Musical Theater: Take It From The Top

This camp and its respective wait list have reached capacity. Check back at a later date for information regarding our future classes!

Returning to the Dr. Phillips Center is the Take It From The Top Program. This Broadway week is a unique opportunity to spend the week learning from a talented team of experienced Broadway professionals and a professional casting director. This professional Broadway workshop is designed by Broadway veterans Paul Canaan (Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde, Thoroughly Modern Mille, La Cage Aux Folles, Miss Saigon) and Tony Award Nominee Laura Bell Bundy (Legally Blonde, Wicked, Hairspray, and Ruthless).

Participants will explore the “triple threat” of music, dance, and theater with a final performance for an invited audience of family and friends in Steinmetz Hall. Explore the process of casting, auditions, and rehearsals with mentorship from Broadway performers, directors, choreographers, and a casting industry professional.

June 12–16

• Drop-Off: Students will be assigned a drop-off time between 8–9 a.m.
  
• Camp: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
  
• Pickup: Students will be assigned a pickup time between 4–5 p.m.
  
• Showcase: June 16 | 7 p.m. Final showcase in Steinmetz Hall

Ages: 10–18
Tuition: $435 for pre-registration | $465 starting April 21
Capacity: 90 students
Bring food for 1-hour lunch break (closed campus).

Featured Teaching Artists

Paul Canaan

Broadway: Kinky Boots (dance captain/original Angel), Legally Blonde, Miss Saigon, Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Cage Aux Folles, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. National Tour/NY: Annie Get Your Gun, Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Paul recently choreographed “Curtain Up – Broadway is Back,” a national commercial for Prudential. He served alongside casting director Bernie Telsey and author Heather Hach as a judge on the MTV reality show “Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods.” He also appears in the films “Sex In The City 2” and “Across the Universe.” He partnered with director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell to launch The Original Production, which offers schools and theaters resources including the licensing rights to learn and perform original Broadway choreography: www.theoriginalproduction.com. Now available through Broadway Media. As a passionate theater educator, Paul co-founded (along with Tony Award nominee Laura Bell Bundy) the non-profit arts organization Take It From The Top, which provides professional mentoring, training, and performance opportunities for aspiring young artists. He also served as artistic director of The Broadway Dreams Foundation and as a judge for The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The JIMMY AWARDS).

Jacob Yandura

Jacob Yandura is a New York City based composer. Most recently, Jacob and his lyricist-collaborator Rebekah Greer Melocik are at work with 21-time Tony Award winning director Harold Prince on an adaptation of the 2015 Peabody Award-winning documentary HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO (book by Bess Wohl). His other projects include THE LAST QUEEN OF CANAAN (book by Harrison David Rivers), THE COUP, and WRINGER, a commission by New York City Children's Theater, based on the novel by Jerry Spinelli (Off-Broadway; New York City Center Stage II). His recent recognitions include: a 2016 Jonathan Larson Grant Finalist, the 2015 NAMT Festival of New Musicals (THE LAST QUEEN OF CANAAN), Ars Nova’s two-year UNCHARTED residency (THE COUP), the 2014 Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, The York Theatre's NEO 2014 residency, the 2013 Yale Institute for Music Theatre (THE LAST QUEEN OF CANAAN), the 2012-2013 Dramatists Guild Fellowship, the 2012 Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, Cap21’s Writers Residency and Ars Nova’s ANT Fest 2013 (THE FEARFUL EARFUL). Jacob holds a B.A. in Music Composition from Kenyon College and an M.F.A from New York University’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program.

Jessica Lee Goldyn

Broadway/NY: Moulin Rouge (Nini), A Chorus Line (Val/Cassie), Hello Dolly!, Finding Neverland, Tuck Everlasting, On The Town (Ivy Smith) City Center Encores! National Tour: Fosse Regional: Young Frankenstein (Elizabeth), Damn Yankees (Lola), South Pacific (Nelly), Crazy For You (Polly), Chicago (Roxie/Velma) TV/Film: Every Little Step, Smash, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Drop Dead Diva, Staten Island.

Kyle Taylor Parker

Kyle Taylor Parker has been wowing audiences on Broadway for years with his dynamic presence, mega-watt smile, and a vocal tone that’s both rich and bright. KTP made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning smash hit musical, Kinky Boots in the role of “Angel.” He later earned rave reviews across the country by originating the role of “Lola” in the musical’s first national tour (IRNE Award “Best Visiting Actor in a Musical”) before returning to Broadway to replace Billy Porter in 2015. He was in the original casts of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Broadway, Smokey Joe’s Café (Chita Award) and Finnian’s Rainbow Off-Broadway, the world premiere of My Very Own British Invasion, and “Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE” in Concert on NBC. A fan of musical theater since childhood, KTP grew up in Wisconsin listening to both Broadway cast albums and Motown records – a combination that inspired him to make his solo recording debut with the release of “Broadway Soul, Vol. 1” on the Broadway Records label in 2019, followed by Vol. 2 in 2021. Previously, KTP performed on a track for “Wish: The Anderson & Petty Holiday Album” (Barry Anderson and Mark Petty). Most Recently, KTP has been seen across the nation as Happy Man in the first National tour of Pretty Woman the musical.

Charlie Sutton

Charlie Sutton (Choreographer) has enjoyed an exciting career in 10 hit Broadway shows . Choreography credits include the New York premier of Wringer (City Center Stage II), Gregorian (SohoRep), Young Charles Dickens (MINT),The Big Show (Working Artist Theater), Flesh and Spirit (NYNW Festival), Photograph (Dance Film), Sweater Weather (Dance Film), Descent into Madness (Dance Film) 35 MM (54 Below). Assistant Choreographer credits: Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Clueless, Chix 6 and A Sing of the Times.

Brad Willcuts

Broadway: Amazing Grace (Assistant Fight and Movement Director). National Tour: Amazing Grace (Assistant Fight and Movement Director). Regional: Arena Stage, Mother Courage and Her Children w/ Kathleen Turner, The Shakespeare Theatre, Romeo and Juliet, Virginia Repertory Theatre: South Pacific (Choreographer) Mame starring Emily Skinner (Associate Dir, Chor. ) Northern Stage, A Chorus Line (Al), Current Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre and Choreography at Michigan State University.