Broadway Theatre Project

Broadway Theatre Project Broadway Theatre Project is a summer musical theatre intensive founded in 1990 that offers training in musical theatre, dance, acting, and singing for pre-professional performers. The program is associated with the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Florida and has attracted participants and faculty connected to Broadway productions such as Wicked (musical), Hamilton (musical), The Lion King (musical), and Dear Evan Hansen. The intensive emphasizes audition preparation, repertoire development, and performance opportunities, drawing on networks from the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, and commercial theatre producers.

History

Broadway Theatre Project was founded by director-choreographer Paul McGill in 1990 amid a surge in summer conservatory-style programs influenced by institutions like the Juilliard School, Boston Conservatory, Tisch School of the Arts, and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Early seasons featured faculty who had worked on landmark shows including Cats (musical), Les Misérables, and Chicago (musical), while alumni went on to join tours such as the First National Tour and companies like Cirque du Soleil. Over the decades the Project adapted to shifts in commercial theatre exemplified by the rise of jukebox musicals, the impact of the Tony Awards, and the expansion of regional institutions such as the Kennedy Center and Goodman Theatre. The program responded to crises affecting live performance—ranging from economic recessions to the global shutdown following the COVID-19 pandemic—by modifying session formats and incorporating digital master classes with artists from New York City and Los Angeles.

Program and Curriculum

The curriculum combines daily technique classes in jazz, ballet, tap, and contemporary dance with acting techniques derived from Stanislavski-influenced training and song coaching rooted in the practices of Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber performers. Students engage in audition clinics modeled on Equity casting expectations and prepare 16–32 bar cuts commonly requested by casting directors from institutions like Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center Theater, and touring offices associated with Nederlander Organization. Intensive modules cover stage combat as taught by instructors certified through Society of American Fight Directors, dialect coaching referencing International Phonetic Alphabet methods, and career workshops featuring agents and casting professionals from CAA, WME, and boutique theatrical agencies. Performance components culminate in showcase productions and cabaret evenings drawing producers, casting directors, and alumni agents who have worked on shows such as Kinky Boots (musical), Rent (musical), and Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

Faculty and Guest Artists

Faculty and guest artists have included directors, choreographers, and performers with credits on Broadway, national tours, and major dance companies such as American Ballet Theatre and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Notable guests have hailed from productions including The Phantom of the Opera, Annie (musical), Nice Work If You Can Get It, and A Chorus Line (musical). The Project regularly invites casting directors from CASTING LAB, musical directors affiliated with Orchestra of St. Luke's, vocal coaches who have worked with Bernadette Peters and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and choreographers connected to Bob Fosse-inspired revivals. Visiting artists often maintain concurrent appointments at conservatories including Yale School of Drama, Curtis Institute of Music, and Columbia University School of the Arts.

Facilities and Campus

Programs are held on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Florida, utilizing university theatres, rehearsal studios, and dance spaces comparable to those used by regional companies like Straz Center for the Performing Arts and repertory houses such as American Stage. Facilities include sprung floors, wing-to-wing lighting rigs, and piano-accompanied rehearsal rooms; technical support is provided by staff experienced with venues aligned with League of Resident Theatres (LORT). Off-campus activities have leveraged performance spaces in downtown Tampa and partnerships with educational partners in the Hillsborough County cultural scene, facilitating exposure to local presenters and producers.

Alumni and Impact

Alumni have progressed to careers on Broadway, off-Broadway, national tours, television, and film, joining credits on productions including Phantom of the Opera (2013 revival), Spring Awakening (musical), Fiddler on the Roof (revival), and television series produced in New York City and Los Angeles. Graduates have matriculated to conservatories such as Juilliard, BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), and professional companies like New York City Ballet and American Repertory Theater. The Project has influenced regional talent pipelines, contributing performers to organizations like Shubert Organization-affiliated houses, and has been cited in discussions at conferences hosted by Association of Performing Arts Professionals and panels at Sundance Institute where training pathways and artist development are debated. Its alumni networks maintain connections through reunions, mentorship programs, and casting referrals spanning commercial and nonprofit theatre sectors.

Category:Theatre festivals in the United States Category:Performing arts education in Florida