While the world is currently in round two of a battle with Covid-19, Broadway has hundreds of secret weapons up their sleeve: SWINGS!!!
From swings making their debuts, to swings hopping into leading roles last minute, to swing alumni re-entering shows that they’ve been out of for years, swings have come out swinging (pun intended) with the drive, perseverance, and determination to keep Broadway on its feet.
These artists have been here all along, and yet it took a pandemic for them to finally receive the public recognition and praise that they deserve. So who are these rockstars that have always kept Broadway open for business and what is it like to be have a career as a swing?
Well we know some powerhouse ladies that definitely know a thing or two about the swing life: Dara Adler (The Phantom of the Opera), Brittany Nicholas (Mean Girls), and Lauryn Ciardullo (Aladdin)
Check out some footage from our Swing Tell-All Q&A last February to hear about these women’s incredible swing careers!
Dara Adler’s Swing Career
“I’ve learned that there’s a certain type of personality that’s conducive to becoming a swing”
What Dara has been a swing for: The Phantom of the Opera
Dara’s advice for aspiring swings: focus, do your prep, and have a sense of humor
How being a swing impacted Dara’s career: Being a swing allowed Dara to continue to find new things about a long-running show and maintain her sense of wonder
What Brittany has been a swing for: Billy Elliot, Matilda the Musical, and Mean Girls
How long Brittany’s final callback for Billy Elliot was: 8 hours
Brittany’s mantra for aspiring swings: it’s important to embrace your mistakes and have a mentality of “cancel and continue”
What Lauryn has been a swing for: The Wizard of Oz, A Chorus Line, West Side Story, The Addams Family, and Aladdin
How many roles Lauryn covers in Aladdin: 8 roles!
What Lauryn does backstage: Lauryn likes to stay attentive and watch the show, because little things shift over time and it’s important to implement those changes into tracks that she hasn’t gone on for in a while
Be sure to book a Meet-and-Greet or Coaching with these artists to learn more about their experiences and insights as successful swings in the theatre industry.
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Want to see if the swing life is for you? Do you have what it takes to become a swing? Book Brittany Nicholas’s Broadway Swing Masterclass to get the VIP scoop on all things swing!!!
Also, be on the lookout for our first PlusCast Episode of 2022, because… HINT: We are chatting with an artist who is currently re-entering a Broadway show as a vacation swing! Who could it be?!?!? Keep an eye on our Instagram to find out 🙂
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SWINGS FOR ALWAYS BEING, AND FOR CONTINUING TO BE, THE BACKBONE OF BROADWAY – WE GIVE YOU A STANDING OVATION 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
