ReachOut Blog

Interview: Lee Hirsch, Director of “Bully”

by Meredith Interviews, School

In the new documentary "Bully," director Lee Hirsch takes on the painful but pervasive issue of bullying in schools. Through a small, brave sample -- a Sioux City, Iowa teenager tortured for being different, a lesbian high school student in Oklahoma, families who lost their bullied children to suicide -- of the many young people affected by bullying, the film seeks to be a comfort to those who may feel alone and a call to action for all. We spoke with Lee Hirsch to learn more about the selection process, his ratings battle with the MPAA, the movie's message to bystanders and more. Go see the film in theaters now and also check out our resources on bullying below this post!

What drew you to the issue of bullying?

Lee Hirsch: It was a very personal story, I was bullied as a kid and you carry those memories. As a filmmaker, I know you have to find stories that carry you, that are meaningful to you. This was something I’d been thinking about for many, many, many years. I kept picking it up and putting it down, not knowing how I could do it, or what I would say, or to what extent I would delve into the landscape of my own memories, and finally I felt ready to do it.

Once I started, I realized how much need there was. I wasn’t aware of the statistics when I started. I wasn’t aware of how broadly this impacts people. And I think that’s one of the powerful messages of the film: So many people share this story of having been bullied, having witnessed it, carrying those memories, feeling like they didn’t have a voice around this issue.

So it all really came together, and I felt like this was an important thing to do. That’s how it got started.

How did you find and ultimately select the kids and the families you followed in the film?

Lee Hirsch: A lot of the families we learned about through local news stories. Some we found, and I’m going to keep this broad because we filmed many more families than the ones in the film, like Kelby, her mom had written into The Ellen Degeneres Show about the abuse she was going through and how desperate they felt and how difficult it was. [Ellen's] producers agreed to put us in touch.

Alex is really the main story you experience in the movie. We met him because we had been given access at his school. We had been looking for access and talking to schools about being given access to film inside the school for a year. We met him on orientation day and it struck me that he might be a student who was bullied.

There were different ways, but we found these amazing kids and families that we ultimately selected and filmed for this project.

One of the most disheartening realities you capture in the film is the roadblock that some victims and parents encounter when approaching school administrators and other authority figures about bullies.  Do you see this as a generational disconnect or something else? What is it that you felt these adults weren’t understanding?

Lee Hirsch: I think that the broader question is how can adults really step up here. We’re asking a lot of youth, we’re asking youth to step up, to be upstanders and not to be bystanders. They need partnership from their teachers, from school support staff, from administrators.

I think that there are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful teachers and administrators across our country. And I think that there are some that don’t get this issue, that don’t connect to it, that don’t have the empathy, the training, they’re overwhelmed. They feel like they’ve been given mixed messages about what’s a priority.

I hope that the conversation is a powerful one in the education space. I’m speaking to you right now from Washington D.C. where I’m about to screen the film for a very exciting crowd hosted by the NEA (National Education Association) and the AFT (American Federation of Teachers). We’re really engaged in this conversation in how do we support educators to take this on in a new and more powerful way, to give them the tools that they need. To give them the resources and the push.

On ReachOut we’re currently running a contest asking teen programmers to help empower bystanders to speak out against bullying, so I was just curious what message do you hope the film sends to those young people who see bullying happening around them?  How can they help?

Lee Hirsch: What I’m hearing back is that they’re seeing their own agency. They’re seeing that the things that they may not have identified as bullying matter. They have the power to step in and find really creative ways to be upstanders. They're seeing that they themselves are the changemakers.

We actually have a cool initiative we launched with Ashoka asking youth to come up with responses to the film that create and foster empathy in their schools. This is where we’re most hopeful. We don’t force feed answers in the movie. I have a huge amount of faith and respect for youth. As creative as they are at bullying, I think they can be just as creative in finding solutions. That’s one of the best things that’s happening with the movie right now.

