Two Penn-Trafford Drama Guild alumni are the bridge to Broadway for aspiring theater performers. From the P-T auditorium to notable stages in New York City, graduates Lindsey Brett Carothers and Jarrett Reiche have made the climb and learned what it takes to perform on Broadway.
To share their success, they created a program called “Broadway to the Burgh” that includes a series of classes that provide local students with the skills, material, and mindset needed to get cast in a Broadway show.
Carothers’ passion for theater began her junior year of high school when she auditioned for PTDG’s production of “Anything Goes”. A P-T alumnus who was attending PACE University watched a rehearsal during Carothers’ senior year, and inspired her to pursue a career that she had not even considered before.
After graduating from P-T, Carothers attended PACE University’s prestigious Musical Theatre program. She made her Broadway debut in “Bring It On: The Musical” and joined the national tour of “Wicked.”
“Without PTHS/PTDG/and alumni support, I don’t know if I would have pursued a theater career,” Carothers said.
As for Reiche, his love for musical theater began early, when the elementary schools took annual field trips to watch a preview of the high school’s spring production.
“From a young age, I was enamored by live performance and knew that I had to be a part of that when I got to high school,” he stated.
After performing in P-T’s “The Hobbit” and “Guys and Dolls,” Reiche attended Marymount Manhattan college and cast “Disney’s The Lion King,” “The Color Purple” and many other Broadway and National Tour productions. He now works as a Broadway Casting Professional.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced Broadway to cancel shows until at least 2021, Carothers and Reiche returned home and brought a piece of the theater district with them. The two organized classes for high school and college students, as well as adults interested in musical theater.
“We thought, ‘What do we wish we could’ve learned before we got to NYC?’ That was the inspiration for the initial classes that we’ve been teaching,” Carothers stated.
They have been conducting classes at the M&M Dance Academy in Murrysville, as well as through zoom. In-person classes are limited and have been following Coronavirus precautions.
“There is no other program in Pittsburgh that offers the ability to study with a Broadway Actress and a Broadway Casting Professional simultaneously. It’s a unique opportunity that provides insight from both sides of the audition process and we wanted to share that with the Pittsburgh theatre scene,” Reiche said.
“The Broadway Audition” gives students an audition scenario from a hit musical and teaches them how to best prepare through material prep, vocal technique, acting through song, and audition etiquette. Another in-person class called “The Actor’s Roadmap” explores acting skills through practice with improvisation, script analysis, character development, monologue work, and cold readings.
They are now offering dance masterclasses, including one that will teach students the choreography from the hit musical “Hamilton,” and private coaching before launching their spring sessions. They plan to rehearse and perform a full-length musical this spring.
“It can feel so overwhelming trying to decide what to do with your life when you’re in high school, but I always tell my students that they don’t have to choose theater or a boring regular job. They can choose theater and [another career]” Carothers said.
“You are the creator of your life, and you can approach it however you want. Look for evidence that your dreams are possible,” she added.
Carleigh Bruno, Staff Writer