What a powerful musical. I was privileged to experience this phenomenon in April of 2007.
At the end of the performance, the actors and support staff made themselves available for questions from the audience.
The boy who played Young Simba impressed me. He had been singing and dancing since the age of three. One day he walked into the dance studio and saw a group of tap dancers.
He yelled, "Mom, I want some of those! I want shoes like that!"
His mother said, "Forget it, son. All you want to do is make noise."
He insisted and she bought him the shoes. He spent many hours in training - singing, acting and dancing before he auditioned and landed the part.
For his "all-of-eleven" years, most have been spent on stage winning the hearts of audiences all over the world making beautiful noise in the phenomenal musical, The Lion King.
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When new agents pass the state exam, they are handed a shiney, new pair of tap shoes.
Unfortunately, some new licensees join a company that does not provide the right music for the dance. They may set the stage, very few lights, a few old props, but no rehearsal.The singer/actor/agent now potentially exposes himself and his broker to all kinds of danger, liability, and personal injury. In fact, the agent could damage his tap shoes beyond repair and recognition.
Imagine watching a musical where none of the actors, singers, dancers or stage hands were well-trained or well-rehearsed. Disaster.
Training is essential -- not optional.
I have known new licensees to join a firm that offered little or no training. The agent was told that with his license and a little luck, he could be king.
New licensees -- Join a company that places importance on training.
Learn to tap dance. Make some noise. . .
. . . and before you even realize it, you will have tap danced your way into the hearts of buyers and sellers all over the world.
You will have earned your right to be King.
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