I know you recently resolved the ratings issue with the MPAA by making some slight modifications to language used in the film. Could you comment on that whole episode?

Lee Hirsch: We were given this rating that felt absolutely wrong. We decided to fight it, the kids in the film asked me to fight it. Alex Libby, now 15, went to the MPAA and argued really powerfully for why this rating was wrong and why kids needed to be able to see this and hear the language they hear every day of their lives. I felt that, in particular, there was one scene that I refused to cut because the language was so critical to conveying the experience of being bullied.

And then all this incredible activism happened that I had nothing to do with and couldn’t have dreamed up. Katy Butler and her strength and her courage and her petition on Change.org and the half a million people that ultimately signed on to that. The thing that I would say is they didn’t just sign the petition, they wrote their stories, they wrote letters, they shared it on their Facebook walls. They got the conversation going and they weren’t just talking about the MPAA, they were talking about why bullying is important and why stepping up is important.

How do you respond to the criticism the film simplifies the link between bullying and suicide?

Lee Hirsch:  I don’t think that film simplifies the link between suicide and bullying. I think the film tells the story of five families and two of those families lost their children and those children were seriously bullied. We have 25 partner organizations and some of the smartest people in the world have vetted this film. I don’t think we do that.

We have to talk about bullying and suicide. There is headline after headline after headline. There is tragedy after tragedy. There’s always going to be people who disagree with you, but I believe that what we’re doing is making a difference and it’s a positive difference. That’s really what’s important here.

Right. The important thing is starting a conversation that gets at the complexities of the issue.

Lee Hirsch: And that’s why we have the resources and the viewing guide and the educators and the partnerships and all these organizations that work in the space are engaged and a part of this process because it’s an important conversation. What I'm hearing from hundreds of people now is that they’re seeing this film with their kids and their kids are talking about it with them for the first time in their lives. There are real positive outcomes now from this film and that’s where my focus is.

So what comes next? How can those moved by the film take action?

Lee Hirsch: We want them to engage on our website at bullyproject.com, which is getting better by the day. We have major youth initiatives under the students section of the website. We’re honing that more and more with our youth partners. We want them to step up, let us know how they’re doing it, be creative.

We also set a goal that we want a million kids to see this film. So we’re working on figuring out how to do that. We want to keep cooking!

For more information on bullying and bystanders, see these fact sheets:
What to do if you are being bullied
Cyberbullying
What to do if someone you know is being bullied
Bystanders role in cyberbullying

Have you seen the movie "Bully"? What did you think?

Interview: Meg Haston, Author of ‘How to Rock Braces and Glasses’

by Meredith Books, Interviews

This week, we caught up with author Meg Haston to discuss her latest book, How to Rock Braces and Glasses, making it through middle school and the key to giving good advice as host of gURL.com video series "How to Deal."

We'll also be giving away a free copy of the book to the first three people to leave a comment on the ReachOut website about a trial or triumph from middle school. You must be in the US to receive a book and please use a real email address when you register to comment (we will not distribute or use for marketing purposes). Good luck RO fans!

What inspired you to write "How to Rock Braces and Glasses!"?

Meg Haston: Everyone’s middle and high school experiences are different, but the one universal truth is this: we will all, at some point, feel insecure. When our queen bee protagonist Kacey Simon has to get braces and glasses and no longer looks perfect on the outside, we start to see the insecurities she feels on the inside. I loved the idea of writing about a girl who seems to live a perfect, charmed existence—and showing that even that girl has times when she feels like a major geek.

How much, if any, of the story was drawn from personal experience?

Meg Haston:The story isn’t autobiographical—I was never the most popular in school and I hope I never treated anyone the way Kacey treats people at the start of the book—but I can absolutely relate with the insecurities she feels when she gets braces and glasses. I had both, but I definitely didn’t rock them!

In the book, you explore how "queen bee" Kacey copes after falling in the ranks of her middle school hierarchy. What message do you hope tween and teen readers will take away from Kacey's story?

