Lights Up: The High School Theater Podcast

She's an insider on the Jimmys and on the Rees Awards (which she won). She has thoughts.

Director-choreographer Halle Mastroberardino joins Pete to share her unique perspective on the Roger Rees Awards and the Jimmy Awards. Halle won the Rees Award (when it was The Gershwin) and participated in the Jimmys. Now, she's on the team teaching choreography at both awards programs. She has thoughts about auditions, pressure and how parents can help. Get full access to Pete Kramer at petekramer.substack.com/subscribe [https://petekramer.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Podcast: When a 16-year-old Stephen Ferri saved 'Aida,' and his theater career since

I was so happy to welcome Stephen Ferri, executive producer of White Plains Performing Arts Center, to the “Lights Up: High School Theater Podcast” this week to talk about Broadway, studying at Purchase College, running a regional theater and the time when he was a sophomore in high school and saved "Aida" by stepping in to conduct the all-pro orchestra. At age 16. Get full access to Pete Kramer at petekramer.substack.com/subscribe [https://petekramer.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Amid musical season, an event honoring non-musicals

Cyndi Feinman, the theater director at Rye Neck High School in Westchester County, New York, joins Pete to talk about the Eastern Student Artist Guild Awards, honoring high school students for their work on non-musical productions. The third annual ESAG Awards will be bestowed on April 20, 2026, at Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, New York. Details at www.easternstudentartistguild.org Get full access to Pete Kramer at petekramer.substack.com/subscribe [https://petekramer.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Lights Up podcast: What theater kids have taught their directors

Directors Nadia Rizzo of Pleasantville High School and Christina Colangelo of Blind Brook High School join Pete to talk about what they've learned from their theater kids over the course of their careers. Get full access to Pete Kramer at petekramer.substack.com/subscribe [https://petekramer.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Lights Up podcast: Teaching musical actors to act

In the first 10 minutes of this week’s “Lights Up” podcast, Neil Schleifer and Tom Beck from Pelham Memorial High School in Pelham, New York, dig into the work they do to make sure that their actors create fully formed characters every time out. Schleifer says that work begins on Day One of rehearsal, with a character circle, in which each actor answers the question -- “Who am I?” -- in as many ways as they can, based on what they know from the script. The next conversation, Beck says, answers the question “What do I want?” Then, Schleifer says, the conversations go deeper. “Are they willing to lie to get what they want? Cheat? Bribe? Steal? Kill? Are they willing to listen? Are they willing to learn? Do they apply sincerity, honesty, trust to get what they want? These are all choices and there are dozens of possibilities. Rehearsal is for deciding which choice works best.” Get full access to Pete Kramer at petekramer.substack.com/subscribe [https://petekramer.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]