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Recent Music Theatre graduates to perform in the National Tour of ‘A Bronx Tale’

Brian Kremer — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 14:28:50 +0000

Two recent graduates of ��ϲ��’s Music Theatre program have landed roles in the National Tour of “A Bronx Tale.”

Tyler Dema with his script.

Tyler Dema ’19 will be portray “Crazy Mario” and a Doo Wop street boy, as well as understudying the role of “Calogero.” Breia Kelley ’19 will be play the role of “Frieda” and understudying the role of “Jane.”

Dema’s audition process was, in his words, “super-fast,” and he said he had an immediate connection to the story of “A Bronx Tale.”

“I was actually born in the Bronx,” Dema states, “My dad lived there all his life and this story will always be a huge part of his life and his heart. It’s really special to me and my family that this is my first major job post-graduation. It couldn’t be more perfect.”

When asked to describe his audition experience, Dema said he received a text from fellow Music Theatre alum Adam Kaplan ’12 who also starred as “Calogero” in the Broadway production, asking if anyone was interested in going in for the tour.

“The following Tuesday, directly after graduation, I went to an initial dance call in New York, was kept through several cuts and was asked to come back the following day for the final callback,” Dema said.

After several rounds of cuts, Dema was asked back to perform the material for Chazz Palminteri, the creator of the original Bronx Tale story. Dem received the exciting news two days after his final callback.

“I was sitting on my couch and Adam called me to ‘see how the audition went’ even though he had already heard from the associate choreographer that I was getting an offer,” Dema said. “About three hours later my agents called me and told me I had booked the job.”

The cast of the National Tour of “A Bronx Tale.”

Kelley had a slightly different experience. “I sent in a self-tape around the beginning of May and did not hear anything for a while,” she recalls. “Then I found out from a friend that there was an open call for the same role I had sent in for the self-tape. Since I knew all the material and it was still something I was interested in, I contacted HCKR, the agency I’m signed with, and they set up an appointment for me. The initial audition was on a Friday and then callbacks were on that next Monday.”

Kelley received the exciting news shortly after arriving back home in North Carolina the following day.

When asked how ��ϲ�� has prepared them for the next steps in their journeys, the two highlighted several pertinent aspects of an ��ϲ�� Music Theatre education: professionalism, confidence, respect and individuality.

“I truly would not have had the confidence to step into a room full of the creative team and be my full self if it weren’t for ��ϲ��,” Kelley said. “All of the classes and the push that all the faculty gave me, made me want to fight for this role that I wanted and to give it all I’ve got.”

Dema said his ��ϲ�� training has given him “the definition of professionalism.”

“I think a big part of being kept through cuts and eventually booking the job was staying calm, grounded, and professional every time I was in the room,” Dema. “Of course, ��ϲ�� taught me how to survive in a dance call and sing pretty, but being personable in the room, respectful to everyone, focused on everything given to me, and just being present and willing to work is what ��ϲ�� taught me to do.”

Both began rehearsals on Sept. 23. Rehearsals run for two and a half weeks before the production hits the road on Oct. 10. The two will travel to Elmira, New York, for tech and previews and will then move to Waterbury, Connecticut, for their official opening on Oct. 22.

Click for more information on A Bronx Tale. Be sure to catch Dema and Kelley in a city near you!

The cast of A Bronx Tale.

Breia Kelley and Tyler Dema.

Tyler Dema with his script.

More than 30 ��ϲ�� alumni to star in upcoming Broadway shows and National Tours

Brian Kremer — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 20:02:50 +0000

This fall, you can see dozens of ��ϲ�� MT alumni in Broadway megahits like “Wicked,” “Frozen,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Mean Girls,” “Tina” and “The Book of Mormon,” as well as touring around the country in hit shows like “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” “Bandstand,” “Les Miserables,” “Hello Dolly” and many more.

