This week on our new audio diary series “The Big Break,” Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach and Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond take us inside tech week, the full rehearsals leading up to opening night.

Samantha captures the sounds of "Dracula" from underneath the Bingham Theatre stage and tells us what "rat down!" means, while Brad explains how a bad voice day can throw off an entire "Tosca" tech rehearsal.

Week 1: Inside Tech Week

Louisville Ballet trainee takes us inside rehearsals for "Lady of the Camellias" with choreographer Val Caniparoli. Actors Theatre apprentice Samantha Beach contemplates holiday audition season and Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond, fresh off his turn as evil henchman Spoletta "Tosca," prepares for another devilish role in "The Prodigal Son."

Week 2: Rehearsals and Auditions

This week on our new audio diary series “The Big Break,” Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks experiences her first full production, while Actors Theatre apprentice Samantha Beach tries to figure out how to set good artistic habits for her future. Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond reflects on his most recent show, "The Prodigal Son."

Week 3: Epiphanies

This week on our new audio diary series, "The Big Break," Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks moonlights as a teacher, while Actors Theatre apprentice Samantha Beach works a fundraiser for the theater's annual Humana Festival. Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond figures out how to make his busy rehearsal schedule accommodate his second job and his first love. 

Week 4: The Second Shift

This week on our new audio diary series, "The Big Break," Actors Theatre apprentice Samantha Beach pulls a shift in the literary department and sees herself in the incoming ten-minute play scripts. Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks takes us inside the dancer's lounge, while Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond balances family time with the rigors of the stage. 

Week 5: A Break in Routine

Actors Theatre apprentice Samantha Beach prepares for mock auditions while learning how to embrace being cast as a certain type. Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks goes through the process of developing her character for her very first public performance with the company, while Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond switches from villain to comic relief in "Cinderella."

Week 6: What's Your Type

Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks gets a nice surprise during her last public performance. Actors Theatre apprentice Samantha Beach closes "Dracula" without ever going on for the role she understudied, but she already knows she'll take the stage in "A Christmas Story" during student matinees. In "Cinderella," Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond learns there's no such thing as a small role. 

Week 7: In the Spotlight

 Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks sees the cast list for "The Nutcracker" and learns her new choreography for the familiar show. Actors Theatre apprentice Samantha Beach sits in on rehearsal for "True West," where she discovers a hidden talent, and Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond takes "Tosca" on the road.

Week 8: In a New Light

Week 9: Time On Your Side

Week 10:  A Gear Shift

This week on our audio diary series, The Big Break, Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach gets some sage advice on second careers from the cast members of each of the theater's productions, while Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks opens her first full-length production of "The Nutcracker." Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond is on hiatus and traveling until January. 

Week 11: A First and a Second

This week on our audio diary series, The Big Break, two of our emerging artists see their stages from a different perspective. Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks takes a leap of faith in herself to create a piece for the ballet's Choreographer's Showcase, and Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach takes us backstage at the revolving set of "A Christmas Carol." Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond is on hiatus and traveling until January. 


Week 12: The Revolving Stage

On our audio diary series The Big Break, two of our artists prepare to step out of the wings and into center stage this month. Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks rests her body before opening the Choreographer's Showcase and Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach rehearses a short play for "The Tens," the annual ten-minute play apprentice showcase. Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond is on hiatus until later this month. 


Week 13: Showcase Prep

On our audio diary series The Big Break, two of our artists stretch their artistic muscles in rehearsal this week. Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks finds the most difficult work in her upcoming Choreographer Showcase is a contemporary dance, because she has focused so intently on ballet movements since she started college. Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach takes to the air in rehearsals for the Humana Festival apprentice showcase "Sleep Rock Thy Brain," a collection of one-act plays that all feature flying—as in, strap the actors into harnesses, hoist them high and let them act in mid-air—as a metaphor for sleep. 

Week 14: Stretching in New Roles

On our audio diary series The Big Break, all three of our apprentices go back to school. Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach learns a new vocal technique in a workshop, while Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks plays both teacher and student while developing her original piece for the upcoming Choreographer's Showcase (Jan. 24). Studio artist Brad Raymond is back from winter break, performing in schools for the Kentucky Opera's educational outreach program. 

Week 15: Back to School

On our audio diary series The Big Break, our apprentices gear up for audition season. Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks explains why January kicks off her least favorite time of year, while Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach explains the audition showcase the apprentices host for casting directors and agents during the Humana Festival. 

Week 16: Looking Ahead

On our audio diary series The Big Break, our emerging performers dig deep into their daily work. Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach learns how fearless high school playwrights can be while reading for the theater's New Voices Young Playwrights Festival. Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks studies character development from choreographer Helen Starr in rehearsals for "Romeo and Juliet," while Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond faces the unmentionable—losing his voice during a run of outreach performances. 


