The Showstopper Blog

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

Jewish American Heritage Month: Celebrating Yiddish Theatre!

This May marks Jewish American Heritage Month and in this blog post we are celebrating the Golden Age of Yiddish Theatre in America with some fun facts that might have passed you by!

Theatre Programs: Safety versus Rigor

As theatre educators, how do we build a safe space for rigor that is both healthy and productive in our programs? Let's discuss!

Top 5 New Works Plays For Small Casts

In search of an original, new play to read or perform? Well, look no further. This blog post is for you! Here are our top five shows with small casts.

From Stage to Screen: When Musicals Become Movies

From the recent movie adaptation of Cats to the phenomenally successful film of Chicago...why are movie musicals so hit and miss?! Let's take a look!

Learn an aria in 10 easy steps!

What does it take to learn an aria? How many things are involved? How do I track my progress? Where would I even start? Follow this guide to help you understand the process of learning an aria.

Intimacy Onstage: One Director’s Experience

Directing intimacy is challenging and potentially uncomfortable. In this blog post, we explore the basic principles of successfully directing intimacy on stage.

Shining the Spotlight on Great Contemporary Female Playwrights

We continue to commemorate Women’s History Month with a celebration of some brilliant contemporary female playwrights! Who else would you add to this list?

10 Empowering Musical Theatre Songs Written by Women for Women

As we move towards International Women's Day (March 8th....note it down folks!), we're taking a look at the work of some incredible women who broke through the male-dominated world of musical theatre writing. So get ready to delve deep into these brilliant songs written by women for women.

Casting Expectations: When your body is (not) the problem

As Women's History Month continues, today we're looking at casting expectations and the pressure to conform to society's and media's standards of beauty.

Awesome Female Playwrights in the Public Domain

To celebrate Women’s History Month, we are turning the clock back and shining the spotlight on some awesome female playwrights from bygone eras. Enjoy!

Anna Deavere Smith & Verbatim Theatre

As we come to the end of Black History Month and celebrate the diverse artists who have helped shape the theatre, we take you on a quick journey through verbatim theatre and explore the powerful works of Anna Deaveare Smith.

Highlighting Black Opera

Celebrating and highlighting operas by black composers, we take a look at four important works by four leading black composers.