Next Acts
Montclair State Musical Theatre students find success on Broadway
and beyond
Rob McClure, who just finished a run on Broadway in the title role of
Chaplin, is the latest of many former Montclair State Musical Theatre students to make his way to the Great White Way.
McClure received great reviews for his performance, with The New York Times saying he played the role with “heartbreaking grace” and New York magazine calling him a “relative-unknown who won’t be for much longer.”
That came as no surprise to Dance Professor Clay James, the coordinator of the Musical Theatre program. McClure, he says, like most of the students who study in the highly competitive and selective program, was talented then as well as now.
“He was awe-inspiring as Charlie Chaplin, and many of our current musical theatre students got to witness his performance. He never failed to engage with them personally after the show and always shared thoughtful conversation and posed for photographs.”
The Musical Theatre program is so selective that only about 3 percent of first-year students who apply get in. A conservatory-derived performance program, talented and motivated students are guided by musical theater professionals.
Besides McClure, other former Musical Theatre students Allison Strong ’11, Tara Tagliaferro ’10 and Josh Dela Cruz ’10 are among many working on Broadway or touring with national companies.
Tagliaferro fondly recalls the influence of her professors. “I am grateful for having such gifted teachers as the backbone of my training,” she says. “I truly felt prepared to face the real world—a confidence I did not have upon entering the BFA Musical Theatre program.”
As an undergrad, she worked with James to hone her dancing skills. She has toured nationally with The Glass Menagerie and H ow the Grinch Stole Christmas. “I came to Montclair State so raw and eager, and I left with the strong foundation I need for success.”
The campus’ close proximity to New York City allows students to immerse themselves in the theater scene and to audition for roles. Classes consist of hands-on workshops where students can see their strengths and weaknesses in an objective setting and work to improve their skills.
Strong, who starred in Montclair State’s 2010 production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, made her Broadway debut the year before in a revival of Bye Bye Birdie. After her stint on Broadway, she returned to school to finish her BFA. She’s since gone on to appear in Mama Mia! “Even after Bye Bye Birdie, I couldn’t imagine completing my BFA anywhere else,” Strong says.
Dela Cruz, who toured nationally for more than a year with
The King and I, also gives props to his alma mater. “The Musical Theatre program challenged me to grow as a performer, and more importantly, as a professional.”
While a student at the University, McClure starred in Fiddler on the Roof, Parade and The Skin of Our Teeth and was part of the crew on multiple shows.
“[Musical Theatre Department Chair and Professor] Eric Diamond’s passion for theater was truly infectious,” McClure says. “I am lucky to have spent time in Life Hall.”
Part of the program’s success derives from having so many faculty members who also work as professionals. “Knowing that our students are expertly trained and prepared to enter the professional workplace, even before they graduate, is very fulfilling,” says James. “Opening a Playbill and seeing them credit Montclair State University/BFA Musical Theatre for their education and training is about as good as it can get.”
McClure received great reviews for his performance, with The New York Times saying he played the role with “heartbreaking grace” and New York magazine calling him a “relative-unknown who won’t be for much longer.”
That came as no surprise to Dance Professor Clay James, the coordinator of the Musical Theatre program. McClure, he says, like most of the students who study in the highly competitive and selective program, was talented then as well as now.
“He was awe-inspiring as Charlie Chaplin, and many of our current musical theatre students got to witness his performance. He never failed to engage with them personally after the show and always shared thoughtful conversation and posed for photographs.”
The Musical Theatre program is so selective that only about 3 percent of first-year students who apply get in. A conservatory-derived performance program, talented and motivated students are guided by musical theater professionals.
Besides McClure, other former Musical Theatre students Allison Strong ’11, Tara Tagliaferro ’10 and Josh Dela Cruz ’10 are among many working on Broadway or touring with national companies.
Tagliaferro fondly recalls the influence of her professors. “I am grateful for having such gifted teachers as the backbone of my training,” she says. “I truly felt prepared to face the real world—a confidence I did not have upon entering the BFA Musical Theatre program.”
As an undergrad, she worked with James to hone her dancing skills. She has toured nationally with The Glass Menagerie and H ow the Grinch Stole Christmas. “I came to Montclair State so raw and eager, and I left with the strong foundation I need for success.”
The campus’ close proximity to New York City allows students to immerse themselves in the theater scene and to audition for roles. Classes consist of hands-on workshops where students can see their strengths and weaknesses in an objective setting and work to improve their skills.
Strong, who starred in Montclair State’s 2010 production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, made her Broadway debut the year before in a revival of Bye Bye Birdie. After her stint on Broadway, she returned to school to finish her BFA. She’s since gone on to appear in Mama Mia! “Even after Bye Bye Birdie, I couldn’t imagine completing my BFA anywhere else,” Strong says.
Dela Cruz, who toured nationally for more than a year with
The King and I, also gives props to his alma mater. “The Musical Theatre program challenged me to grow as a performer, and more importantly, as a professional.”
