The Stage Door: Musical Theatre at SHSU
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The Stage Door: Musical Theatre at SHSU Volume II, Issue I Fall/Winter 2014 This is your backstage pass into current events and highlights from the From the Head of Musical Theatre Musical Theatre This has been an Houston statue just outside of Vicky Lanz holds a PhD in Program at Sam exciting and Huntsville, as a new friend and Theatre and Drama from the Houston State rewarding fall patron. These and other University of Wisconsin- University. Come semester. From exciting relationships promise Madison and is bringing a global behind the scenes our Scholarship an exhilarating future for the view to our students through Gala to our Musical Theatre Program. her research on African, as we reveal the recent Caribbean, and American We are enjoying our new very latest production of A theatre and performing identi- faculty who joined us this year. happenings in and Funny Thing Happened on the ties Drew Prince has joined our Kiira Schmidt Carper, whose around our dynamic Way to the Forum and everything applied voice faculty this year, Broadway credits include in between, we have been Drew received his M.M. from program. Anything Goes, Irving Berlin's happily busy working at a steady New York University in Musical White Christmas, The Mystery of pace. Theatre Vocal Performance. Edwin Drood, and Follies, is Drew teaches private voice to a First, I want to say a big thank dancing up a storm both in the full studio of musical theatre you to the many patrons and classroom and as our faculty majors. supporters who have made this choreographer. She has been a remarkable fall for us. I such a valuable addition to our As I said, it’s been a busy and especially want to thank our program and we are so pleased productive semester and we are Inside this issue: generous Gala underwriters to have her as part of our team. gearing up for many more Streater-Smith Honda and We are also fortunate to have rewarding projects waiting for New York 2 Nissan and Sam Houston Kevin Crouch as part of our us this spring. Visit our Senior Showcase Catering Services. I am grateful faculty this year. Kevin received YouTube channel to see us in for the support of Peter his M.F.A in Acting from New action! Roussel, the Warner Endowed York University, and is a www.youtube.com/user/ Guest Artist Visit 2 Chair in Journalism and his member of Actors' Equity Priority PR team. And I am Association. Kevin has taken a SHSUMusicalTheatre thrilled to have artist David very active role in training our Addicks, sculptor of the Sam production stage managers. Dr. The Broadway 2 Artists Intensive Musical Theatre Platform Performances Production 3 This fall we launched Platform various locations on and off- Highlights Performances with MUSIC campus. Events are free and FROM THE MOVIES, an original open to the public. revue of music from the We will be announcing our Golden Age of Hollywood Alumni News 3 upcoming fall 2015 performance Movie Musicals. The revue was very soon! performed off-campus at a north Houston fine arts venue In Our 3 to an audience of over 300 patrons. Community of Artists Platform Performances are concert versions of shows, Q the Music 4 musical revues, or themed Our Fred Astaire (Andrew sketches of different shows. Carson) and Ginger Rogers (Adrienne Whitaker) Platform Performances take place “Steppin’ Out” during the fall semester in Talking Pictures! -Singing in the Rain Page 2 The Stage Door: 2015 New York Senior Showcase We consider it a real honor to sponsor. When sponsoring a information brochure, please be able to offer a capstone senior, you are aiding one of contact Dr. Laura Avery at experience to our graduating these aspiring artists in their 936.294.3404 or seniors with a Senior Showcase career development by enabling [email protected]. in New York City. Auditions them to be seen and heard by This year’s Senior Showcase for this year’s Showcase took industry professionals in New show will take place at 3 p.m. place in early December and York. They are also able to and 7 p.m. on Monday, April the planning is well under way! meet and network with many 27 at TheatreLab, 357 W 36th, We are so very thankful to our of our alumni now living and (3rd floor) New York. To generous sponsors. Your kind working in New York. Having reserve your seat, please 2015 support allowed our seniors to these connections makes the contact Dr. Laura Avery at Showcase Senior take advantage of this amazing transition to the city easier for 936.294.3404 or opportunity at a reduced cost. our graduating seniors. [email protected]. The Please consider supporting our If you would like to receive our seniors by becoming a 2015 Sponsor-A-Senior Program Guest Artist Visit In November, Kevin’s Broadway/NY credits Kevin Munhall include Anything Goes took time (Roundabout), The Sound of from his busy Music (Carnegie Hall), Bells