By Maya Meschi

As we advance into the 21st century, the push for diversity and inclusion in the performing arts industry has increased significantly. Numerous thriving performers, directors, and casting directors voice and continue to voice stories crucial to our cultural development. Among them is Patrick Maravilla, a casting director who has cast groundbreaking productions such as The Life of Pi, A Wonderful World, and Chicago. Maravilla has been an essential player in shaping and pivoting our view of diversity in theater. He is genuinely transforming the future of the performing arts industry and life. Maravilla remarked, “Storytelling allows us to access the roots of who we are, and we continue to tell those stories to keep them alive.” 

A Hunger to Make a Difference:

Maravilla started his performing arts occupation by participating in and auditioning for theater in California. However, as Maravilla became increasingly exposed to the industry, he realized he “…had never seen another brown person behind the table.” Shortly after the pandemic, Maravilla discovered he no longer wanted to pursue acting. Regardless, he still wanted to have a career in the performing arts; more specifically, he desired to make a difference in the field. Eventually, this drove him to seek casting as a profession. “I wanted to be a voice for people who look like me.” 

Life of Pi:

Maravilla’s aspiration for diversity goes beyond race; he casts shows to give people of various backgrounds the opportunity to have a voice in the industry. From Real Women Have Curves to The Life of Pi, Maravilla has pushed for refreshing interpretations of well-known works. A representation of how Maravilla supplied a play with a renewed point of view is through The Life of Pi. Similar to most professional productions, Life of Pi debuted in the West End. During the duration of Life of Pi’s premiere, the character Pi, who was originally portrayed as a male, was incapable of attending and performing a particular performance. The understudy, who traditionally played Ronnie, covered the performance of Pi that evening. Leaving the audience, cast, and crew in complete astonishment and marvel, Maravilla stated: “When she went on, we weren’t expecting it, and we were like, ‘Yeah! This works.'” Shortly after Hiran Abeysekera parted from the Broadway cast, “We were like, this is a no-brainer; Uma would be a fabulous actor to illustrate her view of Pi, which allowed a different take on what the show is and what it means, as well as the social standings of Pi as a woman.” The most remarkable and fascinating component of Maravilla’s casting is that it allows a woman of the 21st century to convey her story, especially in a narrative in which the theme is about survival.

Chicago the Musical:

Chicago the Musical is one of the rarest musical phenomenons; it has remained one of the longest-running productions on Broadway and has reached numerous fans. Among these countless successes, Chicago has had multiple interpretations; therefore, “casting can be tricky because everyone has an idea about what it should be.” However, with this, you have the ability to “uphold the integrity of the show while still pushing it into the 21st century.” Classical shows like Chicago allow people to stay true to the theme of the production while still granting space for new, relevant messages. Ultimately, the gift of casting gives opportunities to people of various backgrounds. People like Maravilla have genuinely transformed theater and given individuals equal chances. With Maravilla’s help, Chicago the Musical had Jinx Monsoon become the first-ever drag queen to play Mama Morton. Currently, Mama Morton is portrayed as the first Asian Mama Morton in Chicago’s 27-year run. 

A New Light for Inclusion and Diversity in the 21st Century:

Inclusion can be taught, learned, and experienced in various ways in the 21st century. It is essential to familiarize ourselves with the past so we can positively influence the future, and Maravilla is currently doing that. He is bringing a trailblazer from history to contemporary audiences in A Wonderful World. A Wonderful World is a captivating, delightful, and outstanding piece of art that takes you through Louie Armstrong’s life, told through his four wives. It is set to open on Broadway in the fall. While it is uplifting to know that numerous people like Maravilla exist, it is also refreshing to know everyone can push for even more diversity and inclusion. It all begins with you and your first efforts toward making a difference. As Maravilla has conveyed: 

“I hope people continue to push, have the conversation, and fight for diversity. Theater should be a reflection of society, which is the whole reason why theater was created. We are doing a disservice by not reflecting on the stage. We should be able to have little kids come in the show and see themselves on the stage, which, up until two months ago, if my little sister would watch a show, she wouldn’t see someone like her in the group. However, now, she can, and it’s stuff like that that I hope we keep pushing towards.” 

By Joshua Sanchez

How can being in a pre-broadway production bring you as far as performing on the Tony’s? It seems unreal, doesn’t it? Well that’s what happened to Samantha Pauly. Samantha Pauly played the role of K-Howard in the Pre-Broadway production of Six the Musical. She was the original K-Howard on Broadway, playing the role for three years. Although Covid-19 delayed her broadway debut, it never stopped her from following her dreams.

