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The Showstopper Blog

Theatre blog for the StageAgent community including audition tips, acting and singing advice, interviews with theatre industry experts and career advice.

Playwriting Prompts for Teachers

Looking for new ways to engage your students in your playwriting class? Brit Christopher explores a series of prompts that she often uses with her students, along with some example scenes. Happy writing!

9 Tips For Refreshing Your Repertoire

It’s always a good idea to periodically refresh your repertoire so you can feel confident when walking into your next audition. Here are some top tips to help you fall back in love with your audition book!

The Gist of Gister

There's no shortage of acting techniques out there, but today we're exploring the work of an often-overlooked pioneer in acting training, Earle Gister. Let's take a look at his method and how it compares to other techniques.

Directing Middle School: A How-To Guide

First time directing middle schoolers? These "hilarious little sponges" may keep you on your toes, but Brit Christopher has some great tips on working with the best kind of students you'll find!

Review: Episode 2 of Crossovers Live! with Marc Shaiman and Megan Hilty

Check out our review of Episode 2 of Crossovers Live! with Marc Shaiman & Megan Hilty. It's a smash! Through a special partnership between StageAgent and Crossovers Live, we arranged for the stars to answer a question from a student in Lisa Cotie's class at Booker T. Washington School of Performing Arts.

Broadway Stars Join Brian Stokes Mitchell on Crossovers Live!

Crossovers Live! is the new, live streaming talk show hosted by Tony Award-winning actor, Brian Stokes Mitchell. Cheeky, thought-provoking, and wildly entertaining; iconic artists share rarely heard stories and elaborate on their transition between different types of stardom.

A Beast of a Time: How I Directed Disney in a Pandemic

Let's take you on a journey! In our latest blog post, we discover the highs and lows of directing Beauty and the Beast during a global pandemic.

I'm a Middle School Drama Teacher: My Job is Not Silly

What's your first thought when you think of a middle school drama teacher? Here, Brit Christopher tells us why being a drama teacher isn't simply all fun & games.

Teaching Theatre in a (Not Actually) Post-COVID World

Drama teachers & students have all longed for a post-COVID classroom, but we're not in a post-COVID world just yet. So, how do we move forward as school starts up?

Funding Your School Theatre Program - Where Do You Start?

How does funding a school theatre program happen? The key is to know where to look! Let's take a look at the financial resources you should consider.

The Musical Mouse: Dissecting Disney on Broadway

Disney on Broadway is a theatrical phenonemon but, as this blog post explores, it was a risky move to shift from film to stage. Let's take a look!

Useful Tips on Planning a School Theatre Season

We all know that planning is key. So what are the main things to consider when planning your theatre program for the upcoming school year? Let's take a look!