While a student at the University, McClure starred in Fiddler on the Roof, Parade and The Skin of Our Teeth and was part of the crew on multiple shows.
“[Musical Theatre Department Chair and Professor] Eric Diamond’s passion for theater was truly infectious,” McClure says. “I am lucky to have spent time in Life Hall.”
Part of the program’s success derives from having so many faculty members who also work as professionals. “Knowing that our students are expertly trained and prepared to enter the professional workplace, even before they graduate, is very fulfilling,” says James. “Opening a Playbill and seeing them credit Montclair State University/BFA Musical Theatre for their education and training is about as good as it can get.”
By Kristin Lau
A tap dancer since he was five, Evan Ruggiero has always aspired to perform on Broadway. His drive and talent led him to Montclair State and helped him land a role in
Crazy For You in the fall of his freshman year, when first-year students are rarely allowed to perform in productions.
Ruggiero’s dreams almost ended in November 2009, when he was just 19 years old. He suffered pain in his right leg and, after a biopsy, found out he had osteosarcoma, a bone cancer. His first reaction to the news was fear: “No one ever prepares you for being told you have cancer.”
In order to focus on treating the cancer, he took a leave of absence from school. He underwent eight different surgeries and yet, in May 2010, he was told that the cancer had recurred. The only way to remove it was to amputate his leg above the knee. Though shocked and upset, Ruggiero was determined to conquer the challenge. After a long conversation with his doctor, he said, “I promise you, I’ll tap dance again.”
After the amputation, he started chemotherapy. “One way that I got through all of it is I started to go back to Montclair State.” With the help of devoted friends and supportive professors, he managed to continue his education and to return to a normal routine, he says. “I would set myself short goals for the week, and it would make me push a lot harder,” he says.
By December 2010, Ruggiero’s cancer was in remission and he was more determined than ever to keep dancing. Inspired by Clayton “Peg Leg” Bates, a tap dancer who danced with a peg leg after an amputation, Ruggiero asked his doctor about getting one for himself. “Let me start tapping again and let’s see what happens,” he recalls saying. He began with basic steps, and before he knew it, he was tap dancing as frequently as he did before his diagnosis. He could still pursue his passion for performing.
In the past two years, Ruggiero has performed with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Tap Festival, the LA Tap Fest and the Jersey Tap Fest. Recently, he gained national attention for auditioning on the Fox Network’s American Idol where he sang, played guitar and shared his story with a national audience.
Ruggiero’s dreams almost ended in November 2009, when he was just 19 years old. He suffered pain in his right leg and, after a biopsy, found out he had osteosarcoma, a bone cancer. His first reaction to the news was fear: “No one ever prepares you for being told you have cancer.”
In order to focus on treating the cancer, he took a leave of absence from school. He underwent eight different surgeries and yet, in May 2010, he was told that the cancer had recurred. The only way to remove it was to amputate his leg above the knee. Though shocked and upset, Ruggiero was determined to conquer the challenge. After a long conversation with his doctor, he said, “I promise you, I’ll tap dance again.”
After the amputation, he started chemotherapy. “One way that I got through all of it is I started to go back to Montclair State.” With the help of devoted friends and supportive professors, he managed to continue his education and to return to a normal routine, he says. “I would set myself short goals for the week, and it would make me push a lot harder,” he says.
By December 2010, Ruggiero’s cancer was in remission and he was more determined than ever to keep dancing. Inspired by Clayton “Peg Leg” Bates, a tap dancer who danced with a peg leg after an amputation, Ruggiero asked his doctor about getting one for himself. “Let me start tapping again and let’s see what happens,” he recalls saying. He began with basic steps, and before he knew it, he was tap dancing as frequently as he did before his diagnosis. He could still pursue his passion for performing.
In the past two years, Ruggiero has performed with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Tap Festival, the LA Tap Fest and the Jersey Tap Fest. Recently, he gained national attention for auditioning on the Fox Network’s American Idol where he sang, played guitar and shared his story with a national audience.
虽然他没有进入下一轮的《美国偶像》，但他一直很忙，与新泽西踢踏舞团一起表演，他从10岁开始就在那里跳舞。他在家乡新泽西州老桥（Old Bridge）的学校里表演，并在学校和医院与孩子们交谈，提醒他们“无论生活给你带来什么，你都能克服一切。”
他仍然在火狐体育上学，并在即将上映的《 狂野派对在五月。在业余时间，他担任Cycle for Survival的发言人，这是一个为癌症研究筹款的组织。鲁杰罗将于2013年12月毕业，并计划从事艺术事业。尽管有这样的经历，他仍然保持积极的态度，并鼓励其他人“继续前进，世界上还有很多事情要做。”
“没有什么能阻止你，”他说。“每个人都有潜力成就伟业，实现自己的梦想。”