On Friday, September 26th, 15 Paint Branch Perspectives members attended an ArtSpeak! event at Blake High School.
ArtSpeak! is a free program that brings performing artists to the Washington, DC area schools in an effort to increase student interest in theater and the arts by bringing in Broadway stars to perform and discuss their careers.
Excitement for this event began to build when ArtSpeak! organizers revealed that Patti LuPone, a Broadway legend and Tony Award winner, would be the featured guest for this month’s event.
Students lined up in the hallways of Blake, eagerly waiting for the auditorium doors to open, ready to claim the best seats in the house. Ms. LuPone humorously teased the crowd as she peaked out from behind the curtain as student presenters attempted to introduce her over the clapping and screaming crowd of excited theater students.
Throughout the evening, Ms. LuPone answered questions about her career as both an actor and a singer as well as gave students tips on how to conquer stage freight, preserve vocals through multiple performances, and be a memorable actor.
Missy Tucker explains, ‘It was really inspiring to watch Patti LuPone’s performances because she is so incredibly talented, and it was really interesting to learn about her profession.”