People have been asking me how I started an education business with Laura Bell Bundy. The short version is that, in between our dance party warm-up in her dressing room and Thai food after shows, we schemed up some life-changing ideas for a business empire.
Actually, it started with a concert in East Lansing MI of all places. Laura was performing at the Wharton Center, so I came along to sing back-up for her country stuff. The next day we invited all the local theater kids and schools for a big Broadway workshop. I figured with all the talent in that area we would create a lot of interest. The education people at the Wharton Center were amazing and we had a huge group of excited performing arts students ready to learn.

We knew we would have to rotate about 100 students through separate music, dance and theater sessions. It worked out really well and the kids loved the material and education we offered. Plus we got to work and perform in the Wharton Center’s awesome facilities

We are now part of an artist-in-resident program through the Wharton Center. We work with local theater students, the music and theater departments of Michigan State, and, through an out-reach program, inner-city school students. We love it there. Last time we rolled into town to teach, Legally Blonde was on tour there and Becky (Elle) had broken her foot. I figured it was either Laura or me putting that dress on! So, Bundy threw the pink gown on and wowed the crowd. Becky was nice enough in her injured state to teach the workshops with me and she was perfect.

Since last summer, we’ve expanded to tons of cities with various Broadway peeps. We have traveled everywhere from California to New York, Florida to Kentucky, and all over the East Coast with our ‘Take It From The Top’ workshops. We’ve loved coming up with fun curriculum and creative ideas for theater fans everywhere. In some areas where we get to sit down for a few days, we perform a final recital concert of the material we have worked on for friends and family.

I honestly get just as much out of working with students as hopefully they get from us. I love giving back any way I can and helping theater arts grow in this country. Here are some upcoming dates for workshops. I keep my website pretty up-to-date with what we’re up to: www.paulcanaan.com

We do some of the registration on our website: takeitfromthetop.org but some of the local programs who host us handle registration themselves.

Nashville, TN June 30 at TPAC (With Laura Bell Bundy)
Orem, Utah July 6 at the Scera Theatre
Las Vegas, NV July 8-10 (with Eden Espinosa)
East Lansing, MI July 29 – August 1 (with Billy Porter)
Traverse City, MI August 4 - 6