Meg Haston: I hope that readers will see that how we treat others truly matters—when Kacey falls from grace, she’s forced to take a look at the ways in which she’s been really hurtful to the people around her. And I hope that readers will take away the message that being able to rock anything—braces, glasses, whatever—comes from having inner confidence and believing in yourself.

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming gURL.com web series "How to Deal"? What made you decide to take the leap from writing about an advice columnist to dispensing genuinely helpful insights to teens? What type of topics will you be tackling and how do you develop your responses?

Meg Haston: I’m SO pumped about my upcoming “How to Deal” video series with gURL.com. My background is as a mental health therapist, so shooting these advice videos for gURL feels like an awesome way to dispense some really helpful advice to teens in a cool way.

I’ll be tackling issues that most of us have faced at some point—from how to deal with pushy parents to how to deal with unavailable crushes. When I sit down to develop my responses, I think about what I would say to a girl coming to me as a therapy client with any of these issues. My responses will include a mixture of what I’ve learned and experienced as a therapist, and what I’ve experienced as a teenager dealing with some of these same concerns.

"How to Rock Braces and Glasses!" is also being adapted as a TV show on Nickelodeon. Are you involved? Did you have any specific requests for howthe story and/or characters were translated to the screen?

Meg Haston: Yes! The Nickelodeon show How to Rock will air on Saturday, February 4th at 8:30 PM. I’ve seen the pilot episode and it seriously rocks! My role is as the author of the books, so I’m not involved with the television side of things. But it’s beyond exciting to see these characters that I spent so much time with as I wrote the book come to life on the screen.

As you know, ReachOut is all about helping young people get through a tough time. What helped you get through a tough time as a teen?

Meg Haston: I think the number one thing that has helped me through tough times, both as a teen and as an adult, are the strong relationships I have with family and friends. We’re social creatures—we’re not meant to go through difficult times on our own. When we’re struggling, it’s okay to reach out. It can be tough to ask for help, but having a safe, validating support system is so important.

About Meg Haston:

Meg Haston survived braces and glasses in middle school; whether she rocked them is debatable. She did go on to rock other things, including but not limited to: slap bracelets, a B.S. in Communication Studies from Northwestern University, and an M.Ed. in Professional Counseling from the University of Georgia. HOW TO ROCK BRACES AND GLASSES is her first novel,and she's currently at work on a sequel, coming in Fall 2012. She lives in Jacksonville, FL.

Interview: Delilah, NBC’s “The Sing Off”

by Meredith Interviews, Music

Today's guest post is from ReachOut Council member Chloe, interviewing the all-female a capella group Delilah from season three of NBC's "The Sing-Off."   This is the latest in a series of interviews Chloe has been doing with entertainers on what's gotten them through a tough time. This time around, Chloe was lucky enough to sit down with all eight group members (Amy Whitcomb, Candace Eve, Geena Glaser, Hannah Juliano, Ingrid Andress, Johanna Vinson, Kendall Young and Laina Walker), so for clarity’s sake answers are attributed to each individual. Also, be sure to check out Chloe's bio at the end!

Chloe: How long have you been performing for?

Laina: I’ve been singing since I was a little girl. My grandmother started giving me lessons when I was eight years-old. She started training me in classical when I was eight, and I would do recitals with her that she would have for her students and ever since then, I’ve done random little shows. I performed in middle and high school, and then I’ve performed with Noteworthy (BYU’s female acapella singing group) for two years.

Ingrid: For only about three years, actually. I was actually a sports person in high school, and I wanted to pursue that in college. But it wasn’t until my senior year that I realized was more than just a hobby for me and that I would much rather want to do that than sports. I just started my senior year of high school, and I’m still learning like, how to get over stage fright and stuff. Most people think that I’m the most comfortable person on stage, but I actually get SO nervous.

Chloe: What inspired you to pursue a career as a performer?

