the Boys, Up in Central Park, and Arms and the Girl. Fields expressed the importance of women telling their stories and created great lead roles for women, who did everything from joining the American Revolution to owning their own property. Pressley explained that honoring women writers “is not to exclude men, but to show that women’s voices are needed in addition to men’s voices.” She went on to say that "women see things differently and their ideas, thoughts, and opinions need to be integrated as to produce the full picture.”
I’ll Write My Way Out: The World of Songwriting:
A diverse and gifted panel of Broadway songwriters, including Michael R. Jackson, Dave Malloy, Kait Kerrigan, and Ryan Scott Oliver, joined moderator Michael Gioia for a discussion on how their academic and personal journeys led to careers in songwriting. While each path was different, the group had one aspect in common: that they all fell backwards in some way into the industry. Malloy first started dabbling in experimental theater, while Oliver widened his music styles (opera and musical theatre) to include writing for cabaret and incorporating pop and rock music. Kerrigan gained access through playwriting and Jackson began his career as a child actor and went to college and grad school for playwriting and learned to tell his story in a way that would be relatable to wider audiences. The panelists acknowledged that through the advance of technology, artists of all kinds can get their material out there quicker and start building their fan bases. While this world is lightning-fast, Oliver emphasized the importance of always doing your research and nurturing your creativity. “Research is absolutely the key to writer’s block,| he said. “You need to spend about 50% of the time absorbing pre-existing material and then the other 50% creating your own.” Kerrigan, Malloy, and Jackson also agreed that being open to inspiration hitting you at any time -- walking down the street, in the middle of the night – will take your vision to levels you never imagined. Be open to that magic!
Adapting Musical Properties:
Broadway historian, author, and Director of Programming at Feinstein’s/54 Below, Jennifer Ashley Tepper moderated an enlightening and stimulating panel that explored the process behind bringing classic books, movies, and television shows to the stage. Representatives from NBC Universal (Chris Herzberger), The Araca Group (Michael Barra and Jen Bender), and Fox (Issac Hurwitz) discussed their career paths and passions, as well as what draws them to a project, the collaboration and hard work needed to make it a reality, and how to select the right team. While scheduling often came up as the biggest challenge, there are many others as well. Herzberger said, “It is so important for a team to like each other personally. I always err on the side of having a good time, because that joy will be reflected in the final project.” When it comes to bringing strong brands to the stage as in the case with the popular board game, Clue, Bender emphasized the importance of making something that stands on its own. “It’s always important to keep fan expectations in mind, but being able to take the memorable aspects and transform them will make for a newly satisfying experience,” she said.
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