Everyone who has ever seen a Broadway show has their own special story. It’s about having that ticket ripped (or scanned, now), entering the theatre, sitting down and checking the Playbill, and ... being changed forever. Maybe your parents brought you to NYC during the holidays. Maybe you came on a class trip. Maybe it was your honeymoon that brought you to Broadway for the first time. Whether it was 50 years ago or just last week, we want to know how Broadway changed you.
It’s time to tell your story. Broadway Inbound has launched a new essay contest to learn more about you and your Broadway experience. Tell us about what it was like the first time you saw a Broadway show and visited New York. Did you never want to leave? Did you go home and audition for your high school musical? Did you ever get those songs out of your head? We want to hear your story, and we’re going to share some of the best ones with all of you (so keep them clean).
Visit us here and tell us how Broadway changed your life. The writers of the best essays—selected by our judges—will win an American Express gift card (1st place is $500). Below, read a sample essay and review the official contest rules.
DARE TO FOLLOW YOUR HEART
“Summer of 2015 was my first time ever visiting and experiencing New York City. Growing up in a small town in Alaska, I came with a long to-do list and an ultra-glamorous and grandiose expectation of the city for the short three days I had to experience it. Over the three days, my family and I went to the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Central Park, Times Square, the Empire State Building, the new One World Trade Center and—lastly—a performance of Wicked on Broadway.
Out of all of these incredible experiences, Wicked was by far the one experience that changed my life forever. The actors, music, vocals, dancing, costumes, storyline and bright lights all captivated me. The perfection of the performance and the talent of the actors was a clear example of having a dream and persevering to achieve it. I witnessed the wonder of having a passion and chasing a dream, and the excitement that could be mine if I dared to follow my heart and put in the time. Flashing forward to five months later, I found myself packing up my life in two large suitcases with a one-way ticket to NYC. Although being an actress on Broadway was never a dream of mine, the dedication and talent of the actors showed me that any dream can come true in NYC, and that incredible life change can happen in a New York Minute. I am thankful for my travels to New York and to Broadway for reminding me that life can be an adventure—if you only dare to follow your heart. “
BROADWAY ESSAY CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Spotlight on Broadway Essay Contest is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States (and Washington, D.C.) who are at least fifteen (15) years old at the time of entry. Contest starts August 20, 2016, at 12 a.m. ET, and ends December 31, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Read the official rules here. Void where prohibited. Sponsored by Broadway Inbound, Inc., 520 8th Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018