Students from Brockenhurst College’s Performing Arts department enjoyed an unforgettable six-day creative experience in New York this month, taking part in Broadway workshops, professional classes and behind-the-scenes tours across the city.
The group, which included students studying Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts and Production Arts, spent five nights in the city and took part in a programme designed to broaden their skills and deepen their understanding of the performing arts industry.
During the trip, students took part in a Broadway acting workshop led by a professional performer, joined a class at Broadway Dance and went backstage at the Metropolitan Opera to see how sets, costumes and technical infrastructure are created.
They also visited many of Manhattan’s most iconic locations, including Central Park, Grand Central Station, the 9/11 Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, the Top of the Rock and the High Line from Chelsea to Hudson Yards. The group explored Little Italy, Greenwich Village and well-known television and film locations, including the apartment buildings from Friends and Sex and the City.
Students also had free time to see shows of their choice in the evenings, with several receiving shout-outs and conversations with cast members, including Sam Tutty from Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York, Jodie Steele from Heathers the Musical and Kurt Elling, who stars in Hadestown.
Chris Brown, Dance and Performing Arts teacher, said:
“It was an incredibly enriching and inspiring experience for all the students. The trip gave them a glimpse into what their future in the performing arts could look like and ignited new aspirations for what they can achieve.”
Finn Allen, who studies Level 3 Performing Arts said:
“The reason I went on this trip was because I wanted to experience the amazing opportunities of being in New York and take part in all the activities the trip offered. Highlights for me were the Broadway workshop, visiting the Top of the Rock and taking part in acting and improvisation sessions. I have already been able to use the skills I learned in my Level 3 Performing Arts course.”
The Performing Arts department plans to continue offering international opportunities that bring industry insight to life and help students develop the skills and confidence needed for future study and careers in the creative industries.