During Samantha’s career, she has performed in many different musicals, movies and plays. Right before Six, she got cast in the national tour of Bat Out of Hell, but soon canceled from getting the role of K-Howard. Samantha’s dreams were finally coming true with the news of Six making it on Broadway. Unfortunately, as soon as they were about to open in New York City, Six closed due to the pandemic. During the pandemic, most if not all grew bored after only a few days of staying home, which foreshadowed creative tasks and hobbies to work on during these hard times. For example, Samantha used social media to create YouTube videos everyday to not only entertain herself, but to relieve herself from stress due to the pandemic.

“I knew that I was going to be really bored and I wanted to do something to self-entertain myself and eventually the videos blew off sort of creating this schedule for my everyday life,” Samantha expressed. Not only did these energetic, positive videos keep her on her feet, but it brought a smile to the faces of millions.
As Broadway was opening up to a fresh start, so did all Six of the queens and the roles they played. After Covid, Six the Musical could finally start running in New York. Unfortunately, Samantha and the others had to relearn most, if not the entire show. This also allowed her to gain a deeper perspective of “All You Wanna Do.” This hit song contains many different emotions, love, sadness, and most of all shows how vulnerable Samantha is while singing the song. Coming back from Covid-19, Samantha explains the struggles she had while learning “All You Wanna Do” all over again due to the struggles from her time of reflection over her past experiences through the 18 months of quarantine.

“I had so much free time that I had the chance to get back into therapy regularly which was helpful in general.We’ve all been away for 18 months and we’ve all gone through so much, we were all different people. Because of that, the numbers (in Six the Musical) will be different as well as a whole new version of myself and the other queens,” Samantha stated. As shown by her amazing performance as K-Howard, she created one of the most iconic queens on Broadway, causing a deeper understanding of what the role meant to her.

Samantha Pauly never gave up. She stayed hopeful throughout the pandemic, not even knowing if Six would ever open again. Even if Samantha was stuck at home, she took her career to a whole new level by doing different activities on social media platforms to continue what she loved to do the most. Perform.

Overall, everyone’s career will be different. The path you take is the path you will go. There will be different opportunities that people can take. If the opportunity doesn’t come now, it will come later. Samantha never stopped following her dreams even in the pandemic, and so can you. If you stop following your dreams you are practically throwing away everything that you love. Take Samantha as inspiration, never give up.

Broadway can be a stepping stone to something bigger. Never give up.

Our Impact Musical Theater camps aren’t just for children, they benefit their parents too. At our winter camp Senior agent Sam Samuelson of Stewart Talent shared some tips for all stage moms and dads. Samuelson, who began his career as an actor, has been a Chicago agent for 21 years.

1. “Even if you don’t end up becoming an actor, I think the arts teaches you to be a good human being and how to work without ego.”
2. “The benefit of having an agent is film and TV is that in those mediums you cannot self-submit. When it comes to theater, you can go direct, so we’re most helpful in the film and TV world. Last year there were 16 TV shows filmed in Chicago, plus seasonal work. In the mid-west there is more regional theater pushed together in a small area.”
3. “Don’t worry about your son’s voice breaking. If they’re singing a lot, there is less of a dramatic change.”
4. “With children it’s all about the balance of work and being a kid. If you have an agent you can discuss it with them. We’re always looking for well-rounded kids. The more well-rounded they are the easier it is for them to land parts. You don’t have to say yes to every audition.”
5. “We try to keep kids in Chicago non-union for as long as possible because it keeps them more competitive. You can do three TV roles before you’d have to join SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild). You can stay non-union in the theater.”
6. “Be wary of putting out your children’s performances on the web. For agents, talking to someone about your child is more powerful than showing them something.”

A brand-new show based on the life of entrepreneur Joy Mangano will have its world premiere on December 7^th. Opening at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Jersey, Joy the Musical will feature none other than Mean Girls actress Erika Henningsen in the title role. With a cast including several Broadway alums, this definitely looks like the show to watch.

The uplifting true story is about one woman’s triumphant climb from divorce to single motherhood and bankruptcy, to becoming the wildly successful dynamo that all started with the invention of the Miracle Mop. Movie lovers will recall that Jennifer Lawrence played the title role in 2015 earning her an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe. Could a Tony be in Erika’s future? Only time will tell.

