A Holistic Approach to Musical Theatre Performance Strategies 

• Faculty Catherine Walker

• University of Michigan

This workshop will explore a variety of the technical and artistic skills required to successfully navigate musical theatre performances across the decades. This will include postural or movement-based methodologies; a variety of vocal and technical strategies; an introduction to vocal anatomy and acting through song and phrasing from the lyric; and the impact of compositional components on song interpretation. This arsenal of knowledge will give you the tools to work on during your junior year..

 WHAT TO PREPARE

Please prepare two contrasting MT songs and one pop song (optional) approximately one minute in length. Be sure to have a copy of the entire song in addition to the cut.  Each student will have the opportunity to work on one song in a group masterclass.   

Bringing The Uniqueness Of You To Your Work!

• Faculty Leonard Leibowitz

• Otterbein University

In this workshop, Lenny will help you bring clarity, honesty, freedom, courage, and passion to your songs through strong actions, personal paraphrase, and Laban based movement. He will also offer suggestions of alternative song choices.

 WHAT TO PREPARE

Please keep your selections to 1-Minute - they can be either 16-Bar or 32--Bar cuts.

The Singer’s Toolkit

• Faculty Melissa Treinkman

• University of Southern California

As singing actors, we need to have a solid vocal technique that will allow us make all of the sounds we desire, in service of telling a story. In this class, we will look at the building blocks of vocal technique and you will be given vocal exercises to increase the strength, flexibility, and versatility of your voice. We will also apply vocal technique concepts to songs. 

 WHAT TO PREPARE

Please think about two aspects of your voice that you LOVE and two things you'd like to IMPROVE.  Please also bring 1-2 contrasting cuts (under 1 minute each) of songs you'd like to work on from a technical standpoint. Please also bring accompaniment tracks.  

How To Show Who You Are In Your Songs!

• Faculty Jeremy Mann

• UCLA

The class will begin with a thorough vocal warm-up. Each student will then present their two contrasting audition songs, with supportive feedback and coaching tailored to your strengths and uniqueness as a performer. My goal is to help you bring utmost truth, passion, joy and specificity to your songs!

WHAT TO PREPARE

Please prepare two contrasting songs, each roughly one minute in length. Each song should feel good to sing, tell a story you love to tell, and play to your strengths as a performer.

Just Breathe!

• Faculty Rebecca Karpoff

• Syracuse University

Breathing happens every second without us giving it much thought. But in times of stress (think performances!) we can sometimes feel like we have no control over our bodies or our breath. In our first session, we will explore how the body functions for breathing, some exercises that we can use to gain better control and awareness, and how that awareness can infuse our performances with life and intention. In the next sessions, we’ll work on applying these principles to your current song repertoire.

 WHAT TO PREPARE

Two contrasting songs (have in mind a 1–2-minute cut for each).

The Mock College Audition 

• Faculty Kevin Ramsey

• Hartt

This masterclass will demystify the college callback process and instill confidence and a better sense of self within the auditioner. In our time together, we will examine how a student reveals not only their amazing performing skills, but also who they are as amazing humans too! Through a Rising Junior Mock Audition process, each student will show their callback material, perfect their college interview technique, and further investigate what they, themselves, offer a conservatory program like Hartt. We will examine audition material in greater detail, discuss best practices while in the audition room, and unearth confidence building techniques to work on during your junior year, while under the pressure of getting into the college program of their dreams! 

WHAT TO PREPARE

One 1-minute song and one 1-1.5 minute monologue that best show you and your artistry. Please also bring a headshot and resume.

Scoring The Musical Monologue

• Jesse Carlo

• Pace University

In this Intensive Master Class Students will be introduced to the marriage of lyrics, musical composition, and storytelling

WHAT TO PREPARE

Several copies of the sheet music of the song they will present during the workshop

• Several copies of the sheet music of the song you will present during the workshop

• A soundtrack recording of their song

• Headphones 

•  Paper and Pen

Emotional Truth In Your Material

• Faculty Gary Kline

• Point Park University

EMOTIONAL TRUTH IN YOUR MATERIAL

Gary is a noted Voice Teacher at Carnegie Mellon's School of Drama, having taught dozens of Broadway's finest. Gary's Classes will deal briefly with Vocal Scales and Patterns for warming up your voice and strengthening one's instrument. Additionally, Acting Games that personalize the content of Song Lyrics to allow a deeper, more vulnerable connection will be employed.

A Final Product is not the goal- but rather how can we enhance your own process together to continue to grow in this Musical Art Form?

WHAT TO PREPARE

Bring your cuts and recordings of your songs to class and let's get to work! But also be willing to explore fresh song material.

How To Take Charge Of Your Creative Career

• Faculty Wendy Kurtzman

• Chapman UnIversity

This class will address all facets of a creative career from your Junior Year in High School, through college. How to market your talents, pick material that highlights your artistry, self-tape/prescreen tricks and skills, impactful acting choices that stand out, the works! Come ready to work, write, perform, and grow as an artist. 

WHAT TO PREPARE

Please send three videos:

1. A “meet me” video that can be used for prescreen prep. Tell me about yourself! Video must include: your name and year in school. Can include interests outside of Musical Theatre, stories about yourself and/or your family, your hobbies, and fun facts. Video should be no longer than 1 minute.

2. A 32-bar cut of a song

3. A 1.5 minute monologue

Intro to Jazz Styles and Audition Technique

• Faculty Kirkora Franklin

• Penn State University

In this class, students will be introduced to the foundations of jazz dance and audition techniques. Jazz dance emphasizes body alignment, flexibility, strength, and rhythm and is commonly a form used in college audition settings. Students will engage in movement that emphasizes the fundamentals of jazz dance technique, encourages individual expression, and promotes clean execution of choreography. The class will consist of a warm-up, movements across the floor, and short combinations that students will perform in an audition-style format. Students will be encouraged to embrace their strengths, find their unique voice and perform with confidence and joy!

WHAT TO PREPARE

Students should wear dance clothes and/or flexible clothing in which they can move freely and comfortably, jazz shoes or jazz sneakers.

Audition 101!

• Faculty Vicky Bussart

• Oberlin College

As a Rising Junior, this class will inform you on what to expect with your college auditions: including song cuts, resumes and headshots.

WHAT TO PREPARE

Bring cuts of a few of your favorite songs with tracks along with a copy of your current resume and headshot (if you have them).

Scene Work!

• Faculty Lisa Velten-Smith

• Carnegie Mellon University

This workshop is an introduction to the tools necessary to make informed and creative acting choices. Students will engage in imaginative, self created scenes with partners and then apply those lessons and tools to a musical theater text. Velten Smith strives to provide a relaxing and fun atmosphere where students feel free to play and discover.

WHAT TO PREPARE

Nothing to prepare as a script will be provided.