Are “His quick Dirty Dancing Ringing (Encores), Hansel and tour schedule Gretel (Avery Fisher Hall). paced class was to visit campus Regionally he has performed and share at Walnut Street Theatre, exhilarating some of the Kansas City Starlight, Ogunquit and was in show’s moves Playhouse, MTWichita, and Houston from and inspiring” with us. His Tuacahn Amphitheatre. His Nov 18-23. quick paced television appearances include We very much class was “One Life to Live” and “Smash.” appreciate exhilarating The tour of Dirty Dancing Kevin taking and inspiring. started at the National Theatre the time to Check out a brief clip on our in Washington D.C. in August come work YouTube Channel. with our students. Coming this summer to SHSU Sam Houston Musical technique, while exposing will be instructed by Broadway Theatre is proud to students to passionate and performers, Music Directors, and once again host The dedicated industry pros who Casting Directors, as well as Broadway Artists share their knowledge and TONY Award winning Directors Intensive this June. This expertise acquired along their and Choreographers. 3 week program is for own path to Broadway. talented students who Curriculum includes Acting, TBAI at SHSU June 8-27, 2015 are highly motivated to Vocal Technique, Vocal pursue a professional Repertoire, Ballet, Jazz, Theatre career in the Dance, Tap, Audition Auditions: January 10-12, 2015 performing arts. The Technique, Stage Combat and www.thebroadwayartistsintensive.com/ mission is to foster Improvisation. The Broadway texas/liveauditions/ talent and creativity in Artists Intensive faculty is all areas of musical theatre comprised entirely of through self discipline and Broadway veterans. Students Volume II, Issue I Page 3 Production Highlights This fall, we produced somersaulted their way through Sondheim’s A Funny Thing the show appearing on Happened on the Way to the scooters, a trampoline, aerial Forum. Set in Ancient Rome, silks and Lyra, and even a written in vaudeville style and unicycle! placed under the circus big top, this slapstick piece of musical This spring, we will present the comedy filled audiences with much acclaimed Broadway hit, laughter and sent them home Cabaret in the Erica Starr humming the great tunes. Theatre from April 15-18, 2015. The production marked the For tickets, please visit or call first time aerial choreography our Box Office at 936.294.1339. was used in a department production. The talented cast http://www.shsu.edu/academics/ of versatile actors theatre/tickets/ Alumni News Alumnus Alissa LaVergne has Alumnus Danny Dyer is pulled out her Radio City performing with Houston Grand Our alumni have exciting Rockette Christmas Spectacular Opera in their December careers in fields including costumes and is enjoying this production of Iain Bell’s A Broadway productions, tours, year’s run with the legendary Christmas Carol. film, television, and troupe of extraordinary choreography. Explore our Alumnus Eric Mota is currently dancers. touring with How the Grinch Stole featured alumni profiles on our online ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Alumnus Allison (Alli) Forsythe Christmas. page at www.shsu.edu/ competed in this year’s episode Alumnus Johann Robert Wood academics/theatre/alumni/. of The Amazing Race. She and sings the role of the young teammate, Kim did very well prince in Disney’s Lion King in Alumnus Greg Graham is during this around the world Orlando, Florida. associate choreographer of the race competition. We are very current Broadway revival of On Alumnus Nkrumah Gatling is proud of Alli! the Town. touring with The Gershwin’s Porgy Radio City Rockette and Bess. Alissa LaVergne In Our Community of Artists We have in including two tours of duty in and domestic trips, including Mr. Roussel has become a our the White House under the historic summit meetings good friend to Musical community Presidents Reagan and Ford, with the Russians at Geneva in Theatre. He has shared his of artists Peter Roussel is an author, 1985 and Iceland in 1986. wonderful stories, immense wonderful television and radio In addition to his impressive expertise and generous faculty with commentator and public media career, Peter Roussel support. We look forward to rich relations consultant. also has a wonderful history many more opportunities to experience From 1981-1987, he served in with the performing arts. His collaborate with Mr. Roussel and intriguing the White House as Special late father, Hubert Roussel, in the future. backgrounds. Assistant and Deputy Press served as drama, music and I have had the great pleasure of Secretary to President film critic for The Houston getting to know one such Reagan. His duties included Post from 1933-66. His mother individual this fall. With over 45 briefings of the White House was an actress and his sister a years of business, government, press corps and accompanying ballerina.