<p>how did Ave Q go???</p>
<p>Avenue Q was apparently amazing. I only saw the first act but I loved what I did see.</p>
<p>ELSIE: Sweeney Todd, Jeff Murphy;
Secret Garden, Sally Rapier </p>
<p>PLAYHOUSE: West Side Story, Stefanie Sertich;
Copacabana, David Moellenkamp </p>
<p>FORUM: Children of Eden, Matt Ferrell;
Annie Get Your Gun, Ryan Lee </p>
<p>CABARET: Starting Here, Starting Now, Brad Simmons;
Once Upon A Mattress, David Leidholdt </p>
<p>CAROUSEL: Cry Havoc, Jo Chatt;
Inherit the Wind Chris Tyer </p>
<p>MERMAN: The Odd Couple (Female version), Ed Weathers </p>
<p>GARDEN: Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged, Michael Raimondi</p>
<p>Ohh I want to know the cast lists for Sweeney and West Side!</p>
<p>My daughter is in West Side Story this session, and she is the youngest in the cast (12). The dancing is the original choreography from the Broadway play, and she is having a blast. Sheâs been going since she was 9, and each year she has had different roles. She looks at each as a wonderful experience, and although she enjoys singing and acting, this is her first dance musical. I think the universe provides what you need (sounds corny, but true). </p>
<p>With her school schedule so tight and tons of homework, she just wasnât able to dance this past year, and she was upset that she might fall behind. She auditioned and was put into level 2 and took every imaginable dance class at Stagedoor so she could catch up. Never in a million years did she think she would be cast in a dance show! So now she has all the dance classes plus the intense choreography of WSS! She is exhausted by dayâs end, and a lot of the cast is run down and sick with colds. They start off each dayâs rehearsals with 32 push-ups, jumping jacks, you name itâŠHer musical director is excellent and apparently he was part of the original cast of Phantom of the Opera in London and was personally called by Andrew Lloyd Weber to join the production. She also has him for her vocal coaching cast because she wants to keep her singing up since she has to re-audition for session 3. </p>
<p>The Today show came to film the shows today - it is supposed to aired on some upcoming weekend showâŠbut they are taping bits of all the showsâŠEric Bergen came yesterday to sing and speak to the campers (heâs starring in the national tour of Jersey Boys and is a former Stagedoorian), and 2 or 3 cast members from Spring Awakening who were also alumni, are coming I believe next week. Nancy Carson spoke yesterday as she does yearly (she is such a fantastic person, and the best childrenâs agent in NYC).
One of the Jane Banks from Mary Poppins is there this session (I dontâ want to give her name out since she should have her privacy), and there are a few other children of famous people there as well. </p>
<p>My daughter has had the same roommates and friends since she was 9, and it truly is like a familyâŠthe kids even get together during the year (most kids find they donât have the kind of friendships back home that they have with kids at Stagedoor) - one girl had a batmitzvah (this was my daughterâs first one) and invited 30 kids from stagedoor and some flew in from Alaska, Washington, Maryland and DC to her home in Long IslandâŠthen they all slept at the parents house. So when you go, you do make friends for life - and hopefully everyone will find the success they want in life in whatever field they choose!</p>
<p>Maple, thanks for sharing. My daughter also started SDM at nine. She also was in West Side Story there, the last time they did it, in 2004, directed and choreographed by Larry (who is not there this summer). It is a classic musical and every MT kid should experience the classics. And yes, there is a lot of dance! My D loved it and I hope yours is as well. The girl who played Anybodys in her show has just cut a solo CD produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. She was 13 in my Dâs cast at the time.</p>
<p>It is particularly a funny feeling for me to read of the âguestsâ coming to speak at camp. The reason it feels funny is because the people you mention were my Dâs friends at camp and it is really something to think of her camp peers as making it and being the speakers who come back to camp a few years later! 
