In light of the recent Jason Robert Brown news . . .

[bwaybri2]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 2:12pm

Our arts magnet school has the rights to "13" this fall and we have been in contact with JRB's people to bring him out for a 2 day workshop. After reading about him and his temperment, I'm wondering if it would be a good thing?

Has anyone seen him work with 14-16 year olds. The quality of our students in above average but we are no where near equity/broadway standards?

Thank you for your thoughts -

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 2:14pm

You'll be fine, just make sure each student has their iTunes receipts for L5Y, 13, PARADE, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, etc.

Updated On: 7/5/10 at 02:14 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 2:48pm

He's done it before so he might say yes to you too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FdUJa_KmkU

[wicked1492]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 2:51pm

sorry, but what recent JRB news? I haven't seen anything...

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 3:19pm

Jason is a kind, funny and loving talent. The man devoted a year of his life - probably more - to a project about 13 year olds. What he's fighting for is his copyright.

I made a stupid assumption about JRB once on here and was contacted personally by him with the sweetest message regarding it. No anger, no heat, no pretense. Just a nice guy who is one helluva talent.

You'd be blessed to share the room with him, IMO.

[jessica0414]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 3:32pm

The "news" is a recent exchange he had with a teenager over e-mail regarding illegal downloading/printing/use of his sheet music. Jason Robert Brown made an account on an illegal file-sharing website and politely e-mailed many users who were illegally sharing his sheet music asking them to take it down. Most complied, but one user got into a heated discussion with him, which he then posted on his website. Read the whole thing on the link below. I think he was justified in his opinion and probably wouldn't act angry towards teenagers during a workshop, especially since you have legally obtained the rights to do "13."
JRB's Blog

[Chris3]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 3:45pm

JRB says "I've got my fill of teenagers" in that video

Updated On: 7/5/10 at 03:45 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 7:12pm

I'm sure IF he agrees to do it, he'd be fine and it would be a great experience for those involved.

Cannot give you any info as to whether he'd be willing though.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 7:32pm

Just make sure no one has xeroxed copies of the music!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 7:50pm

Or mentions all that legal action around LAST 5 YEARS.

[Sauja]

Posted: 7/6/10 at 12:05pm

Wait, where's the concern? I just read his whole post, and he's extremely kind and intelligent. He seems like a great person to have speak to students. If you can stay nice on the internet, you can stay nice in real life...

[IAMWHATIAM]

Posted: 7/6/10 at 1:13pm

Jason spent a week at my son's camp last summer working with a lucky group of kids on a production of 13. Jason was making some changes to the show and workshopping it before making it available for license. The kids were all between the ages of approximately 12 and 15 (my son was 12 at the time), except for 2 older campers who made a guest appearance. My son still talks about the experience regularly and harbors a little fear that no show experience will match that one. The kids were pushed very, very hard (but it’s a performing arts camp, so they always are, and they live for that). They only had about 3 weeks to rehearse, from start to finish, and Jason came up to camp for the last week. I can’t speak for all the kids, although I think they’d probably agree with my son, who felt that Jason was great to work with. Yes, he expected a lot from them, and he let them know that he did. Jason treated the kids with a tremendous amount of respect, both personally and professionally, and he was appropriately strong, tough, generous and nurturing in working with them. They knew how special it was to have the kind of access they were having and what an opportunity it was (and they realized it while it was going on, which was impressive for kids). I think they all learned a lot from him and really honed their craft, and walked away having greatly upped their game (I know that my son certainly did). They also walked away greatly respecting Jason.