Musical Theatre Audition Technique: A MasterClass with Kip Niven January 6-8, 2017
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for an intensive, three-day workshop in Musical Theatre Audition Technique led by Kansas City’s own Kip Niven. Over the three days, participants will perform a common song, assigned by Mr. Niven, to learn the basic techniques of the Workshop. Participants will then learn how to apply these techniques by working on a musical theatre audition piece of their own choice (up-tempo or ballad). All participants will learn about the perils, the frustrations, and — believe it or not — the joys of auditioning for a role in a musical.
What You Get Who It’s For Participants will receive one-on-one coaching The MasterClass is open to high school and feedback from Mr. Niven to help them juniors and seniors, adults who are working apply these techniques to improve their professionals, and non-professional perform- audition. Mr. Niven draws on his extensive ers. The techniques adapted by Mr. Niven from experience as a musical theatre performer on Mr. Craig’s teachings are extremely beneficial and Off-Broadway, in professional theatres for musical theatre performers and are tailored in Kansas City and around the country, and to any experience level. The Class is limited to especially on his studies and long association 15 participants. with David Craig, who literally wrote the books on performing in musical theatre (On Singing Class details, expectations and registration Onstage and A Performer Prepares). information are provided on the next page. About the Instructor... KIP NIVEN, a Kansas City native and KU Alum, has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional theatres, as an Artist-in-Residence, as well as in more than a dozen feature films, 100+ network television shows, and numerous national, regional, and radio commercials. Kip has appeared in professional theatres throughout Kansas City, including: Starlight Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The New Theatre Restaurant, The Coterie, Musical Theater Heritage, American Heartland Theatre, Quality Hill Playhouse, Kansas City Actors Theatre, and Spinning Tree Theatre. Kip is a vested member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association and serves as Vice-President of Equity’s Kansas City Area Liaison Committee. He is a member of the company of the award-winning radio comedy show Right Between the Ears and also serves as project coordinator for EARTh (Equity Ac- tors’ Readers’ Theatre). Kip teaches his Musical Theatre Audition Technique Workshop/MasterClass at colleges and universities throughout the country. Recently, Kip has appeared with The Seattle Men’s Chorus starring in the holocaust opera, For a Look or a Touch, both in Seattle and on tour in Germany, and also with The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. Closer to home, Kip appeared in Starlight Theatre’s productions of The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins, in Spinning Tree’s production of West Side Story, Musical Theater Heritage’s pro- ductions of Urinetown—The Musical and Big River, and, this past summer in You Can’t Take It With You at The Okoboji Summer Theatre. MasterClass Schedule and Details
Friday, January 6, 7 p.m.–10 p.m. Lecture/Demonstration Session In this session, all participants will learn basic information, concepts, dos and don’ts, and techniques of a Musical Theatre Audition. All participants will be expected to prepare the Gershwins’ “Love Is Here to Stay”, which will be analyzed, discussed, and performed during this session. This session is the “nuts and bolts” of the audition technique.
Saturday, January 7, 10 a.m. One-on-One Work Sessions There will be three blocks of one-on-one work sessions in which each participant will perform his/her own audition piece (up-tempo or ballad), with extensive feedback from Mr. Niven on how best to enhance his/ her performance. Participants are encouraged to attend all three sessions. There will be breaks between the three sessions for meals and/or preparation. These sessions are the “heart and soul” of the masterclass.
Sunday, January 8 10 a.m.– 2 p.m. Continued One-on-One Work Sessions: Participants will continue the work begun the previous day.
Review session: After a lunch break, each participant will have a 10-15-minute review session to work on his/her song again before…
4 p.m. Final Presentation Session: Each of the participants will perform his/her audition piece in front of an invited audience, with final notes and comments by Mr. Niven.
Materials and Expectations: All participants will be provided with a photocopy of the assigned song as well as an extensive handbook of terms used throughout the Workshop. Each participant will provide Mr. Niven with a photocopy of his/her prepared song—in addition to the one to be used by the accompanist. All participants are expected to attend the Lecture/Demonstration, their own One-on-One Session, the Review Session, and of course, the Final Presentation. Everyone is encouraged to attend all remaining sessions of the Workshop, including the One-on-One Sessions of the other participants.
Registration Registration is open to the first 15 people. The registration fee for this MasterClass with Kip Niven is $125. >If you are interested in auditing the Workshop only, several options are available.<
For more information, to register or to inquire about auditing, please email Peter Leondedis at [email protected].
Olathe Civic Theatre Association | 500 E. Loula Street | Olathe, KS 66061 | olathetheatre.org