(my D is 18) So, she has done several shows and Our Time Cabarets with Erich and we are so proud of him for starring in Jersey Boys and just knew he would make it and he has so quickly! Also the two young people in Spring Awakening went to camp with my daughter as well. One of them was a close friend for years, still is, and did many shows together. He was just there as a camper in 2004. He also went to college with my daughter though is not there now as he is on Broadway. The third alum you are referring to from SDM is the musical director for Spring Awakening (who is older), Kim Grigsby. </p>
<p>Nancy is great and I know her too. </p>
<p>The friendship bonds from SDM are so strong that I can tell you that they last beyond camp days. My D is in a show right now in which several Stagedoorians are involved including the Tony from her cast of WSS. I imagine your Dâs SDM pals will be for life too. </p>
<p>Have a great performance weekend and break a leg wishes to your D and her cast.</p>
<p>Who plays Maria in your daughterâs cast maple?</p>
<p>My d called me today from session 2. The kids were just informed that tomorrow Jason Robert Brown is coming to Stagedoor to cast for his new musical â13â. The word is that he will visit rehearsals, and post call backs for later in the day.</p>
<p>He will speak to all the campers as a special guest as well. The kids (especially my d who is a major JRB fan) are elated. </p>
<p>Then, next week when the Spring Awakening cast comes to speak to the campers, the directors will be coming to scout for possible replacements as well.</p>
<p>What wonderful experiences for all the kids there this session!</p>
<p>Thatâs amazing!!! Why didnât I go second session? I hope they will still hold auditions for 13 later.</p>
<p>Congrats to everyone who got callbacks!</p>
<p>hi allâŠi am new to this website and have a d at stage door this session. i am so happy to be here as we begin our journey on the musical theater application, audition process. I know that my d got a callback yesterday but i dont know anything else about that show. i am so amazed at the exposure the kids at sdm received this year. If anyone knows anymore about 13 please let me know. My d is only going into her sophomore year, but i think that by being aware of what is required of her this early we will be one step closerâŠlooking forward to hearing from some of you other sdm moms</p>
<p>Session 2 performance weekend was wonderful! We did get to see quite a few of the shows. Congratulations to all the talented performers on all their wonderful productions!</p>
<p>Mamalu, Iâm so sorry I didnât get to see your Dâs show, as it was scheduled in the same time slot as my Dâs show, but I heard some good buzz about it.</p>
<p>Brownsugar, what show was your D. in? I had a friend in the Shakespeare Abriged, a friend in WSS and a friend in the ensemble of Secret Garden and they all seemed to have had an amazing time from what I heard. I am glad your D. had a fun time. Its trying at times, but overall it is a great experience.</p>
<p>I heard Sweeney was amazing. Wish I could have been there to see it!</p>
<p>My friend and I dropped off our daughters yesterday; they both went for the first time in 2005. I would love to share/exchange info about session 3 with any other Stagedoor parents or (former) campers. As soon as I hear what shows they are doing, Iâll pass that list along â unless, of course, someone else beats me to it! 
</p>
<p>Both girls were SO excited to get to camp and see their many friends. What everyone says about Stagedoor is true: the campers make instant and (seemingly) lifelong friendships. It is truly amazing!</p>
<p>There are some new stagedoor clips on youtube. Jodi as Evita is AMAZING!!!</p>
<p>jg, when did you go to SDM? Was it first session this year? Was that your first time? Which show were you in? Did you like camp?</p>
<p>Yes, I went 1st session, and it was my first time. I was in Evita. It was amazing!! I really liked camp. Iâm definitely going back next year. I had so much fun!!</p>
<p>jg, I am glad you enjoyed it. I saw the clip from Evita and she did a nice job. I do not know her as she may have come to camp since my D left. You had Jeff as a director and my D worked with him on Nine, Jekyl and Hyde and Our Time Cabaret and he does very good work. My other D was in Evita as a featured dancer at French Woods Festival, so I have seen the show. Iâm glad you had such a positive first year experience.</p>
<p>Yeah, Jeff is an amazing director. I hope I get to be in one of his shows again next year.</p>