Hey DSM Fans!

DSM’s High School Musical Theatre Award-winning Best Actress Emily Emmett just got back from competing on Broadway at the 2012 Jimmy™ Awards in New York City! Watch as she tells us all about it:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckqYv_l5dI8]

-DSM Haley & Luke

Hey DSM Fans!

Yesterday, Luke and I were given the chance to take part in PETER PAN media day here at the Music Hall at Fair Park!   We got to interview cast members and watch as Cathy Rigby gave flying lessons to a few lucky people, including our very own: Michael Jenkins.  

Michael Jenkins & Cathy Rigby

We found out that Emily Emmett (named Best Actress at DSM’s High School Musical Theatre Awards) grew up watching the video of Cathy Rigby as PETER PAN, and she has also played Peter.  Needless to say, she is a huge fan of both the show and Cathy.  So what did we do?  We invited her to hang out with us for the day!

Luke, Emily & Haley

Between lessons, Cathy moved to the opposite side of the stage for interviews.  My ears perked up when I heard her mention the DSM High School Musical Theater Awards.  (Back in May, Cathy presented Emily with the award for Best Actress.) Emily and I inched closer and closer until we were leaning against the orchestra pit, intently listening and a little in awe of our proximity to the  Tony Award® nominee.

Eventually, I was told to “take Emily up there!”  Onstage, we shuffled through a pile of fairy dust, took a closer look at the flying system’s ropes and pulleys, and Emily gave her best PETER PAN pose for a photo.  Next thing I know, Cathy is waving her over! They stood arm in arm as Cathy showered her with praise and told bystanders that she’s glad she didn’t have to compete with someone as talented as Emily is.  Emily answered with a very astonished “thank you,” and then voiced her mutual admiration.

Emily and Cathy Rigby

Emily and Cathy Rigby

-DSM Haley

Good afternoon DSM Fans!

Day 6 in New York City for Emily & Michael was yesterday, and it was the day they had been waiting for – the awards show day! Please see below for pictures and their comments about their third day!

FROM EMILY: Yesterday was crazy. We woke up and headed straight for the theatre. I will remember yesterday for the rest of my life.

Stepping on the stage and not just any stage, a Broadway stage was such a dream for me. I got a little emotional about it all. We rehearsed all day on the stage to work on spacing and they put mics on all 60 of us! The mics were awesome but were probably worth about 6000 dollars so we had to be very careful with them!

Before I knew it, it was time to perform. Singing on a Broadway stage has been a dream of mine since I was little, so being able to reach that dream at eighteen is such a blessing. I can’t believe it’s all over but I have learned so much and I have made so many new friends. I will never ever forget this experience.

FROM MICHAEL: What a day to remember! Although Emily and I were not the winners, I had no feeling of remorse when the winner was announced. I was so proud and happy because I was among people who were so talented and happy to be a part of such a great group.

Now we all branch out and study our craft to improve our skills and one day, maybe, we’ll all meet again. I’m so blessed to be a part of this and I will deeply miss all the close friendships I made in such a short time.

Today, Michael, Emily, and the other ladies and gents who competed in the National HSMTA are traveling home after a morning of meetings. What a fantastic experience they have had! We are already anticipating next year’s DSM HSMTA and The National HSMTA as well!

Just so you know, here are the winners from the National HSMTA:

• Best Actress: Elizabeth Romero for her role as Lola in DAMN YANKEES. She is from Huntington Beach High School Academy for the Performing Arts and comes to nationals through the John Raid Awards in Fullerton, California.
• Best Actor: Joshua Grosso for his role as Raul in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. He is from the American heritage school in Tampa, Florida and comes to nationals through Broadway Star of the Future.

Can’t get enough of all of this? Check out BROADWAY OR BUST, a 3-part documentary filmed by PBS that will air on Sundays starting Sept. 9^th! PBS cameras followed all 60 students through their journey this past week!

A VERY special thank you to Emily Emmett and Michael Williams for providing us with their thoughts & pictures! We are all proud of you both and hope that you will remember this experience for the rest of your life! Bravo!

Have a great week!

-DSM Amanda

Good afternoon DSM Fans!

Day 5 in New York City for Emily & Michael was yesterday, and this was the most stressful day they’ve had so far, according to them! Please see below for pictures and their comments about their third day!

FROM EMILY: Today was crazy busy. That’s why I don’t have any pictures! Today we started the day with a three hour dance rehearsal and then we ran the whole show so we could get a feel for the pacing. After that we had to each perform our solos for the judge panel and our medleys. It was very nerve-racking but I think I did well. I didn’t get to see Michael but I’m sure he nailed his solo as usual! Tomorrows the big day: Broadway. Can’t believe I get to perform on a Broadway stage tomorrow!

FROM MICHAEL: Wow, today was probably the most stressful day. But, we got to see all our other nominees’ solos and medleys. Tomorrow is the big day! We will be at Minskoff Theatre by 9:15am tomorrow to put the finishing touches on our award show. I think tomorrow will be more fun than stressful. We have all finished with the serious judging and now we can relax and enjoy ourselves.