Erika has a special place in the hearts of Academy of the Arts students. Last July she led a masterclass at our Impact Musical Theater camp and we wish her luck as she brings Joy to theatergoers this winter.

In real life Erika couldn’t be more different to Cady Heron, the character who earned her a Critics Circle nomination when she originated the role in Mean Girls: The Musical on Broadway. Rather than trying to destroy people like the most popular girl in school, Regina George, she loves to build them up by offering master classes around the country.

We asked her how she landed the role and why she loves to teach.

“When I was called back for Mean Girls, I was told they wanted to hear a pop song from Cady, not a song from the show,” she told the enthusiastic class in a Q and A session. “So I thought about what song a girl who was brought up in Africa with parents from the Sixties would pick. Someone sweet, intense and strong so I picked the Rolling Stones Ruby Tuesday and You Don’t Own Me.”

Erika explained that being chosen for a show is like being a puzzle piece.

“All of the Plastics were four inches taller than me, so I looked more vulnerable standing next to them,” she said.

However, today the trend is more like anyone can sing any role.

“Don’t feel bound to certain things because of what you look like,” she said. “There’s more out there for you.”

For Erika, teaching is a labor of love.

“It’s the thing I do in between being an actor and it’s just as much a part of my identity,” she said after class. “It helps me think on my feet and problem solve. It helps me stay alert.”

Erika was impressed not only by the talent in the classroom, but how quickly the students became supportive of one another despite the wide range of age and experience.

“At the end of the day, whether you’re in 12^th Grade to college age or first grade to sixth, the basics still apply,” she said. “The incentives may be greater for 12^th graders, but sixth graders generally show less fear and they can learn from each other. Everything has to come from joy.”

Erika brings a huge amount of positive energy to the room.

“It’s just about getting them up on their feet,” she explained. She believes the worst thing she could do is to stop a child who is off key or who loses their way in a song.

“If you put ideas in their head they’ll never come back,” she said. “If I only have each one for six minutes, I want to give the most I can out of that experience. If we harp on about what they’re doing wrong or lacking in, they will never build confidence to turn up in class. I always encourage them so they don’t quit before they’ve started.”

A performing arts education may build a good foundation for a career in the limelight, but the act of learning never stops. From singing in church to manipulating a puppet on Avenue Q, Zonya Love believes every experience is an opportunity to learn and share with others. Currently appearing in Beetlejuice on Broadway, Love was one of the performers at the Academy’s inaugural gala in February.

“I do think outreach is important, especially when you can make opportunities available to those who may not have access,” she said.

As a child born in the South, Love had no plans to be a performer. She enjoyed singing in church where she took part in shows at Easter and Christmas, but it wasn’t until she joined an after-school program that she started to think about her future. The program designed shows about bullying and violence aimed to help younger children.

“Growing up in the South we were going to be teachers, lawyers or preachers, there was no other vision,” she said.

After speaking to a leader at a local music workshop, she toyed with the idea of becoming a vocal coach. What she didn’t know was that she would have had to have been able to sight read for that, so as she couldn’t, she came up with another plan.

“In the end I majored in theatre to come out of my shyness and thought I could learn to sight read at the same time,” she said.

In graduate school Love says she felt “othered.”

“I was not the status quo, not the person who they were considering at auditions,” she said.

When she was finally offered the part of Celie in the original Broadway production of The Color Purple, she began the process of self-love.

“Playing Celie was a very personal journey for me,” she said. “I’m from the South. Looking at the climate in our nation I remember experiencing racism. I didn’t have the confidence I would have liked. Celie is the perfect example of someone who needs to love themselves. It was one of the major takeaways for me.”

As a member of the first national tour of Avenue Q, Love learned a more practical skill – how to handle a puppet.

“They auditioned people with no puppetry experience and then sent me to puppet camp so I learned on the job,” she said.

Love says she chooses roles based on what they can teach her.

“I’m always learning. I desire work where I can learn a new skill. I don’t like doing a job that doesn’t challenge me,” she said. “Now I’m in Beetlejuice. I play different characters. It’s part of the joy of being an artist.”

Love says there’s no one role she aspires to play.

“My goal is to do good work and reach my full potential,” she said. “I don’t think my perfect role has been created yet. The creator in me wants to be part of that.”

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