Kendall: There are a lot of seeds in my life that led me to follow this and love it and keep pursuing it. I was just always encouraged that this was a gift that I had, and it’s a way of communicating for me. I feel I communicate better through song and music than I do through having a conversation with a person. I feel like when I’m talking, I’m not getting through all of the emotion behind my words. I think that’s why I knew that I needed to sing.

Laina: You know, part of the reason I haven’t started my major until now is because I kind of went back and forth about it. I knew I would be performing my whole life but I didn’t know if I wanted to major in it. Eventually, I just came to the conclusion that it’s something that I absolutely love to do. I know that it’s not going to be easy, but anything worth doing is going to be hard. I was really lucky to have supportive parents and they’ve been there for me since day one and their support has been a huge deciding factor in choosing music as a career path. I think that eventually I would like to do teaching, but until then, I want to take advantage of as many opportunities that come my way.

Chloe: Who in your career/personal life do you look up to or admire? Why?

Amy: I really look up to my mom, and I think I always will. She is very selfless and very service-oriented and her life is serving others and she has always set such a great example of that. If I am starting to get a little too self-indulgent and selfish, I remember my mom and how happy she is because she serves other people. I also really look up to my friend Catherine. She was a mentor to me in college and she’s still chasing after her dreams and she’s so talented and so humble and her humility and determination and passion has really inspired me.

I also really look up to Lady GaGa because of her complete devotion to her fans and because of the strong objective she has for performing. She never has an unmotivated performance. She has a reason for every performance and that objective is deep in her soul and it’s really apparent. She is 100% nuts, but I love that about her. She’s probably the performer that I most look up to.

Geena: I think my mom and my sister are two people that I’ve always admired and looked up to. My sister actually is a singer too and she started the performing thing first so I watched her do that and, not followed her in any sense because we’re very different in what we perform, but she opened that door for me. And my mom is just an incredible woman and has always reminded me to stay strong and has always been really really supportive.

Chloe: You've been on "The Sing Off" twice now. How are your experiences on the show similar and different from one another?

Candace: Season one with Voices of Lee was different because it was a guinea pig experience for everyone that season.  I was way more nervous just because I didn’t have a clue what it all meant and couldn’t fathom who was watching.  It just had the whole “new” experience feeling.  Season three with Delilah felt so magical for the way our group came together. A lot of it is unexplainable to outsiders. We all realize the special bond that has happened every single rehearsal, conversation with each other, stepping out on that stage each and every show. I know that God brought us together, this kind of stuff doesn’t happen every day.  We are very fortunate.

Ingrid: What’s different is the whole approach that I’ve been taking with the show. Last season, it was really new and we did more of what they wanted, it was more of a timid approach. It helped me realize that it’s better to stay true to who you are as a musician rather than conforming to modern music and what it wants you to do. This season it was more of the attitude that “We’re going to go in here and perform what we want and take a song that’s popular and put our own spin on it”. This year I felt more in control musically and I felt more confident in what we are singing. This season was also a big learning experience for me because I hardly have any friends that are girls unfortunately and so I went into thinking “Wow, I’m going to be with seven other girls” and so it really helped me appreciate being more of a girl and having that bond, and it was an empowering feeling. I am definitely a different person after hanging out with all of those girls.

Chloe: Given that you are all very close to your faith and beliefs, do you feel any kind of pressure or conflict to conform your values and morals when it comes to being mainstream?

Amy: That’s a really good question, and that’s actually something that I’ve really been struggling with, and yes. Something that I’ve realized within the past few months is that I’ve always known who I am. I’ve always had a good grip on who I was and who I wanted to be and the entertainment industry, as much of a gift and blessing music is, it can be used in a lot of bad ways too. A lot of times people are just unnecessarily vulgar and it really starts to wear on me. Basically what I have realized is that even when I’m confused, I do know what is me and it’s a matter of recommitting to that every day. I think it’s a matter of staying spiritually strong and sticking to the things that have gotten me so far.

