In many ways, Ben Platt is one of the most successful theater kids of our time, third only to Lin-Manuel Miranda and Taylor Swift (proof of this ignominious past can be found here and here). The prodigiously talented tenor grew up with fellow L.A.-based theater kid Molly Gordon and Bff Beanie Feldstein, attending a performing arts school and appearing in the ultimate theater kid role as Winthrop in a Hollywood Bowl production of The Music Man starring Kristin Chenoweth.
Platt was cast as the intensely troubled Evan Hansen...
Platt was cast as the intensely troubled Evan Hansen...
- 7/14/2023
- by Ej Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
Loch Sheldrake, N.Y. — It's a glorious late summer day in the Catskills Mountains, perfect for a nice dip in the water. But the large, inviting swimming pool at one sleep-away camp is untouched.
This is Stagedoor Manor, where days and nights are spent furiously learning dialogue, taking classes on stagecraft, tackling show tunes and practicing choreography, not lounging about. By summer's end, 867 campers will have starred in some 40 full-scale productions.
It's a place where campers in "Jersey Boys" T-shirts ask each other: "How many pairs of fishnets did you bring?" Or are overheard wondering, "Do we have Makeup and then lunch, or lunch and then Makeup?" On bus trips to the movies or the mall, they are known to proudly sing Stephen Sondheim's "The Ladies Who Lunch" instead of "99 Bottles of Beer."
"Nothing about this is normal," says Konnie Kittrell, the production director who is celebrating her 30th year at Stagedoor.
This is Stagedoor Manor, where days and nights are spent furiously learning dialogue, taking classes on stagecraft, tackling show tunes and practicing choreography, not lounging about. By summer's end, 867 campers will have starred in some 40 full-scale productions.
It's a place where campers in "Jersey Boys" T-shirts ask each other: "How many pairs of fishnets did you bring?" Or are overheard wondering, "Do we have Makeup and then lunch, or lunch and then Makeup?" On bus trips to the movies or the mall, they are known to proudly sing Stephen Sondheim's "The Ladies Who Lunch" instead of "99 Bottles of Beer."
"Nothing about this is normal," says Konnie Kittrell, the production director who is celebrating her 30th year at Stagedoor.
- 8/23/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Did the kids who just won Tony Awards for Billy Elliott on Broadway ever have to endure this kind of criticism from a director? "Stop, stop, stop! It's 'toward.' Who is singing 'towards'? ... If you put an 's' on it, it makes it cheap, it makes it sound like you're from Long Island. Nothing against Long Islands ..." Thus begins Stagedoor, a documentary about a summer camp with superstar alumni such as Robert Downey, Jr., Natalie Portman, Mandy Moore, Bryce Howard, Zach Braff, Amy Ryan, Jon Cryer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Felicity Huffman, and director Shawn Levy. Our friends at SnagFilms have made the film available for free online viewing.
"What will life be like when theater geeks and show-tune queens rule the world?," asked Jorge Morales in his review at The Village Voice. "Documentarian Alexandra Shiva's cameras miss the moment some of the alpha divas cross the line, but...
"What will life be like when theater geeks and show-tune queens rule the world?," asked Jorge Morales in his review at The Village Voice. "Documentarian Alexandra Shiva's cameras miss the moment some of the alpha divas cross the line, but...
- 6/10/2009
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
The Los Angeles Film Festival, which runs June 16-26, has announced several additions to its program, including a special showing of Paramount Classics and MTV Films' Hustle & Flow, directed by Craig Brewer, which will screen June 17. Also added to the schedule: Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers, to screen June 25; Alexandra Shiva's documentary StageDoor, on June 18; a reading by Macy Gray at Family Day, June 25; and a "Storytelling Evening With Shane Black," director of Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, June 24.
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