Broadway stars send message to Middle GA students after production canceled over COVID-19

Theater students at Houston County High School were extremely disappointed when their production of Mamma Mia was canceled due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

Brett Taylor, the theater director at Houston County High School, said he wanted to do something to help cheer up his students during this difficult time.

He contacted Broadway stars and asked them to send words of encouragement to his students, and several have responded, including Susan Egan, who originated the role of Belle in the musical adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast.”

“The kids love it because it feels like they really are speaking to them,” Taylor said. “It’s really neat to see Broadway professionals, and a lot of these kids really strive to be like that, and they look up to these people.”

The students were supposed to have their opening night for Mamma Mia in the last week of April, but they were unable to perform because the schools were closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Instead, they received words of encouragement from some of their idols.

“It’s just really, really cool that these professionals were able to give back in that way to us,” Taylor said. “It’s awesome as an educator as well because… we’re always trying to find ways to inspire our kids, and I think that definitely helped.”

Adam Pascal, who was in the musical “Rent,” and Joanna Gleason, who originated the role of the Baker’s Wife in Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” have sent videos to the students as well.

“I don’t want you to feel that these kind of chances aren’t going to come around again for you. They are. Of course, they are,” Gleason said in her video.

Taylor said he knows several other directors around the county who are also asking Broadway celebrities to speak with their students.

“A lot of the kids feel like they’ve been robbed, especially my seniors, and they think it’s unfair, and I really let them try to embrace those feelings because I feel deeply for them, but I think if there’s any group that can plow through this in a creative way, it’s going to be my theater kids and my students,” Taylor said. “I just try to encourage them to really just keep that positive energy and light as we go through this because they’re really the future.”