I had been counting down the days till the New York City adventure and it was finally here! I had a very special start to my trip. Both Elam and Tyler had connecting flights through Colorado (where I am from) and we got to have a mini reunion in the Denver airport. As we flew into The Big Apple, the shimmering lights of the city and sparkle of the Chrysler building lit the night sky. I knew, from that moment that this trip would be unforgettable.
We arrived at our hotel quite early in the morning. New York truly is the city that never sleeps. After getting settled, Shaila walked through the hotel doors. We met her with big hugs and smiles that never left our face’s from that point on. Pretty soon, Swills (Scott Wilson) and Staples (Kimberly Staples) made their arrival and we were hugging them too. Next came Caroline Caden. Of course, we greeted Caroline with the same excited hug we had all received by that point. I kept pinching myself, I couldn't believe this was all actually happening. Despite any fatigue I had accumulated during my travel, my adrenalin and excitement grew with every arriving ITO. The wonderful Ms. Diane Carr arrived, filling the room with her presence. We were now just waiting on one more ITO.
To pass the time, we went to the Drama Book Shop. It was my first time there and it surpassed the incredible stories I had heard. My favorite part of the The Drama Book Shop was when Shaila showed me the shelf of published Thespian Playworks scripts from years past. I could not get over how amazing it was to see the work of high school thespians, just like me, in an establishment such as The Drama Book Shop. I got some really awesome plays that I started reading on the plane ride home. So far, I would highly recommend the play, On the Verge, it’s amazing!
We then met up with the last member of our group, Ashli Funches, who I could not have been more ecstatic to see! Once the gang was back together, we headed to The American Theatre Wing. At the Wing, we spoke with Megan Kolb and Rachel Schwartz who shared with us the amazing work they do in educational programs, grant giving, scholarships, and a brief overview of the Wing. One of my favorite things I learned on the trip was the story of the incredible women who founded The American Theatre Wing. This link will lead you to the video they showed us, narrated by the incomparable Sally Fields, on the heroic history of the Wing. Here is the link: https://vimeo.com/222220025
Our next stop was Playbill. Starting with the first show I saw at 18 months old, I have kept a Playbill of every show I since. Anyone who know me is aware of my beloved Playbill collection that sits in my bedroom window. My dreams came true as I entered the Playbill office and met the amazing, Sarah Jane Arnegger. As she told us of the success and impact Playbill has made on students around the country, I was so inspired to someday do the same. Tyler Mount and Felicia Fitzpatrick also spoke with us about their incredible and unexpected life paths and how they wound up working for such an awesome company as Playbill. I went back to the hotel motivated and inspired to work hard so that someday I might get to work at an organization as wonderful and impactful as The American Theatre Wing and Playbill.
That night we saw Come From Away. It was AMAZING! My favorite thing was seeing Tyler and Elam experience their first Broadway show. Afterwards, we were taken on an a journey with Chad Kimball and Q Smith through the beautiful Schoenfeld Theatre. It was a once in a lifetime feeling getting to stand on a Broadway stage and I will never forget it.
Saturday began at the beautiful office of Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW). At TRW, we planned our fun - filled and exciting year as well as the festivals we will be attending. A big thank you again to TRW for letting us use their wonderful office.
After all of our planning, we headed to Broadway to see 1984. It was the most scary show I have ever seen on a live stage and I loved every single second of it. I cannot wait to start reading the book!
As our last day arrived, we journeyed into Time Square for the 31st annual Broadway Flea Market. We were met by the fabulous New York and New Jersey State Thespian Officers who shared the excitement we all felt as the day started to begin. We all got to work an awesome table with some of the coolest Broadway “stuff” I had ever seen. My favorite thing we sold, by far, were the jazz shoes, signed and worn by the cast of Cats. Each shoe was painted so intricately and I could not believe I was actually holding the same shoes Grizabella and Mistoffelees danced in! That day Broadway Cares raised a record $1,023,309! It was so cool to get to work with our fellow thespians that day and raise money for such a worthy cause!
That night, the trip ended with the Broadway Back to School concert at 54 and Below. Hunter Bell, Chad Kimball, Q Smith, Ryan Haddad, Marla Louissaint, Lesli Margherita, John Mcginty, Carla Stickler, and Ana Villafane gave performances filled with immense talent and passion. My favorite part of the show was seeing the photos of these incredible Broadways stars in their high school theatre productions. It brought a new meaning to what it means to achieve your dreams and how amazing it is to be a thespian!
As the trip came to a close, I realized that the three days we had spent together, really seemed like 30 seconds. It had all gone by so quickly with the laughter and fun we shared in our travels. This trip was life changing and I will never forget it. Leaving New York that day, I felt a new appreciation for what it meant to be a thespian. Being a thespian means that we have the power to make a difference in this world, and I am so looking forward to seeing what that difference will be.
Feel free to reach out to us on @internationalthespianofficers for Instagram, @ITOOfficial on Snapchat, The International Thespian Officers on Facebook, @ITOEsteeD on Twitter, and feel free to contact me at edechtman@schooltheatre.org any time.
I am so looking forward to serving you this year.