Nasia Thomas (’15) featured as Mama Rose/Ensemble in Ain’t Too Proud

Broadway and National Tour News

Daniel J. Watts ’04 will be starring as Ike Turner in the upcoming Broadway production of “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” alongside fellow alumni Gerald Caesar ’16 as Raymond King and Rob Marnell ’06 as a swing.
Jared Goldsmith (’18) featured as Jared Kleinman in the National Tour of Dear Evan Hansen.

Jared Goldsmith ’18 will soon depart the First National Tour of “Dear Evan Hansen” and join the Broadway cast as Jared Kleinman, beginning on October 22.
Kennedy Caughell ’12 recently joined the National Tour of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” starring as Carole King.
Ginna Claire Mason Moffett (’13) featured as Glinda in Wicked on Broadway

Ginna Claire Mason ’13 is currently starring as Glinda in the Broadway company of “Wicked,” alongside fellow alumni Matt Meigs ’12 and Lindsay Northen ’03.
Jake Smith ’19 is currently performing in the ensemble and understudying Hans in the Disney megahit “Frozen” on Broadway.
Barrett Weed ’11 is currently starring as Janis Sarkisian in the Broadway company of the hit musical “Mean Girls.”
Nasia Thomas ’15 is currently performing in the Broadway hit “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.”
Matt Shingledecker (’08) featured as Enjorlas in National Tour of Les Miserables

Matt Shingledecker ’08 is currently starring as Enjolras in the National Tour of “Les Miserables.”
Ashley Perez Flanagan ’10 will be performing in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s show “Freestyle Love Supreme” on Broadway this fall.
Deshawn Bowens ’15 and English Bernhardt (Cady/Regina standby) recently launched the First National Tour of “Mean Girls.”
JJ Niemann ’17 is currently performing in the Broadway hit “The Book of Mormon” as a swing, and fellow alum Steven Telsey ’18 is currently performing in the ensemble of the National Tour.
Mary Nickson ’18 recently joined the First National Tour of “The Spongebob Musical” as a swing and understudying Pearl, Mrs. Puff, The Mayor, and Karen the Computer.
Beth Anderson ’15 and Michael Bingham ’17 are both embarking on the First National Tour of “Bandstand” this fall.
Mara Lucas ’15 is joining the cast of the First National Tour of “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.”
Tyler Dema ’19 is joining the cast of the National Tour of “A Bronx Tale” in the ensemble and understudying the lead role of Calogero.
Kenny Franceour ’12 will be joining the National Tour of “Jersey Boys” this fall.
Madison Johnson ’15 is currently performing in the National Tour of “Hello, Dolly!” in the ensemble and understudying Minnie Faye.
Fergie Philippe ’17 recently departed the National Tour of the Tony-Award Winning Musical “Hamilton” as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison.
Michael Callahan ’13��can currently be seen as a swing and serving as the dance captain in the National Tour of “Aladdin.”
Phylicia Pearl ’15 is currently a swing an understudy for Shenzi in the National Tour of the Disney hit “The Lion King.”
Michael Moore ’13��is currently starring as Ledoux in the International production of “Bat Out of Hell.”
Becky Frohlinger ’16 recently performed in the Canadian National Tour of the hit show “Matilda.”
Lizzie Markson ’16 is currently performing as Anybodys in the Tokyo Stage Around production of “West Side Story.”In addition to Broadway and National Tours, more than 40 ��ϲ�� Music Theatre alumni are performing around the country this fall in Off-Broadway shows at The Public, New York City Center, and New World Stages; at regional theatres and venues like Papermill Playhouse, Pioneer Theatre Company, Theatre Under the Stars, Flat Rock Playhouse, and North Carolina Theatre; on cruise lines like Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, and Aida Cruise Line; and casting for offices like Tara Rubin Casting, Magic Mike Live Worldwide Casting, and Sound Lounge.

