I want to be on Broadway

From time to time students bring up the idea of being a professional performer, they generally want to know what it takes, and if they have the stuff to make it on Broadway.  I was a music ed major, and that’s what I know best.  So after a student came to me the other day, I started trying to find ways to help.
It goes without saying that in order to make it on Broadway, or any other professional stage, you need to be the best possible musician/performer you can be.  This is a serious commitment of time and money.  You’ll be taking dance, acting, and voice lessons.  You’ll be auditioning and more often than not, the auditions will not yield parts.  It won’t be enough to be the best in your high school.  You’ll probably need more experience performing than the two or three shows a year that your school does – look into community theater opportunities.  Join an organization like TDF;  really cheap to join, and show tickets can be significantly discounted, usually making up for your membership costs after one ticket.  See lots of shows!
I found this link to be really comprehensive and concise with advice to increase your chances of making it on Broadway.  Check it out.
The thing, however, that most other people fail to explicitly mention is that you can’t neglect being well rounded.  Don’t just say “I’m going to be a performer, I’ll never need this.”  Don’t ever do the minimum to get by, in any area of study, because if the performing thing doesn’t work out (and all statistics point to the fact that it won’t) you’re going to need to have marketable skills to pay the bills!  Additionally, you’re going to need to get into a good college before you get into the theater department.