It started with just 16 bars of music. That 16 bars would lead to another set of auditions, which lead to another, then another, until Adam Kaplan ’08 finally landed a role in Disney’s “Newsies” on Broadway.
“I’ve always wanted to be on Broadway, but I never expected any of this to happen so quickly,” said Kaplan. “I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot with “Newsies.”
Before his debut in the Big Apple, Kaplan was a member of Staples Players, and even before high school he got his start in the children’s ensemble of “The Music Man” in 2001. Starting in his freshman year, Kaplan participated in 10 shows while at Staples and was elected Vice President of Acting his senior year.
“Adam was always just the type of guy you wanted to be around,” David Roth, director of Staples Players, said. “He has a good sense of humor and is a good friend—two things that made him a leader in Players.”
Landing a role in a Broadway show took much more than a sense of humor, however. The audition process included several rounds, each with more people involved in the show, such as producers, directors, and choreographers.
Auditioning for an ensemble role as well as for an understudy for Jack Kelly, the lead role in “Newsies”, required Kaplan to memorize a large packet of material as well as most of the character’s songs. He was also required to participate in several dance auditions, which Kaplan is the first to admit is not his strongest area.
Now that he’s landed the role, Kaplan must constantly be on his toes and make sure he doesn’t forget any of the material, because on any given night he could go from playing his feature role, Morris Delancey, to playing Jack Kelly in an instant. According to Kaplan, he may know weeks in advance that he will be going on instead of Corey Cott, who plays Jack Kelly on most nights, but sometimes he will only have a few hours notice.
Kaplan’s theatre experience made his career in Staples Players a memorable one, which included roles as Cogsworth (the clock) in “Beauty and the Beast” as well as Bazzard in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”. Current members of Players who know Adam remember him from even earlier on in his career.
“I remember seeing him perform in Oklahoma at Bedford Middle School” Alexandra Rappaport ’13, a current member of Staples Players, said. “It’s incredible how far he’s come. Everyone is so happy for him and definitely proud to say we know him!”
Kaplan is hopeful that his participation is “Newsies” is the beginning of a long and happy career as a working actor, but regardless of what happens in the future, this experience is one he calls a dream come true. Roth, one of Kaplan’s favorite teachers at Staples, is confident that this is just the beginning for him.
“The only advice I have for him is something I think he already knows,” said Roth. “Never stop working hard or take success for granted. This business will always be hard and you have to stay hungry and passionate.”
For more information on Adam Kaplan, visit his website at:
www.AdamKaplanOnline.com
