Broadway Star Illuminates Dreams at New York Film Academy

Hunter Ryan Herdlicka with New York Film Academy Musical Theatre Students
New York Film Academy Musical Theatre students were enthralled with Broadway star Hunter Ryan Herdlicka at a February 7th event in New York Film Academy’s New York location. After his first ever New York audition, Hunter landed the role of Henrik Egerman in Broadway’s revival of the Stephen Sondheim masterpiece A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, alongside Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones, followed by Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch.
Students were in stitches as Hunter explained his dream was to see Sondheim’s street, never dreaming he would ever bump into Sondheim in person. At a second callback, Hunter boarded the elevator with Sondheim (his idol). Hunter was too nervous to press the button so the elevator remained frozen. Once he built up enough courage, Hunter introduced himself saying, “Hi, my name is Hunter Ryan Herdlicka and I am here to sing for you.” Sondheim responded, “Hi, I’m here to listen to you.” In the audition room, director Sir Trevor Nunn started to introduce Hunter, prompting Sondheim to quickly respond, “I know him, we are old friends.”
Hunter captivated the room as he offered his advice:
- Success doesn’t happen overnight for everyone. Some actors take ten years to book a role. Don’t give up.
- You have to “give yourself permission to suck” and take risks in auditions.
- Acting should be simple and easy. Most of the time, you will be typecast in a role you already fit. Be natural.
- Always be 100% off book for auditions but hold the paper in your hand.
- Know what you are good at and constantly tell yourself that you can and will reach your goals.
Hunter gave a mention to his favorite charity, Broadway Barks, before allowing students to ask questions about everything from the rehearsal process to what Hunter does to keep his skills fresh (bi-weekly voice lessons and acting lessons when his coach is in town). Afterwards, Hunter workshopped monologues with several of the students at the event. It was a wonderful evening and New York Film Academy thanks Hunter for swinging by to share his charm and expertise!





I was completely denied access to food because my directing career had me air-bound 22/6, squeezed into economy class, tummy grumbling, praying for a pretzel. I did, however, get to indulge in bottomless cups of chicory- roasted coffee, brewed in the sky’s finest tap water, served up in a totally anti-eco Styrofoam cup. Nervously chewing the rim provided a stress-busting burst of foamy Polystyrene in my mouth. Always fun after my morning fondle by airport security (which I was strangely beginning to enjoy, and probably the real reason I declined the Rapiscan), en route to produce the next great talk show vignette about yet another American family in crisis. Ah, the glamorous life!