Through the rehearsal process, I’ve gotten to know another Texas best actor nominee, Drew Shafranek. Texas is heavily represented at the Jimmy’s and we’re all very supportive of each other. Break-a-leg guys! 🙂

Here’s a special sneak peek of the opening number for tonight’s awards show!

Today is Day 6 for Michael, Emily, and the other ladies and gents who are competing in the National HSMTA! Tonight is The Jimmys at the Minskoff Theatre (aka home of The Lion King), and they are going to have a fun filled day of rehearsal for the show tonight!

I’m excited to hear about their day today – check back here tomorrow for our next update! Want to get the blog even faster? Subscribe to/follow our blog to get updates as we post them! Just enter your email address to the right & don’t forget to confirm it via an email we’ll send to you!

Have a great Monday!

-DSM Amanda

Good afternoon DSM Fans!

Day 4 in New York City for Emily & Michael was yesterday, and what a nerve-racking day they both had! Please see below for pictures and their comments about their third day!

FROM EMILY: Today was crazy. Right off the bat we had to sing our solos in front of everyone and they went well! Here’s a picture of Michael singing his amazing solo in front of everyone!

After watching 60 amazingly talented kids we all split up to work on medleys. We then ended the day with dance rehearsal. Excited and nervous for the judges tomorrow!

FROM MICHAEL: Today was nerve-racking, but less taxing. We started the day with all 60 contestants singing their solo in front of everyone to practice before the judges see it tomorrow. I caught a picture of Emily singing her solo. She nailed it!

After watching everyone’s solos, we all broke into our medley groups to fine to the new choreography. Then as the day closes, I had to grab a picture of the Empire State Building. 🙂

Today is Day 5 for Michael, Emily, and the other ladies and gents who are competing in the National HSMTA! Tomorrow is The Jimmys, and they are going to have a fun filled day of rehearsal for the show today, and most importantly, they perform their solos in front of the judges this afternoon. I’m excited to hear about their day today – check back here tomorrow for our next update! Want to get the blog even faster? Subscribe to/follow our blog to get updates as we post them! Just enter your email address to the right & don’t forget to confirm it via an email we’ll send to you!

Have a great Sunday!

-DSM Amanda

Good morning DSM Fans!

Day 3 in New York City for Emily & Michael was yesterday, and what a hard working day they both had! Please see below for pictures and their comments about their third day!

FROM EMILY: Today we got up early again and ate breakfast and then went on rehearsing the opening number! We then split up into our coaching groups again and worked on our songs. Liz Callaway even sang a song from Anastasia for us. She sounded absolutely stunning!

We worked on our solos and then staged our medley numbers. Mine is filled with characters that all stand for girl power which I thought was really cool. Next at lunch we had a truly special guest: Christian Borle who just won a tony for “Peter and the Starcatchers”‘!!! He also stars on the hit TV series Smash!! He answered all of our questions about the business and was so down to Earth and funny!! He even took pictures with us!!

After lunch we rehearsed even more and then participated in a dress parade where we tried on our costumes for the directors.

To end the day, we had about a three hour dance rehearsal and just as we were finishing up, Michael Feinstein walked in and played some Gershwin music which was really cool for me since some of it was from Crazy for You. Had a great busy day today! Excited for tomorrow!!!

FROM MICHAEL: Today was pretty intense. We worked with our solo coaches for a total of 7 hours today to perfect our solos. But, it was also rewarding because we got to meet Christian Borle and Michael Feinstein!

Today is Day 4 for Michael, Emily, and the other ladies and gents who are competing in the National HSMTA! Today will be just as difficult and demanding as yesterday, so they’re in for a long day! I’m excited to hear about their day today – check back here tomorrow for our next update! Want to get the blog even faster? Subscribe to/follow our blog to get updates as we post them! Just enter your email address to the right & don’t forget to confirm it via an email we’ll send to you!

Have a great Saturday!

-DSM Amanda

Good morning DSM Fans!

Day 2 in New York City for Emily & Michael was yesterday, and what a memorable day it was for them both! Please see below for pictures and their comments about their second day!

FROM EMILY: Had such a great and busy day today. Started the day with a quick review of the opening number and went into dance rehearsals. After that we ate a quick lunch and had a talk back with some of the vocal coaches. I was coached by the wonderful Liz Calloway (she was the singing voice of Anastasia)!

We also worked on our medleys today and after all that rehearsal we went on a huge party bus. It wasn’t just a bus, however, it was love entertainment! They planted people in the street who would sing, rap, or play instruments. We then ate a Sardis and then got to watch Nice Work If You Can Get It with Matthew Broadrick and Kelli O’hara!! It was so amazing and fun!! Today was an awesome day!! Can’t wait for tomorrow!!

FROM MICHAEL: Today was absolutely spectacular! We started early with an 8am breakfast and went straight into rehearsal. We worked on our solo today and I am so lucky to get to work with Leslie Odom Jr. who is currently starring on the hit NBC show “Smash.”