Alumni Highlights

Andrew Frace ’04 is currently the male swing and Bob Gaudio u/s for the New World Stages production of “Jersey Boys” Off-Broadway.
Nick Martinez ’15 is currently performing in “Bat Out of Hell” Off-Broadway at New York City Center.
Paul Heesang Miller ’10 and John Yi ’11 will be performing in the new musical “Soft Power” Off-Broadway at The Public.
Drew Seigla is currently performing as Perchik in “Fiddler on the Roof” Off-Broadway in Yiddish.
Lexi Carter ’17 and Reagan Ogle ’18 are both performing on Disney Cruise Line in the shows “Frozen,” “Disney Dreams,” and more.
Jessica Wockenfuss ’09 is performing in the pre-Broadway tryout of the new musical “Cagney” at Pioneer Theatre Company.
Mackenzie Bell ’09 and Drew Redington will both be performing in the new Judy Garland musical “Chasing Rainbows” at Papermill Playhouse.
Chelsea Levalley ’11 will be performing in the pre-Broadway tryout of “Austen’s Pride” this fall at 5th Avenue Theatre.
Tucker Stampen ’19 is currently working in the office of Tara Rubin Casting in New York City.
Jacob Major ’18 is currently performing as Don in “A Chorus Line” at Theatre Under the Stars in Houston.
Alec Michael Ryan ’19 is currently performing as Morris Delancey in “Newsies” at Timberlake Playhouse.
Cody Marshall ’19, Sophia Scarpulla ’19, Dan Lusardi ’17, Maddie Franke ’11 (Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain) and Katie Emerson ’09 are currently performing in “Cinematastic” at Flat Rock Playhouse, being directed and choreographed by Matthew Glover ’09.
Emilie Renier ’12 is currently performing in “The Little Mermaid,” “The Sound of Music,” and Disney’s “When You Wish” at Tuacahn Center for the Arts.
Gabriela Gomez ’15 is currently performing as Jasmine in “Aladdin” on Disney Cruise Line.
Haley McCormick ’19 recently performed in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts.
Hunter Brown ’15 will be performing as Ethan Girard in “The Full Monty” at Argyle Theatre, with fellow alum Ethan Andersen ’14 serving as Music Director.
Mara Wilson ’18 will be performing in the cast of “West Side Story” at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.
Danny Bevins ’15 will be performing as Chino in “West Side Story” at North Carolina Theatre.
Johnny Stellard ’10 recently performed as Prince Eric in “The Little Mermaid” at Westport Country Playhouse.
Alyssa McAnany ’15 recently performed in the company of “Jersey Boys” at North Shore Music Theatre.
Katie Zanca ’14 is currently Director of Worldwide Casting for “Magic Mike Live” including companies in Las Vegas, London, Europe, and more!
Trevor McChristian ’18 is currently performing in “Saturday Night Fever” at Theatre By the Sea.
Courtney Markowitz ’10 is currently performing in Broadway Under the Stars with Transcendence Theatre Company.
Allison Spratt Pearce ’00 is currently performing in “Victor Victoria” at Moonlight Amphitheatre, and later will be performing in “Persuasion” at Lambs Players Theatre.
Charlie Johnson ’12 is currently serving as Director of New Works for Out of the Box Theatrics in New York City.
Alexa Magnotto ’12 is currently working in Voice Over casting for Sound Lounge.
Jessie Brownie ’18 is currently performing at Dollywood Theme Park in Tennessee.
Nancy Snow Carr ’00 is currently performing in “The Addams Family” at Welk Resort Theatre.
Lucy Werner ’14��is currently performing with Aida Cruise Line.
Jordan Frazier ’15��is currently a performer on Carnival Cruise Line.

Broadway star Quentin Darrington shares lessons of wisdom, truth and generosity with ��ϲ�� Music Theatre students

Brian Kremer — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 16:42:00 +0000

Lakeland, Florida, native Quentin Darrington has been seen on Broadway in “Once on This Island” (Agwe), “Cats”(Old Deuteronomy) and “Ragtime” (Coalhouse). He joined the national tour casts of “Memphis,” “The Color Purple,” “Lion King” (Mufasa) and “Ragtime” (Coalhouse). Darrington has also been featured off-Broadway in “A New Brain” and in several New York City Center productions including “Lost in the Stars” and “The Roar of Greasepaint.”

