On Tuesday, September 25, at 6:30 p.m., renowned New York Talent Scout Peter Sklar will visit Westerville Central High School to present a free lecture for students and their parents called Broadway & Beyond. There is no charge to go, but reservations are required. No one under age seven will be admitted with or without a parent, and students under age 18 must attend with their own mother or father. Central is located at 7118 Mt. Royal Avenue. Reservations can be made at matushos@wcsoh.org.
Sklar will explain why his views are in sync with the needs of top New York and Hollywood agents and casting directors, as well as college admission boards, and job interviewers in virtually all fields. He knows a thing or two about helping aspiring child stars achieve success. His list of protégés includes TV and film veterans Sarah Jessica Parker, Reese Witherspoon, Mischa Barton, as well as a wide array of current Broadway, TV, and film actors, singers and dancers.
Reality shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent have spring boarded some of the most talented kids in the nation into super stardom. But with so much available talent, what really sets one kid apart from another? According to Sklar, any career - in or out of the arts - is about two things: self-image and health. He argues that these qualities outweigh looks, training, connections, and even talent, and apply universally. “The people who sit behind the table are trying to decide two things: do they like you, and do they believe you?” Sklar tells young audiences. “If you don’t feel good about yourself mentally or physically, you won’t open up and show us who you really are. When that happens - no matter how smart you are, or what you’ve achieved, or what you look like - we’ve already lost interest.” He summarizes, “It’s about who you are as a human being.”
Alluding to a dramatic rise in self-destructive behavior, such as smoking, drinking, drugs, and eating disorders among so-called “happy” teens, Sklar marvels at how often these activities secretly co-exist with good grades, good behavior, and virtually every other outward sign of stability. “The kids I interview are the smartest and most talented- the highest achievers in the nation,” proclaims Sklar. “And they’re too often the most unhappy, unhealthy, and least employable.”
Sklar boasts an Ivy League pedigree, (Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University), formal training in concert piano, (Juilliard School of Music), and five decades of professional experience. He has been the subject of multiple feature-length articles in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Kansas City Star and numerous other publications; was interviewed on E! True Hollywood Story; appeared as a guest expert on Donahue; and has had his work presented on the Bravo Channel, Good Morning America, and every major national television network. He is currently developing an original musical based on his experiences titled The Kid Who Played the Palace.
Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Sklar or www.thesklarprinciple.com/contact.