As rehearsals came to a close, we changed our clothes for a big evening. We went to the famous restaurant “Sardi’s” just off time square. And Emily will agree with me, they had the BEST cheesecake. We also got the opportunity to meet Michael McGrath who is currently playing “Cookie McGee” in “Nice Work If You Can Get It” (the show we were going to see later that evening!).

To end the day, we got to see the the hysterically funny “Nice Work If You Can Get It” with Matthew Broderick and Kelli O’ Hara. After the show, we had the opportunity to ask the cast questions.

Below: Kelli O’Hara on the left, Judy Kaye in the middle, and Estelle Parsons on the right.

Today is Day 3 for Michael, Emily, and the other ladies and gents who are competing in the National HSMTA! And what a day it’s going to be! From staging the finale and the medleys to 1 on 1 solo coaching, their day is full of musical theatre! Other than lunch and dinner, there isn’t much time to breathe until 10p EST tonight! I’m excited to hear about their day today – check back here tomorrow for our next update!

Want to get the blog even faster? Subscribe to/follow our blog to get updates as we post them! Just enter your email address to the right & don’t forget to confirm it via an email we’ll send to you!

Have a great Friday!

-DSM Amanda

Good morning DSM Fans!

Day 1 in New York City for Emily & Michael (the Best Actress & Best Actor from the 2012 DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards) was yesterday, and what a great day it was for them both! Please see below for pictures and their comments about their first day!

FROM EMILY: Finally made it to NYC!!! Ate pizza tonight for dinner with all the wonderful kids and then rehearsed all together for a while. Awesome day!!

FROM MICHAEL: Today was a big day. We started with an early flight and activities went into full swing right when we landed. Me and Emily were in shock from all the cameras walking around and documenting our journey. Although today was a long day, we know this will be an experience we will never forget!

More pictures! See the pictures below from their preparation for the trip and their 1^st day!

Emily’s last voice lesson before New York with the wonderful Mrs. Rebecca Winston!! She is so excited and ready for the Jimmy’s!

Emily and Michael ready for takeoff Broadway bound!

Michael and Emily get to know their fellow actors from across the country at the welcome reception and pizza party at the National HSMTA. We hope they didn’t get too comfortable – rehearsal started right after dinner!

Today is Day 2 for Michael, Emily, and the other ladies and gents who are competing in the National HSMTA! Today they will be in rehearsals for the Opening Number, Medleys, and Finale for the National HSMTA show. They will also be coached 1 on 1 for their solos! After a hard day’s work, they will be in for a treat! Dinner at Sardi’s, a picture of ALL of the contestants in Times Square, and a great show: Nice Work If You Can Get It! To top off their day, they get to have a talkback with the cast after the show! (Make sure you subscribe to/follow our blog to get updates as we post them! Just enter your email address to the right & don’t forget to confirm it via an email we’ll send to you!)

We’re so excited for them here, and a little jealous, and we hope they have the best day! Stay tuned tomorrow for their thoughts about their day!

-DSM Amanda

Hey DSM Fans!

I’d like to introduce our 1^st Annual “All In A Day’s Work” daily blog from the 2012 DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards Best Actor & Actress while they are in New York City participating in The National High School Musical Theater Awards! Michael and Emily, our winners from this year’s DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards (HSMTA), will be blogging daily about their experience in NYC and will keep you up to date about the awesome events they get to participate in!

Emily Emmett and Michael Williams with their awards for Best Actress and Best Actor.

How did they get to go to New York City and participate in the National HSMTA? Because Michael won Best Actor and Emily won Best Actress, they continue on to compete against other winners across the country.

What is the National HSMTA? According to their blog, “The NHS Musical Theater Awards will focus national attention on the importance of theater arts education and heighten the profile of communities and school districts around the United States that provide musical theater study in their curriculum and offer student productions as part of their school activities programming. It will also recognize the regional professional theaters participating in this national awards presentation. Two winners from each local event will be eligible to participate in the New York finals competition.”

What will they do in New York City? Other than rehearsals for the actual awards show and their performance for the judges, tomorrow they will be eating at the legendary Sardi’s restaurant then they will see Nice Work If You Can Get It, and to top it off, a talkback with the cast following the show! They will be coached 1 on 1 with industry professionals, have dinner with a speaker from NYU, get to interview with Telsey Casting, and of course, perform in the 2012 National HSMTA!

When are the National HSMTA? The Awards are on Monday, June 25^th at 7:30pm at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway. 60 talented teens perform songs & medleys from the roles that won them top honors at their local musical theater awards competitions. In this one night only engagement on Broadway, the race is on for the “Jimmy Award” for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor. A panel of industry brass will score performers, winners will be chosen and college scholarships and other prizes will be announced live!

Check back here on our blog tomorrow for Emily & Michael’s first post about their first day in New York!

I am so proud and excited for these 2 extraordinary performers! I wish them the best of luck!

-DSM Amanda