Kendall: I feel like music is not mine. Whenever I sing/perform/write a song, I always think of it as something that the Lord is doing through me and I’m just there to give it to other people. It’s always just about giving for me. On the Sing-Off, I didn’t feel any pressure to sing certain things and perform certain ways, it was really nice. There were a lot of other people who loved Jesus as well, so we bonded together and would talk about things and it was great to be able to talk to other people about those sorts of things. Everything that I do goes back to him, and it’s the whole reason why I sing.

Chloe: Who in your career/personal life do you look up to or admire? Why?

Amy: I really look up to my mom, and I think I always will. She is very selfless and very service-oriented and her life is serving others and she has always set such a great example of that. If I am starting to get a little too self-indulgent and selfish, I remember my mom and how happy she is because she serves other people. I also really look up to my friend Katherine. She was a mentor to me in college and she’s still chasing after her dreams and she’s so talented and so humble and her humility and determination and passion has really inspired me.

I also really look up to Lady GaGa because of her complete devotion to her fans and because of the strong objective she has for performing. She never has an unmotivated performance. She has a reason for every performance and that objective is deep in her soul and it’s really apparent. She is 100% nuts, but I love that about her. She’s probably the performer that I most look up to.

Geena: I think my mom and my sister are two people that I’ve always admired and looked up to. My sister actually is a singer too and she started the performing thing first so I watched her do that and, not followed her in any sense because we’re very different in what we perform, but she opened that door for me. And my mom is just an incredible woman and has always reminded me to stay strong and has always been really really supportive.

Chloe: In your career, describe a tough time or a personal struggle that you've gone through.

Hannah Juliano: When it comes to music, The Sing Off is the hardest thing that I’ve ever had to do in my life. I’ve never been more exhausted. Your voice gets tired, your emotions run dry, you’re constantly being inspired, and your mood just goes up and down each minute because it feels like one day is three weeks long

Chloe: In your personal life, describe a tough time or a personal struggle you've dealt with.

Geena Glaser: When I was about 10 or 11, I was diagnosed with Scoliosis, and I was told that I was going to have to wear a back brace for three years during middle school, which is probably the worst point in your life to have to deal with that. So I wore a back brace for those three years, which was plastic and went from like, right under my bra to right below my belt. It was really uncomfortable and painful actually, and it was mentally hard to deal with because I was self-conscious about it. I wore really baggy clothing and I didn’t want anyone to touch me because I didn’t want anyone to know, so it was a lot being in middle school and being so concerned about appearance and just being hyper aware of what people thought about me. I had this huge secret that I needed to keep from everywhere just for my personal sanity. It was something that was really rough for me.

 I had some really wonderful friends [who helped me get through it]. I’ve had the same best friend since I was in first grade, and she was really great about it. She just made me feel comfortable, she didn’t make me feel self-conscious in any sense and it was just part of who I was and that was fine. She kept me grounded in that. My mom was really wonderful in the same sense. She just kept me grounded as well and didn’t let me stray from being me. It’s so easy to get caught up in middle school with all of the drama and whatnot, but it was nice to have people there to remind me that everything was going to be okay.

Chloe: Who/what helps you deal with day-to-day life?

Jo: My friends, absolutely. A couple of years ago, I had a really tough time. I couldn’t find a job and I was just struggling and it was my rock bottom. The only reason I got through it was because of my friends. They were there for me emotionally and pulled me out of a lot of intense situations. I don’t think I would be who I am and be able to do what I do if it wasn’t for them. If not for my friends being the most incredible support system, I would not be where I am and doing what I love. I feel like the universe gave me all of the best people, and I love it.

Hannah: It’s so cheesy, but the girls in Delilah. I couldn’t have done any of that experience without them. There’s just so great and supportive. You’d expect it to be really difficult being in a group with seven other girls, with emotions and attitudes, but we don’t have any of that. We worked so well together and we are so much more than just a group for a t.v. show, it’s more than that. We really wanted to inspire people and change people’s perception. So those girls, my best friends, my family. Those are the people that I really lean on. I’ve got a really good support team, I got very lucky with that.