At the start of a recent masterclass at ��ϲ��, Darrington spontaneously broke into a heartfelt rendition of “Smile” by Nat King Cole, motioned for all students to gather in a circle on stage, and greeted each student with a warm handshake. This is the environment of safety, openness and warmth that he cultivated during the next eight hours he spent with students.

In working with 20 students individually on various songs, Darrington focused heavily on individuality. In a conversation regarding tactics in pursuit of an objective, he simply stated, “If everyone else does it that way, why should you?” Darrington shared countless valuable lessons that he himself has learned in pursuit of his artistic career. He spoke of theatre as ‘art for the people.’ “The people behind the audition table are human,” Darrington remarked, “there will be someone in that room who needs help – someone who needed to hear you sing that day.”

In a career that lends itself to competition and a pressure to be perfect, Darrington’s words were well received and much needed. On the second day of the masterclass, Darrington opened the floor to comments and questions after commanding the room with a rousing acapella rendition of “The Impossible Dream” from “The Man of La Mancha.” Students eagerly raised their hands stating that they “truly gave their attention to others” that day and some even remarked that they skipped out on purchasing an Oak House coffee to align with Darrington’s motto of “If you get paid a paycheck of $100 a week, live on $20 a week!”

Following the short talk-back, Darrington shared the story of his acting career, spanning from the seventh grade to the present. He invited every attendee of the masterclass to recite two names: “Rosemary Miseiri” and “Paul Hues,” the names of his first drama teachers. Darrington said that “every student who has taken a class from me knows those two names. I owe everything to them.”

The eight hours spent learning from Darrington were not only informative, but precious; a lesson to all to sing because there are people who need to hear you. To express your love for those near to you, because, in Darrington’s words, “you never know when your last day will be.”

Kennedy Caughell ’12 reprises leading role in National Tour of ‘BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical’

Brian Kremer — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 16:18:43 +0000

��ϲ�� alumna Kennedy Caughell ‘12 will be taking on the role of Carole King in the North American Tour of “BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical,” beginning Sept. 20.

Shortly after graduating, Caughell performed across the nation and abroad as Heather in “American Idiot.”�� Since then, she has been seen in multiple regional theatres and New York’s own New York Musical Festival.��Caughell also traveled the country by broomstick in the National Tour of “Wicked,” covering Elphaba.

Most recently Caughell took the Imperial Theatre Stage in the Broadway production of “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,” understudying Helene and Marya D. Caughell joined the cast of Beautiful shortly after in the leading role of Carole King. She will now reprise her role on the National Tour.

Caughell will begin performances in “Beautiful” in Utica, New York. The show will play 105 theatres in the 2019–2020 touring season, including premiere engagements in Worcester, Massachusetts; Midland, Michigan; Wallingford, Connecticut; Thousand Oaks, California; Folsom, California; and more. More information about the National Tour is available .

Caughell was recently featured on

Recent music theatre graduate debuts in Disney’s 'Frozen' on Broadway

Brian Kremer — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 17:55:00 +0000

Jake Smith (back left) with memebers of the cast of "Frozen" on "The Today Show."

Days before graduation in May, Jake Smith '19 received the exciting call that he would be joining the cast of "Frozen" on Broadway as a member of the ensemble as well as understudying the role of "Hans."

Smith began rehearsals shortly after graduation in New York City and then made his official Broadway debut on June 14. Earlier this month, with other members of cast on "The Today Show" and on Sunday, Aug. 11, he made his Broadway principal debut as "Hans."

"Frozen" is currently running eight shows a week at the St. James Theatre.

More information about Frozen can be found .

Recent music theatre graduate to perform in the National Tour of ‘The Book of Mormon’

Brian Kremer — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 20:10:00 +0000

Steven Telsey’s journey with “The Book of Mormon”��𲵲�� during spring break of his senior year when he��decided to go��in for an open call.

“That time, I didn’t get past the first round,”��stated Telsey, a member of the Class of 2018.