Week 17:  Voices and Choices

On our audio diary series The Big Break, our emerging performers learn and teach some unique history lessons.Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks gets fitted for costumes for the upcoming production of "Romeo and Juliet" and takes us on a tour of the costume shop. Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach uses Roman history to write a play in 24 hours, and Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond goes on tour to local schools, teaching American history through song.

Week 18: History Lessons

On our audio diary series The Big Break, our emerging performers encounter some surprises on stage and learn that every show brings its unique challenges and opportunities. Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach receives her crew assignments from her Humana Festival "bible," Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks re-learns how to walk like "a real person" in "Romeo and Juliet" and Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond enjoys some noir-infused fun in "Don Giovanni." 


Week 19: Surprises on Stage

On our audio diary series The Big Break, we hear from Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks on staging the market scene in Act Two of "Romeo and Juliet," and studio artist Brad Raymond discusses his role in the chorus of "Don Giovanni," his final role with the Kentucky Opera. 

Week 20: A Face in the Crowd

On our audio diary series The Big Break, two of our emerging performers take us inside rehearsals for upcoming productions while a third says farewell to Louisville. Over at the Louisville Ballet, trainee Claire Horrocks discusses the gravity of the understudy role in rehearsal, while at Actors Theatre of Louisville, apprentice Samantha Beach sits in on rehearsals for the five productions opening soon in the Humana Festival of New American Plays.


Week 21: Sitting In and Saying Goodbye

This week on The Big Break, our audio diarists take us inside the rehearsal process for a brand-new play and out into the schools for ballet demonstrations. Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach works with playwright Lucas Hnath on "Night, Night," his act of "Sleep Rock Thy Brain," the high-flying apprentice showcase opening in the Humana Festival of New American Plays this month. The ballet company takes the week off, but not the trainees, so Claire Horrocks takes us into the schools with the trainee demonstration program. 


Week 22: Demos and Drafts

This week on The Big Break, our audio diarists talk about being on both sides of the showcase process. Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach is rehearsing for her short scene showcase, which will be seen by casting directors and other influential industry members during Humana Festival. That's one way the apprentice program helps young actors like Samantha set up their post-Actors career. Over at the Louisville Ballet School, where ballet trainee Claire Horrocks teaches, her young students are preparing for their annual recital.


Week 23: Reaching and Teaching

This week on The Big Break, the Louisville Ballet rehearses for its upcoming mixed repertory program, Breaking Ground while trainee Claire Horrocks gets called up to the stage for a surprise bonus role. Over at Actors Theatre of Louisville, acting apprentice Samantha Beach finishes up rehearsals for "Sleep Rock Thy Brain," the apprentice anthology play that opens this weekend, and she reflects on the new play rehearsal process. 


Week 24: On Your Toes

This week on The Big Break, Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach reflects on tech week for "Sleep Rock Thy Brain," the apprentice play that opened last weekend in the Humana Festival of New American Plays. (The music in this week's episode is from "Sleep Rock Thy Brain," composed and performed by Scott Anthony, the show's composer and sound designer.) Over at the Louisville Ballet, trainee Claire Horrocks, who also teaches at the ballet school, describes the joyful madness that is a spring showcase, a true community effort at the Louisville Ballet School. 


Week 25: High Notes and Early Calls

On our audio diary series “The Big Break,” understudies and apprentices take us behind the curtain at the Kentucky Opera, Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Louisville Ballet. The season is almost over for the actors and dancers. Her time in Louisville is almost up, so Actors Theater apprentice Samantha Beach has to decide where she wants to build the next phase of her career. Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks makes plans for her summer that will help her prepare for a possibility every dancer fears -- the day she can't dance anymore.

Week 26: The Next Steps

The first season of our audio diary series “The Big Break,” comes to a close this week. Since last fall, understudies and apprentices take us behind the curtain at the Kentucky Opera, Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Louisville Ballet. 

We'll launch the next season of The Big Break with a new class of up-and-coming artists in the early fall. 

For their final diaries, actor Samantha Beach and dancer Claire Horrocks reflect on their time in Louisville and shaer what lies ahead now that the season is over. 


Week 27: The Grand Finale

Every season, performing arts companies take on a group of young up-and-comers who will work, and learn, with the pros. The ballet calls them trainees. At Actors Theatre of Louisville, they’re apprentices. Kentucky Opera has studio artists. They’re in residence at a professional company for the first time, understudying for the stars and taking on small roles while learning the ins and outs of the business.  

In the series "The Big Break," we’ll go inside the Ballet, Actors Theatre  and the Opera through the eyes of three developing artists in residence. Claire Horrocks, Samantha Beach and Brad Raymond are keeping audio diaries.

TheBigBreak

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