Chloe: What message or advice would you give to others trying to get through tough times or personal struggles?

Candace: First of all, just know that YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE FEELING THIS WAY. You’re not the only one who has ever felt this struggle or challenge in your life. That’s not to take away from the uniqueness of your circumstance or situation, it really just means that you’re not alone. You are really not alone. I believe that God works through our family and friends and even strangers to impact our lives in a positive way. Everyone is different. But, I believe God’s power is the same and sufficient for everyone.

Jo: Take things a day at a time. Setting a goal for yourself is a wonderful idea. If you know that things will be better because you will make them that way in like six months or so, that’s something to work towards and focus on and I think that it really helps. If you’re kind of just wallowing and you don’t know when it’s going to end, you have to take things a day at a time and force yourself to push through. Know that you are the only person that is in charge of your life and you can use the people around you and their love to motivate yourself. People can only help you if you can help yourself. You need to have faith in yourself and that things will get better and the only thing that will hold you back is if you don’t try.

About Delilah
A conglomeration of singers, mostly from the first two seasons of "The Sing-Off." This talented all-female a cappella group includes Amy and Laina of BYU Noteworthy and Candace from Voices of Lee from season one. Kendall from Eleventh Hour and Hannah and Ingrid from Pitch Slapped of Berklee College of Music joined the group from season two. And rounding out the group is Johanna and Geena, two members of Divisi, the all-female a cappella group from The University of Oregon.

About Chloe

Hi there! My name's Chloe and I'm originally from New York but currently living in South County,  Rhode Island. I'm a freshman psychology major and a Non-Violence and Peace Studies minor at the University of Rhode Island. Although I am studying psychology, I have a real passion for musical theatre and performing and my ultimate dream would be to perform on Broadway one day. In my spare time, I like to read, sing, dance, shop, hang out with my friends, and have a good time. I am so excited to be a part of the Youth Council and happy to have the chance to get involved in helping out others!

Interview: Ryann Redmond, aka ‘Bridget’ in ‘Bring It On: The Musical’

by RO_Admin Interviews, Music

Today's guest post is from ReachOut Council member Chloe, interviewing performer Ryann Redmond, who is currently playing the role of Bridget in the national tour of "Bring It On." This is the latest in a series of interviews Chloe has been doing for ReachOut with members of the Broadway community about how they have gotten through a tough time. Also, check out Chloe's bio at the end!

Chloe: How long have you been performing for?

Ryann: I’ve been performing since I was about thirteen, right when I was going into eighth grade in middle school.

Chloe: What inspired you to pursue a career as a performer/artist?

Ryann: Well I started doing Broadway Dreams [workshops] as a student about seven years ago. I auditioned that day and one of the founders, Adam Hunter, really saw something and that was the one thing I needed. He was like 'Oh, you could be in the Hairspray movie and you could do this, and do that..' and I thought 'Alright, well if he thinks I could do this, then I think I could do this as a career.'

Chloe: Who in your life do you look up to? Why?

Ryann: Annette [Tanner] is someone that I definitely look up to and admire because she’s been there for me throughout this whole process and me starting to work professionally. She’s been my number one fan aside from my mother, who I also look up to. I come from a family of six kids, so it hasn’t been the easiest to pay for lessons and things like that, but those two people have always supported me and made it work no matter what. Professionally, I think anyone who’s working on Broadway right now. I want to be a working actress and be able to do this and not anything else. And of course the greats, like Patti LuPone and people like that.

Chloe: In your career/personal life, describe a tough time or personal struggle that you’ve gone through.

