Producer's Spotlight: Ralph Buckley on Last Night's Show

[Editor's Note: Once a month we hear from one of Broadway's Next's Producers to give a peak into the process of creating, performing, and maintaining our show. This month it's with actor and producer Ralph Buckley.]

What a great night for BNHM! It was so gratifying to have BNHM back in our NYC home, The Triad.

2 cast members made their NYC BNHM debuts: Daniel Tepper and host Marc T. Engberg.

Also we welcomed special guest, David Jacobson from TrivWorks, who conducted a mini Tony Awards-themed trivia contest at intermission.

Co-winners Sarah and Rachel answered the questions:

What musical did the character Sky Masterson appear in? (Guys & Dolls)

Which 80's sitcom character is also a character in Avenue Q? (Gary Coleman)

What is the longest running show in Broadway history? (Phantom of the Opera)

If you knew the answers to any of these question, you might want attend the special Trivworks/BNHM hosted NYC’S ULTIMATE BROADWAY TRIVIA NIGHT/AWARDS SHOW on Tuesday, June 7. The grand prize is 2 tickets to the dress rehearsal of the actual Tony Awards!

Favorite moments from our BNHM opening night performance were:

Host Marc's hilarious riff on the unseen presentation of the BNHM "technical awards" held in Ballroom B of the Holiday Express Inn in White Plains.

Stefan's versatility in playing a giraffe, a dedicated Prohibition era cop and the moon.

Annie and Daniel's duet in which they recreated a competitive 1950's sister brother Pillsbury Bake-Off team who dreamed of escaping their hometown of "Stevesville" and making it to "Paulsburg".

Daniel's hysterical portrayal Corey Hart of Sunglasses At Night fame.

Annie shining as the official neck tattoo artist of the "Gin Whiskey Bathtub Ladies' Club."

Rob's virtuosity in playing the bagpipes, a corrupt alcoholic Scottish-accented police chief and a romantic boyfriend who suddenly becomes a werewolf.

The Phony Award winning song, "Snakes On A Dame" from the musical, "Speaks Not So Easy", written by Gabe Finkelstein, choreographed by Tasha and wonderfully performed by heroine Rachel who was torn between love for her husband and how she feels when she gets hopped up on bathing gin.

And finally, Eric March's underrated brilliance in composing every musical moment in the show.

I look forward to 4 more weeks of hilarity and song. Well done all BNHMers!

On the Red Carpet with Marc T. Engberg

Winning Song

Producers Spotlight: Deb Rabbai on Failing in Rehearsal

Stefan Schick and Deb Rabbai in the rehearsal room.

When you reach a level of competence and even excellence as a performer, you can sometimes hit a plateau in your work. You discover that you know how to do something and do it well, so now what? Where do you go creatively as a performer? Do you just continue to do what you know how to do and hope you don't get bored artistically? My answer is no.

We Challenge Ourselves In Rehearsal

In order for Broadway's Next Hit Musical's performances to stay sharp, fresh and excellent on the road and at home in New York City, we have to practice and challenge ourselves. The place reserved for those challenges is rehearsal. Every Tuesday in our rehearsals we often work on the basics of musical improvisation, storytelling, yes anding, presentational performance and physicality.

As an artistic director,  I work to create a nurturing rehearsal environment in which to work on and practice our craft. This is my main focus. As a performer I've found that it can be scary when I'm attempting something that I've never tried before or exploring a skill I'm weak in. Even if I'm surrounded by other supportive artists who are working on their own goals, it can cause me to go to a very vulnerable place. I judge myself overly harshly and I suddenly can't access the skills I already possess because I'm so busy focusing on the new skill I'm working on. Argggghhhh!!! Catch 22.

How do I improve a skill I'm not good at while continuing to maintain a level of excellence in the skills I already have?

Risk - and Risk Big - In the Rehearsal Room

Here's the key to opening that door and moving beyond your fear and your artistic plateau.

RISK.

You've got to take a creative risk. And make it a big one. My feeling is that rehearsal is the place to take that risk. Try that thing you're afraid to do in performance. Fail and fail big in rehearsal!

Look, nobody WANTS to fail. In order to succeed you have to be willing to fail good naturedly. Sometimes the greatest learning can be gained from a supreme failure. Believe me, I've been there....a lot. Sometimes people can feel the pressure to perform at a level of excellence in rehearsal. This can truly stop them from experimenting from the place of curiosity it takes to find something new. Whether it be through success or failure. How lucky we are to have such a pool of talented, supportive improvisers with whom to fail and - more often - to succeed. I relish our time to connect, succeed and fail in rehearsals. Together. 

See Us Risk It Onstage

Now that you know how we rehearse risking, come and see us in a show! Head to the tickets & info page to see us near you! 

