Friday, August 31, 2012

The Sound of Music at Porthouse

The Hills Are Alive.....Porthouse Summer Stock 2012

Spent another great summer at Porthouse Theatre under the direction of Kent State's Terri Kent. I was fortunate enough to take on multiple roles this summer onstage and off. Kent State has an academy for students who will be incoming Freshmen at Kent State in the School of Theatre and Dance. These student take classes during the day and at night they perform and help out in the last show of the season. The girls were able to all be nuns in The Sound of Music. I was a teaching assistant for Jamie Koeth, a Cleveland area equity actor. In their acting classes they learned basic technique for preparing monologues and looking for actions/qualities. It was so benefiting for me to help out with the class because it made me remember everything I learned in my classes and as a result I want to work harder. This year in the city I want to work harder on learning new material but also adding more layers to the pieces I already have prepared. Proud does not even describe the sense I felt when they did their auditions for placement into the Musical Theatre program. Not only did I meet with some students one on one but I was also able to teach a Basic Modern dance class and I think I'm addicted!!! Something I know I will be interested in pursuing in my future. 

Not only did I act as a teaching assistant but I was also in The Sound of Music as a nun and Maria understudy. Any possible chance I get to understudy an equity actor I take it! It gives me experience and I enjoy sitting in rehearsals and watching people at work.  On top of the wonderful nun costumes, I got to be the dance captain for the show with the choreography by Mary Ann Black. I have had dance classes with Mary Ann before and having known her was a big help throughout the process. Seeing the way she interacted with equity actors and the students gave me such an appriciation for her work.

After my brief stay with Porthouse I plan on going to SETC's in Atlanta, GA in September. This is my first SETC conference and I could not be more excited. Following that I will be back in NYC to conquer!

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