We've all heard it before, and we'll hear it a billion more times: These are unprecedented circumstances (honestly, I'm so sick of hearing that, so we won't dwell on it...). But live theater has obviously been hit harder than anything else during the pandemic. Even though we can't really be in shows right now, it doesn't mean our whole love for performing has to be put on hold. We will probably never have as much time on our hands as we do right now, so this is the perfect opportunity to take online classes and really hone your skills (rather than doing a complete performance).
NYC has some great class options because, I mean, BROADWAY!! I live outside the city, so I never really got the chance to go in and take professional classes. The only time this could happen was during the summer, but it was a little more laid back because of vacation. But that's all over now thanks to Zoom and other platforms like it! This doesn't have to stop at NYC; as long as you're in similar time zones to whichever class you want to take, you can take it from anywhere. It can be overwhelming if you don't know where to start looking for classes, but the Internet is your friend :) I won't go through a list of companies that I like, because everyone has certain preferences, but you can start by searching for theater companies near you.
Also, I just found out about a website called Broadway Access Pro, which provides over 250 videos created by various Broadway actors about tons of different areas in the performing arts. It doesn't stop at singing, acting, and dancing; there are also lessons on musical-writing, producing, finding an agent, and more. Their website has the full list of classes and instructors.
However, just like in-person classes, online classes can be very pricey, but not everything has to be! Although it's easier to find what you're looking for through a paid class, there are countless YouTube videos that are a great place to start. For me, my biggest flaw in performing is picking up choreography quickly. So if you type in "pick up choreo faster" or "dance combination tutorial" etc. and do some digging, you'll find so many different videos that fit what you want. There are also a lot of articles to read too (like mine!! hehe) that give more tips. These aren't necessarily full-on lessons, but they are filled with important things to know about the industry.
If you've only had experience with the performing side of things, educate yourself on what goes on behind the scenes, and maybe try new branches of the performing arts that you've never done before. This summer, I tried writing a few songs and a screenplay. As you can imagine, they were pretty horrendous since I'd never done it before, but it was so much fun and opened my eyes to something new.
Whatever you do, just remember to continue growing your passion everyday, no matter what the world is like right now. If it's something you love, there is always a way to make it work, even if it's different from what you're used to.
Xo, Weezy
Such good advice!