A few months later he went in for a “future replacements” call and heard nothing for nearly a year. Then, this past April, he was called back in to audition for the producers “and the rest is history!” said Telsey.��

Telsey received the��泦��پ��Բ��news this past April, having just moved to New York a few months prior. “I saw that I was receiving a phone call from my agents.��When they said ‘Hey, Steven. You’re on speaker,’ I quickly replied, ‘…no way.’ They said, ‘way,’��and I screamed so loud that Patrick (current roommate and fellow��2018 ��ϲ��Music Theatre��alum) heard from down the hall.”

Several weeks��later, Telsey had three days of choreography rehearsals in New York City, and soon joined the Mormon company in Philadelphia��on May 28. Telsey had two weeks to learn his various tracks in the��production.

“Luckily the Mormon team is fabulous and was incredibly supportive when I was learning the show!” Telsey��noted. ��

“Without ��ϲ��, there is no��way I would be in this musical,” Telsey stated firmly.��“I had absolutely zero dance training before attending ��ϲ��. If it wasn’t for the brilliant and patient educators that the ��ϲ�� Music Theatre program provides for its students, as well as the opportunities that we as student receive within the Department of Performing Arts, I would not physically have the ability to be dancing in an ensemble eight times a week. I also have to give a huge��shout out��to Dr. Kenneth Lee, my voice teacher. It’s because of him that I am able to sustain my voice throughout this beast of a score.”

Telsey is currently performing in “The Book of Mormon” and is set to tour��in over 25 cities��around the country.��

More information about the national tour of “The Book of Mormon” can be found��.

��ϲ�� alums take the stage at the 73rd Annual Tony Awards

Brian Kremer — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 20:00:00 +0000

��ϲ��’s Department of Performing Arts was well-represented at the 73rd annual Tony Awards held Sunday, June 9. This year was unique in that each alum who performed at the awards show earlier had the honor of originating their roles in three Broadway shows.

The Tony Awards audience heard from Nasia Thomas ‘15 in the rousing performance from the cast of “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations.” The cast performed a medley of songs including “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” and “I Can’t Get Next to You.” “Ain’t Too Proud” received 12 nominations and took home the Tony for Sergio Trujillo’s impressive choreography. “Ain’t Too Proud” is currently playing on Broadway eight shows a week at The Imperial Theatre.

Gerald Caesar ‘16 also took to the Tony stage alongside the cast of “Choir Boy” in their captivating performance of “Rockin’ Jerusalem.” “Choir Boy” received five nominations, taking home Tonys for Best Sound Design of a Play, as well as the Special Tony Award for music director Jason Michael Webb. The production closed March 10, 2019, at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

The Tony audience also heard from alum Drew Reddington ‘18 who performed alongside the cast of “The Prom.” The cast performed a brief medley from the show including “Tonight Belongs to You” and “It’s Time to Dance.”

Reddington has recently been seen performing with the cast of “The Prom” on "The Today Show" as well as "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." The production received seven nominations and is currently playing at the Longacre Theatre on Broadway.

Kremer presents research at Voice Foundation Symposium

Brian Kremer — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 12:35:00 +0000

Brian Kremer, assistant professor of music theatre, along with his research partner, Liz Jackson Hearns of The Voice Lab in Chicago, presented their research on feminization and masculinization of singing voices: practical tools to shift gender perception, at the 48th Annual Voice Foundation Symposium in Philadelphia.

Held May 29 through June 2, the symposium featured advanced programming presented by leading professionals in the voice care field including surgeons, scientists, speech language pathologists, voice teachers and performing artists. The Voice Foundation says that the symposium is attended by representatives from about 35 states and 30 countries.

In recent years, the realms of voice training and voice care have rapidly begun to expand research, resources, and conversations to serve the needs of transgender and gender diverse singers. Voice training for transgender individuals requires a refined knowledge of the changes that occur both physically and physiologically during transition and demands the use of effective and appropriate language, as well as the practical application of techniques that influence gender perception in voice.

This presentation aided in providing tools for training singers who are interested in shifting gender perception of their voice through methods in articulation and vowel modification. It reviewed elements of gender perception in vocal timbre and articulatory patterns and presented an interactive exploration of articulation and vowel modification to influence gender perception in singing voices.

