Reid Accepted to Broadway Artists Alliance program

New Albany MS-New Albany High School student, Emma Reid, has been accepted into the Broadway Artists Alliance training program in New York City, July 22—26, 2019.

The Broadway Artists Alliance of New York City is an elite, audition-based program that provides professional training for young musical theatre performers. The program is uniquely situated in the heart of New York City, and offers classes taught by Tony Award winners, Broadway performers and New York’s top casting directors, agents, coaches and choreographers. Candidates audition to be voice, acting, or dance majors and, if accepted, get to study in New York City with other students from around the country and overseas.

Reid, a rising junior at New Albany High School,was most recently seen in the role of Mayzie LaBirdin Seussical the Musical at NAHS this past spring. She also appeared in the opening and closing numbers of the Orpheum’s High School Musical Theater Awards show, where her production number, “Amazing Mayzie” was nominated for outstanding production number; one of eight nominations NAHS received for the 2019 Seussical production. Reid auditioned for the BAA Summer Intensive program this spring and was accepted into all three areas of study. She has elected to major in vocal studies and is ready to take this next step in her stage career.

“I’m excited to study with some of the very best performers on Broadway,” said Reid. “This is a chance to improve my skills and receive advice from those who really know what it takes to make it in musical theater.”

Broadway Artists Alliance students work to develop their “Triple Threat” performance skills while learning about the business of acting and making connections with industry professionals. Reid’s week-long immersive study will culminate with a final industry showcase where the students perform both group work and solo material for top NYC agents, managers and casting directors.

Students receive group instruction and private coaching in disciplines including audition technique, song interpretation, monologue work, scene study, on-camera acting, and musical theatre dance from instructors including active Broadway artists and Tony Award winners.

“Getting that first glimpse of the class schedule was really exciting for me,” she said. “My master classes are with outstanding artists who will really challenge me to grow, and I’m really looking forward to some of the dance classes where we will be learning combinations from shows like Hamilton and The Prom.”

In order to prepare for her week in New York, Reid has been assigned a student advisor who has been coaching her through song selections, master class preparation and elective class enrollment. “It’s a lot like school,” Reid stated. “If you want to be good, and look good in the final showcase, you have to do your homework and be ready to give it your all when you arrive.”

Reid’s trip to New York is just a small part of her busy theatrical summer. She is currently assisting with two youth theater camps in New Albany, working on a local production of “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” and will be heading to Mississippi State University on July 6, 2019, to attend her second year of the Summer Scholars on Stage Production Camp, where gifted students learn and stage a musical production written exclusively by high school students.

Emma is the daughter of Bill and Renee Reid of New Albany, Mississippi. She plans to pursue a degree in Musical Theater and actively perform on Broadway, or other such entertainment stages, as well as teach younger students the love of performing arts.

The Broadway Artists Alliance will live stream the group performance portion of the industry showcase, beginning 2:30 pm (EST) on Friday, July 26, 2019, via social media through @BAAofNYCon Instagram and on Facebook at fb.me/BroadwayArtistsAlliance.

–Renee Reid