Ryann: I haven’t gone through any tough times in my career yet, but in middle school, I was definitely the bigger girl and got made fun of for being fat, but I think that has really formed who I am right now. I am so sarcastic and can brush anything off and am always the class clown, and am also very confident in my body and very happy with what I’ve got. A lot of times people say that things like that will translate into the theatre world because it’s so focused on a “type” or a “look.” I was prepared for “You know you’re not going to be the ingenue or the leading lady,” and I am completely fine with that. I love being the character actress, I love being the comedic relief. With “Bring It On,” which is the show that I’m about to go on tour with, that’s what I am, and it’s like a dream come true.

Chloe: Who/what helped you get through your tough times?

Ryann: My mom definitely. She’s always taught me to hold my head up high and keep going. Once I started doing theatre, I really broke out of my shell like crazy. It was clear that I was supposed to be on stage and I just ham it up and that’s somewhere where I could just be myself with all of the theatre “geeks.” At the same time, I played some softball so I kind of saw both sides. Once high school came along, everything was great. I just really dug deep into theatre, and I had a great theatre program in high school and wonderful director and that’s where I spent pretty much all of my time.

Chloe: What message would you send to others trying to get through tough times?

Ryann: Well, there’s really no way to not be cliche. You can’t worry about what other people are saying because you’re here for a reason and you’re supposed to be who you are and no one can change that, so why not embrace it? Do your own thing.

What has helped you break out of your shell and come into who you really are?

About Ryan
Ryann Redmond can currently be seen on the National Tour of Bring It On the Musical playing the role of Bridget. She was lucky enough to originate this role in the reading, workshop and Atlanta World Premiere. Ryann attended NYU Tisch's CAP21 Studio. NY Credits: NYU Reality Show at Madison Square Gardenand Radio City Music Hall, The Daughters at Joe's Pub, and various productions at NYU. Ryann could not be happier to be on the road with such an amazing show with the best cast and creative team around!

About Chloe
Hi there! My name's Chloe and I'm originally from New York but currently living in South County,  Rhode Island. I'm a freshman psychology major and a Non-Violence and Peace Studies minor at the University of Rhode Island. Although I am studying psychology, I have a real passion for musical theatre and performing and my ultimate dream would be to perform on Broadway one day. In my spare time, I like to read, sing, dance, shop, hang out with my friends, and have a good time. I am so excited to be a part of the Youth Council and happy to have the chance to get involved in helping out others!

Interview: Annette Tanner, Executive Director, Broadway Dreams Foundation

by RO_Admin Interviews

Today's guest post is from ReachOut Council member Chloe, interviewing Annette Tanner, Executive Director, Broadway Dreams Foundation. This is the second in a series of interviews Chloe is conducting with folks in the Broadway community about what's gotten them through a tough time. Also, check out Chloe's bio at the end!

Chloe: How did you get started working in the performing arts field?

Annette: Out of school in New Zealand, I went to film school and I always thought that I wanted to act, but as soon as I got there, I realized I wasn't that good at it. I could tell talent much better than I was at actually acting so I went into casting from film school.

Chloe: What made you want to become involved/ create a foundation like Broadway Dreams?

Annette: I think that there have been many moments throughout the course of seven years where I've asked myself “Why am I doing this?” because the arts don't pay particularly well and there's lots of struggles and doors that close. But along with those moments, there have been plenty where I have seen someone's life change, and I know that I'm making a big difference in somebody's life, and it's those moments that just inspire me all of the time. What we do is not something that I see people trying to do. I know there are plenty of classes out there but [Broadway Dreams] is much more than that. It's just so rewarding over and over again.

Chloe: Who in your life, both personally and professionally, do you look up to and why?

Annette: I look up to Quentin Earl Darrington after this summer as a teacher. I find him one of the most inspirational human beings there is. I remember sitting in a classroom and thinking “If he ran for president, and I could vote, I would vote for him.” I believe in him; he does everything for the right reasons. He is a real inspiration for me. I'm also inspired by a lot of the students. It's not always that kid who comes in, and I know they're going to go on and have a career, it's those who come back year after year and a year later I can see that they've really worked hard at classes. I'm inspired by them because no matter where they go, that perseverance and commitment is so exciting, and I am just constantly inspired by different people.

