How to Succeed in Musical Theatre Without Really Dying

“Lindsay Mendez and Ryan Scott Oliver run a great class in auditioning and performing for musical theatre, and beyond that, they have a ton of experience, both happy and not-so-happy, in the business of making a career in musical theatre. If I were a performer looking for tips, information, and advice, I’d certainly turn to them!”
—Stephen Schwartz, Tony Award–nominated composer-lyricist of Wicked

“I can’t imagine any better guides than Lindsay Mendez and Ryan Scott Oliver. They have been celebrated professionals and teachers for years and really know how the industry and artistry of musical theatre work.”
—Michael Greif, Tony Award–nominated director of Rent and Next to Normal

“Lindsay Mendez and Ryan Scott Oliver have created an indispensable how-to guide for success in today’s industry. If you possess talent, this is destined to be THE owner’s manual for developing it into a thriving career … Nothing is sugar-coated, but the expert guidance is consistently inspiring, rooted in the writers’ understanding that the difference between competence and the excellence that gets you hired hinges on working hard, working smart, and persisting.”
—Renée Fleming, internationally acclaimed soprano

“What Ryan and Lindsay have masterfully created is an essential road map for actors. They provide a wealth of knowledge and sage advice pertaining to every facet of the industry. From vocal technique to audition preparation, from self-marketing and proper entertainment industry etiquette, this book is the perfect manual to taking care of one’s self as an artist and as a human being, and should be required reading for anyone looking to embark on a professional career in musical theatre.”
—Patrick Goodwin, CSA, Broadway casting director

“Lindsay and Ryan are phenomenal teachers who really understand what it takes to prepare for an audition. And their combined knowledge about what to have in your ‘book’ is truly the best. I wish I had this book when I was starting out!”
—Anne L. Nathan, Broadway actress and educator

“If I were an actor, Lindsay Mendez is pretty much the only person I would ever need to look to for advice and guidance. Not only is she a perfect performer in every way, but she has the mind of a director—and in my experience working with her, her ideas are always right. When Lindsay speaks, I always always wanna hear what she has to say.”
—Trip Cullman, Broadway director

“Simply put, How to Succeed in Musical Theatre Without Really Dying is the book I wish I had when I was first coming up in this business. It’s the book I still need as a theater educator. It’s the book I want all college musical theatre programs to assign as required reading. Compiled from years of hard-won wisdom, this nonprescriptive, many-paths-up-the-mountain guide to—not just success—but longevity in business we call ‘show’ is the balm for any aspiring musical theatre artist’s nerves. Read it and sigh a breath of relief.”
—Adam Chanler-Berat, Broadway actor and educator

“I’ve had the pleasure of teaching alongside Lindsay and Ryan as a guest teacher in their popular Actor Therapy classes in New York City. This book is a powerful extension of the straight-talk, no-nonsense approach they bring to both the craft and business of musical theatre. Knowledge is power—and this book is packed with invaluable insights gained from their collective decades of experience in the industry and the classroom.”
—Telly Leung, Broadway actor and educator

“In a showbiz jungle that can make even the sanest artist spiral, Ryan Scott Oliver and Lindsay Mendez are like your wise, wildly talented theatre friends who actually get it. With a treasure trove of experience and a knack for keeping it real, they offer up guidance that’s equal parts heart, humor, and hard-earned truth. This book doesn’t just talk at artists—it chats with them, peeling back the mystery of building a meaningful, sustainable life in the arts (with jazz hands and honesty in equal measure). A deeply worthwhile read for any performer.”
—Holly Buczek, casting director at HDB Casting

Lindsay Mendez is a 2024 Tony Award nominee for her portrayal of Mary Flynn in the Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along. For the Off-Broadway run at New York Theater Workshop, she earned the Outer Critics Circle Award as well as Drama Desk & Lortel nominations. Mendez won the Tony, Drama Desk, and OCC awards for Carousel. Other Broadway: Significant Other, Wicked, Godspell, Everyday Rapture, Grease. Off-Broadway/regional: The Golden Apple, Dogfight (Drama Desk, Drama League, OCC nominations), The Rose Tattoo, 35mm: A Musical Exhibition, The Winter’s Tale. On television, Miss Mendez most recently starred in FX’s American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez from executive producer Ryan Murphy, and previously starred in All Rise (CBS/OWN). Other TV & film credits include: These Little Ones Perish, Station 19, Elementary, Modern Family, *Murphy Brown, Smash, The Grotto. Debut album: This Time.

Ryan Scott Oliver is a Kleban Prize, Rodgers, and Larson Award-winning composer and lyricist. He was called “the future of Broadway … a major new voice in musical theatre” (Entertainment Weekly) and is “shaking up musical theater with his dark, twisted and genius work … [Oliver] could very well be musical theater’s answer to an auteur filmmaker or a gothic novelist” (Huffington Post). He wrote the music and lyrics for Jasper in Deadland; 35mm: A Musical Exhibition; Tomorrow, the Island Dies; Darling; Mrs. Sharp; We Foxes; and more. He is also the winner of New Musicals Awards from Weston Playhouse, Pace University, the recipient of numerous fellowships, residencies, and ASCAP awards, and commissions from Disney Theatricals, Universal Theatricals, Broadway Across America, and more. Find writings, videos, tweets, and more of his morbidly optimistic musings @RyanScottOliver on all platforms.

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