In May 2018, Kremer and Hearns published "The Singing Teacher's Guide to Transgender Voices," the first comprehensive resource developed for the training of transgender and nonbinary singers. Together, they have conducted national and international presentations, workshops, and training sessions on various aspects of transgender vocal pedagogy.

Kremer and Maze present at International Music Theatre Conference

Brian Kremer — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 22:55:00 +0000

Assistant Professor of Music Theatre Brian Kremer and Music Director/Conductor of Music Theatre Valerie Maze recently presented at the Music Theatre Educators’ Conference in New York City. During their time there, they were able to attend conferences led by colleagues from other schools, have conversations with fellow attendees to spark new ideas that they can then bring back to ��ϲ��, and in the evening attend Broadway shows.

On Friday, Jan. 4, Kremer participated in a presentation and panel discussion aiming to address issues surrounding diversity, equity and inclusivity within educational performing arts departments. This session was led by an esteemed panel of faculty from successful musical theatre programs across the country and addressed many topics including balancing enrollment, scholarship dollars and funding, experiential learning opportunities, methodologies, increasing the chances of student success, and the importance of diverse faculty representation.

On Saturday, Jan. 5, Maze was a co-facilitator for a panel titled, “Bridging the Gap: Academic Curriculum and the Realities of the Entertainment Industry.” She co-led this panel with fellow educator David Coolidge from Anderson University. They led a panel discussion that included David Chase, Marc Bruni and Ryan Stana, all high-profile industry professionals in the entertainment (specifically music theatre) industry.

Some of the topics addressed were: trends in the industry that should be addressed in professional training programs, techniques and tools needed to be industry ready, identifying areas in which academic curriculum is succeeding in preparing students, identifying areas for improvement in academic curriculum, and how to better explore opportunities for collaboration with training programs and industry professionals.

This presentation also included a question & answer session at the end. The goal of this panel was to share ideas on how academic curriculum can better meet the demands of an ever-evolving industry and ultimately serve students in preparing them for the realities of the industry. The rapidly changing industry has become very contemporary and we need to change with the times; while still keeping traditional values alive.

The conference was successful for them on a number of levels. Kremer and Maze were able to share their ideas and hear what new ideas and questions are being dealt with in other music theatre programs around the globe.

Kremer publishes book on transgender singing

Brian Kremer — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:35:00 +0000

Brian Kremer, assistant professor of Music Theatre, along with co-author Liz Jackson Hearns, The Voice Lab, recently published “The Singing Teacher’s Guide to Transgender Voices,” the first comprehensive resource developed for training transgender and nonbinary singers.

Brian Kremer and Liz Jackson Hearns signing books at the National Association of Teachers of Singing National Conference in Las Vegas.

This text aids in the development of voice pedagogy tailored to the needs of transgender singers, informed by cultural competence, and bolstered by personal narratives of transgender and nonbinary singing students.

The singing life of a transgender or nonbinary student can be overwhelmingly stressful. Because many of the current systems in place for singing education are so firmly anchored in gender binary systems, transgender and gender nonconforming singers are often forced into groups with which they feel they don’t belong. Singers in transition are often afraid to reach out for help because the likelihood of finding a voice teacher who is competent in navigating the social, emotional, physical, and psychological challenges of transition is minimal at best.

The text equips teachers with a sympathetic perspective on these unique struggles and with the knowledge and resources needed to guide students to a healthy, joyful and safe singing life. It challenges professional and academic communities to understand the needs of transgender singers and provides evidence-based voice education and real-world opportunities that are unique and genuine.

Within days of its release, “The Singing Teacher’s Guide to Transgender Voices” shot up to #1 in sales for new releases on Amazon.com in both the “Audiology and Speech Pathology” and “Occupational Therapy” categories. The book has garnered worldwide interest, as the authors have received messages and inquiries from students and teachers across the globe.

“The Singing Teacher’s Guide to Transgender Voices” is available now wherever books are sold.

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