Four very bright students, who attend The Buffalo Academy For Visual And Performing Arts (BAVPA), sat on the empty stage of the Manny Fried Playhouse to discuss their upcoming production. Daniel Henderson, Connor Graham, Vanessa Elder and Gabby Karr are putting on a play, but this is not your average homespun high school student production. The production opens at the Manny Fried Theatre on May 6.
The students, led by Mr. Henderson, have chosen Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical story, “tick, tick…BOOM!” Larson’s play tells the tale of a young composer who wonders if he has made the wrong career choice, a dilemma almost universal to all those who find themselves working in the arts, especially the theatre arts.
Mr. Larson’s best known work was, of course, the mega-hit musical RENT, and though he died on the eve of his greatest success, clearly Larson made the right career choice.
Larson’s play, and his personal tragedy, would naturally find appeal with a group of idealistic young theatre students (they range in age from 15 to 17) but this full blown production is notable as much for its venue, and how that came about, as it is about the subject matter.
Unlike the (fictitious) New York City High School for the Performing Arts in the movie FAME, where Irene Cara (who can forget those leg warmers and that bucket of water?!) and her fellow students received specialized training leading to successful professional careers, our hometown kids feel that BAVPA is not doing all it could to enhance their education.
Sophomore Henderson, who has been a student at BAVPA since the fifth grade, ought to know. To be sure, the Performing Arts School allows time to “explore a craft the students are passionate about .” And they associate with “fabulous artists”, for example, the students work with the wonderful theatre legend, Lorna Hill, and have an exceptional drama teacher, Kelly Beuth. These mentors are very supportive and “guide us in the right direction.” The students also have great support from their vocal teacher and their theatre directors.
Problems arise, however, as they do throughout the Buffalo Public School System, with administrative priorities, the lack of institutional and funding commitments to excellence. The students are aware of the tensions and uncertainties which have arisen between faculty and administrators, causing distractions which in turn permit a less than professional environment wherein some people, including fellow students, “don’t care about their craft.”
Daniel Henderson’s concerns about the school system brought him to question if it was even worth trying to be an actor. Yet despite, and more to the point because of these frustrations, the students decided to strike out on their own. They first considered doing a Steven Sondheim piece, but happily settled on “tick, tick… Boom!” because they loved the haunting music and it was well suited for their small cast and particular talents.
Another major reason for moving ahead with an independent theatre project was to develop some contact with Buffalo’s rich professional theatre community, a resource which these students believe is underutilized by their school.
The production received unexpected support from BAVPA alumnus Jesse L. Martin, of LAW AND ORDER fame, who coincidentally was in the original Broadway cast of RENT. Mr. Henderson was urged by his grandmother, who had once been Mr. Martin’s music teacher, to write to the star and seek his advice about his situation and his doubts about an acting career.
So Daniel sent Mr. Martin a long and winding e-mail, expressing those concerns. He never really expected to hear back from Mr. Martin but was thrilled to receive a detailed response from the famous actor the very next day.
Not only did Mr. Martin have some salient advice about overcoming the hardships of a theatrical career (“work hard.”) He generously offered to pay the royalties for Mr. Henderson’s production.
This godsend was, in turn, followed by a fortuitous conversation with Kurt Schneiderman, artistic director of The Subversive Theatre Collective. Mr. Schneiderman had recently directed the local hit production of “INHERIT THE WIND”, in which Daniel had appeared.
When Mr. Schneiderman found that Mr. Henderson was looking for a venue, he offered The Subversive’s Manny Fried Playhouse, which had an unexpected opening in May. It was as if Jonathan Larson was looking on from above.
And so the stage is set, The students are breaking out of their academic confines, and “tying the school into the actual theatre community.” First time stage manager Gabby Karr (age 15) is having a great time learning a new craft.
Sitting nearby is Subversive’s Production Manager, Rachel Zeller, who said that the experience has been so positive thus far, the Collective is considering adding this student showcase event to its regular season, as a way to help intersect Buffalo’s educational and theatre communities.
Mr. Henderson hopes that these public performances will allow Buffalo’s professional actors and directors to see the potential of Buffalo’s theatre arts students, and, he believes, increase the opportunities for the kind of professional interaction which school alone cannot provide but which will greatly enhance the students’ understanding of what a “life in the theatre” really means.
Tick, tick…BOOM ! by Jonathan Larson, presented by The Subversive Theatre Collective with Sponsorship by Jesse L. Martin, at the Manny Fried Theatre, May 6 – 22 with encore performances at BAVPA on June 4, 2011 www.subversivetheatre.org.