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College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 3)

Before we meet the panel, an important announcement: Now that we’re done with that….  As promised, it’s time to meet the student panelists on our June 30 panel discussion. Coming to us from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lauren Manna. Lauren Manna is a musical theatre student from Minneapolis, MN. She studies voice with [my Speakeasy Cooperative colleague]Continue reading “College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 3)”

College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 2)

(I couldn’t wait till Tuesday.) As promised, it’s time to meet the musical theater teachers on our June 30 panel discussion who teach in musical theater programs. First up – Karla Hughes from Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisconsin (named one of the top 30 musical theater programs in the country). Karla Hughes heads the Music TheatreContinue reading “College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 2)”

In the Beginning was the Word (maybe)

Or was it the music? It depends on the composer. Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart agreed that Rodgers would write the music first,  and Hart would fit the words to the music. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II began with Hammerstein’s lyrics, with Rodgers fitting the music to the lyrics. In that case, yes, theContinue reading “In the Beginning was the Word (maybe)”

A Stroke of … Scenius?

I just came across the term “scenius” a few  months ago in a blogpost – I’m not sure where. I thought it might be Seth Godin, but I didn’t find it. Scenius is defined as “communal genius” that occurs in scenes rather than genes. It was created by musician Brian Eno and is intended toContinue reading “A Stroke of … Scenius?”

What are you fighting for?

On Friday, July 17, Mezzoid Voice Studio held its first online masterclass featuring an outside clinician. Our guest was Lissa deGuzman, who was a former student of mine in Milwaukee, and has gone on to perform as Jasmine in the national tour of Aladdin, as Ann Darrow (cover) in the Broadway production of King Kong, andContinue reading “What are you fighting for?”

I have so many songs….

In the musical A New Brain, the lead character of Gordon Schwinn is taken to the hospital after a seizure and is near death. His thoughts are of all the things has to do. In this early song in the show, as he is being examined, he sings: All the songs I never wrote Fizzle andContinue reading “I have so many songs….”

Don’t rain on my p̶a̶r̶a̶d̶e̶ recital

Weather – specifically precipitation – has been the bane of my existence. I’ve had shows sabotaged by blizzards and ice storms. Birthdays rained on for 6 years in a row, including my graduation from high school on my 18th birthday. And I held a graduation party three days later. It rained then too. It’s enoughContinue reading “Don’t rain on my p̶a̶r̶a̶d̶e̶ recital”

It’s die-dee-die-dee-time!

Yes, it is time for my semi-annual (sometimes annual) pilgrimage to Milwaukee Irish Fest to dance jigs, drink beer (none of which will be green), listen to Celtic punk and traditional (die-dee-die-dee) music, eat deep-fried food, and celebrate what is not my heritage, but what speaks to me much more than anything in which IContinue reading “It’s die-dee-die-dee-time!”