Chloe: What is your favorite thing about being a part of this organization?

Annette: Wow, there's many, but I think “Who gets to hear great voices and get to be a part of a creative process like this and that's their job?!”, that's my favorite thing. I often think that I should be paying to do this job rather than being paid.

Chloe: In your career or your personal life, describe a tough time or personal struggle that you’ve dealt with.

Annette: I was adopted, so dealing with that was rough. Finding my real mother and a whole bunch of other brothers and sisters and knowing where you fit in and feeling not part of any one family is a lot. Even though I am, it's something that psychologically goes on in your life. I think that's why Broadway Dreams feels like a family in a way. People just come in and we form bonds and I think a lot of that comes from my own history. I want people to feel like they're a part of something, I genuinely believe in that.

Chloe: Who/what helped you get through your tough times, both in your career and in your personal life?

Annette: I think it's always come down to support of other people. Genuine relationships. You know Chloe, all that really matters in life is love and really caring about others, that is the absolute most important thing. One thing I think in this field is learning that it's never about you, and always about others; it gives you so much more in your life. I don't know if it's any one person, I think it's always evolving. But I will say that there are people who have been in my life for many years. Dave Barrus, who is one of the founders of Broadway Dreams also, he's been in my life for over 20 years and he has always supported me and vice versa.

Chloe: What message or advice would you send to those who are either looking to get into performing or are just trying to deal with tough times?

Annette: At Broadway Dreams, we have a lot of kids who come in and are dealing with personal struggles. It used to be a lot of the time being involved in musical theatre, you were often the odd kid out. You were a freak in some ways, especially kids who are dealing with their sexuality. When you see people from all over the country with the same belief and work as a support system, it's incredible. Broadway Dreams is a safe place, it's a place where you know you can realize your dreams. I've had kids come in and tell me that their teachers told them “You can't dance because you're too fat." Really? That's horrible. But there are people out there who are supportive and have been there, it's incredible. There is so much support from the mentors and it builds so much confidence in kids, not only in theatre but in general. The arts education portion we are taking out of schools is destroying the caliber of human beings. If you are desperate and depressed and life is getting you down, what do you do? Put on a song. There's something that's arts related that you go to. We have to got to keep that going. I know that to be true.

I think the most important thing that I want kids to take away from this are the words “I can.” We are so often told that we can't. Our students are often those kids in the back of the room that you're not giving a second thought to that with the right training and motivation and support, they persevere, and that's what most excites me. When people realize that their dreams can come true. I always say that every day, someone in your peer group is giving up. If you don't give up and keep going and do everything that you need to in order to make it happen, wherever you land will be much higher than you ever truly envisioned. Just keep going, don't give up. I think “I can” is where I would say we give the most.

What's your dream and what are you doing to realize it?

About Chloe
Hi there! My name's Chloe and I'm originally from New York but currently living in South County,  Rhode Island. I'm a freshman psychology major and a Non-Violence and Peace Studies minor at the University of Rhode Island. Although I am studying psychology, I have a real passion for musical theatre and performing and my ultimate dream would be to perform on Broadway one day. In my spare time, I like to read, sing, dance, shop, hang out with my friends, and have a good time. I am so excited to be a part of the Youth Council and happy to have the chance to get involved in helping out others!

About Annette Tanner
Annette is one of the four founders and the executive director of the organization Broadway Dreams Foundation. BDF is a traveling performing arts training program that brings aspiring performers one step closer to their Broadway dream. With a faculty made up of todays biggest Broadway stars, casting directors, choreographers and agents dedicated to giving back to the theatrical community, the organization provides invaluable training to anyone who aspires to a career in musical theater. The programs are varied and exciting and our faculty passionate and knowledgeable. Former students are currently performing in Broadway shows and are attending the very best Musical Theater programs through out the country.