Producer's Spotlight: Where the Story Goes

[Editor's Note: Once a month we hear from one of Broadway's Next's Producers to give a peak into the process of creating, performing, and maintaining our show. This week it's with author and producer Greg Triggs.]

Greg Triggs backstage in Jenison, MI

I'm in the process of bringing my first novel, The Next Happiest Place on Earth to market.  It used to frustrate me that it took eight years to write but now I kind of love that it did.  The book evolved as I did.  When I reread it I notice old feelings and perceptions, characters inspired by new friends and other things that are more engrained and certain because I had longer to sit with the thoughts.  That’s a luxury improvisers don’t normally have.

 My friend Budge Threlkeld with whom I worked at Disney’s Comedy Warehouse was one of the funniest men I’ve ever known.  He was in the original Broadway production of Miss Firecracker Contest by Beth Henley.  He performed stand-up at Carnegie Hall.  His best friend was Stephen Stucker the outrageous comedian from Airplane!.  Budge helped nurse him as Stephen battled and ultimately passed away from AIDS in 1986.

We lost Budge a few years back.  He had struggled with emphysema for a long time.  People who’ve spent years creating shows from nothing the way you do in improv are very loyal to each other – the ensemble was good about checking in on him during his convalescence.  When he and I would talk it was very often about the book.  I remember a day when I was struggling with the novel.  He told me to relax adding, “The story will tell you where to go.”  It was one of the most important and last things he’d ever share with me.

I’m thankful that he said that, but for the life of me I don’t know why I had to be reminded.  The process of writing a novel is very much like improv, at least for me.  Perhaps mysteries or legal dramas require a mathematical sense of plotting but a romantic comedy such as, The Next Happiest Place on Earth has a more natural and spontaneous flow.  One choice leads to another as the scenes unfold and build. 

Budge Threlkeld

There are certain moments in the book I love because they remind me of people I’ve performed with over the years – a turn of phrase I could hear Rob choose, a character Debbie would play or a scene that would make Budge laugh out loud.

As an improviser I’m not used to having a permanent record of my work.  Years from now I’ll reread my book and see only what I wish I had done differently – but that’s all in an imagined future.  For today I’m simply proud and grateful.  I hope the response to The Next Happiest Place on Earth will provide encouragement to write another novel – a story that will tell me where it wants to go.

Perhaps there will even be a character named Budge.

To find out more about Greg Trigg's upcoming book The Next Happiest Place on Earth head to www.gregtriggs.com.

Producer Spotlight: Time To Listen

[Editor's Note: Once a month we have a producer or artistic director take you behind the scenes, into the rehearsal process, and backstage to illuminate more the of Broadway's Next Hit Musical process. This month it's co-artistic director, co-producer, and cast member Rob Schiffmann]

Rob Schiffmann leading rehearsal for Broadway's Next

There is a moment when your scene has achieved its narrative goal: the musician has begun to underscore with music that supports the current tone of the scene, the dialogue ceases and we are all aware that it is time to sing. This moment is a pivotal one in which you must make deep and profound choices as an improviser that will effect the success of your song, your narrative, your show and perhaps, your entire life! (Okay, maybe not that last bit.)

It is so tempting in that moment to start the process of idea generation. You ask yourself what is this song about, what shall I sing about, what structure of song should I attempt? All of these questions - and many more like them - are natural questions to ask. You are in a situation that seemingly demands creativity. People have (most likely) paid to see your show and there is a feeling that they have come with the expectation that you are going to entertain them and make them laugh. I do not agree with this.

In fact, they have come to see you - whether you know it or not - to see if you are really willing to put yourself on the tight rope. And for how long are you willing to stay up there.

And so, the questions you are asking yourself are the wrong ones. These questions beg for a safety net.

If I know what my song is about, I can easily sing it. If I know what my first line is going to be, I can easily follow it up. If I know what structure to fit into, I can easily adapt to that.

The problem with all of these statements is that they take away the essence of improvisation: discovery. You MUST be in a place where you are discovering choices AS THEY HAPPEN and then realizing the ramifications of those choices in the moments they happen as well. It's a moment to moment thing. You use your technique NOT to preselect these choices but to see them as they are happening. Then to recognize them for what they are. Then, potentially nudge them into whatever structure, story, or lyric they suggest.

So, the next time that you find yourself in that moment when your scene has achieved its narrative goal, the musician has begun to underscore with music that supports the current tone of the scene, the dialogue ceases and you are well aware that it is time to sing - quiet your mind.  Instead of making choices, quiet your mind.

Do what we were all designed to do in this tricky little moment: TRULY LISTEN!

Rob in Broadway's Next Hit Musical