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This week on Theatre People I am so excited to introduce you to Brian Curl. Brian is an actor, choreographer and national teaching artist who lives in Philadelphia. Brian built an online dance and choreography tool called daily8count, and he is a fantastic teacher as well. Enjoy Brian’s musings on the topics of theatre and dance!
Brian Curl, theatrical actor, choreographer and national teaching artist.
I love ensemble based musicals. When I was introduced to Come From Away, I was blown away. The storytelling at the heart of the production gave me chills from the beginning to the end! The simple yet effective staging was dynamic and intimate at the same time. I can’t wait for this musical to be released for regional productions because I would LOVE to direct/choreograph it!
My happiest moment in theatre hasn’t just happened, but continues to happen each time I work in the world of educational theatre. I LOVE teaching the power of storytelling. Just because you sing the notes on the page, read the lines in the script, or dance the steps you are taught does NOT mean you are ACTING the material! Working with student actors on delving into characters and creating the meaning behind the material is utterly fulfilling.
In summer stock we were doing a production of The Music Man. During the ‘Wells Fargo Wagon’ song, there is a line “I got some salmon from Seattle last September” and a line “I got a box of maple sugar on my birthday.” Well, we get to this section of the song and the guy singing the solo line flubbed and out came “I got a box of SALMONELLA on my birthday.” To which the entire cast slowly started the church giggles and could barely get through the rest of the song!
Theatre allows both actors and audience to lose themselves for a period of time. To break down the disconnect of our differences and to allow the magic of theatre to transport us to another place TOGETHER!
LEARNING!
Every piece of theatre teaches us something. Whether it is about a cultural background, a historical moment, or a life situation…theatre universally draws in the audience and gives them the understanding that we are all connected. People should respect people, regardless of their differences.
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More about Brian:
Brian Curl is a professional teaching artist, actor, choreographer, director, and producer. After 17 years, he recently relocated from NYC to Philadelphia. Since 2008, Brian has been traveling the world teaching at conferences, festivals, high schools, and colleges/universities. As an actor, he has performed in 49 of the 50 states as well as off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway, regional theatres, summer stock, and at Walt Disney World. Brian is also the Educational Director for the pre-Broadway musical Austen’s Pride.
Jerald Bolden: Performer, Choreographer, Teacher – Theatre People
Abby McCuen: Ballet Producer, Grant Writer and Educator – Theatre People
Mitch is the Founding Creative Director of Theatre Avenue, where he designs digital projections for the performing arts. For the last 14 years, Mitch has produced digital content for theatre and ballet companies, universities, and schools internationally. His work ranges from original illustration, animation, and motion design for productions such as Willy Wonka, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, The Wizard of Oz, Annie, Lion King and beyond. Mitch travels the country teaching projection design workshops, conducts virtual learning sessions, publishes media content, and writes for theatre magazines and blogs. Before his dive into the theatrical world, Mitch was an art director and designer creating nationwide campaigns for corporate and non-profit organizations like NBC News, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and the Alzheimer’s Association. He worked for 10 years with hundreds of clients as a graphic and web designer, illustrator, and motion graphics artist. Mitch earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at Ball State University, where he studied art and design, the humanities, and computer animation.
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