Open Forum

I'm teaching in a new high school - this is just our 2nd year, and we have only 90 kids right now. My theater students want to do a musical but they're totally inexperienced for the most part, so I've decided to offer a Musical Theater Performance class this Spring to prepare us for a musical next year (Godspell!). The class will focus on reading music, expression, keys, pitches, song structure, vocal techniques, vocal warm-ups, sight singing, etc. The class will participate in a culminating showcase performance at the end of the year. (Thanks to everyone who gave me advice about this!)

The music teacher who has been advising me would like to have the students perform a song in front of us before the class begins so we know how much basic vocal technique I need to teach and what ranges the students have. We also want them to take the class seriously. Is this a good idea?? It's not an audition b/c anyone who enrolls can be in the class. But it feels like an audition. For students who have never done anything like this before, would we be asking way too much of them? Would this be too terrifying?

If it's a good idea ... how do they go about choosing a song they'd like to sing? We'd like it to be from a musical. Most of them have never done musical theater before so I feel like the choice of the song will be hard for them. How much of the song do we have them sing - just a 32 bar cut?

Thanks!
Arden



------------------------------
Arden Thomas
theater director
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

Good morning,
In both my beginning and advanced theatre courses I have a similar situation, and the advanced course is the one that does our public performances. (I think of these as placement auditions, not as a regular you won the role  type auditions.)  Anyone can take the course, so I have to figure out how to tailor the materials to their needs.I think it is necessary to get a gauge of where the students are so that you can move forward.   I do this in my beginning Theatre Class--without the song--but teach audition technique.  It's our first unit and serves two purposes-- I can see what the students can do and their experience level, which in turn will guide my coursework for the course.   Taught as an audition unit, students don't feel as if they are auditioning--and yet they are.  

Hope this helps.
Holly

------------------------------
Holly Thompson
Worthington OH
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-28-2017 01:50
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: How to help students audition for a musical theater performance class

I'm teaching in a new high school - this is just our 2nd year, and we have only 90 kids right now. My theater students want to do a musical but they're totally inexperienced for the most part, so I've decided to offer a Musical Theater Performance class this Spring to prepare us for a musical next year (Godspell!). The class will focus on reading music, expression, keys, pitches, song structure, vocal techniques, vocal warm-ups, sight singing, etc. The class will participate in a culminating showcase performance at the end of the year. (Thanks to everyone who gave me advice about this!)

The music teacher who has been advising me would like to have the students perform a song in front of us before the class begins so we know how much basic vocal technique I need to teach and what ranges the students have. We also want them to take the class seriously. Is this a good idea?? It's not an audition b/c anyone who enrolls can be in the class. But it feels like an audition. For students who have never done anything like this before, would we be asking way too much of them? Would this be too terrifying?

If it's a good idea ... how do they go about choosing a song they'd like to sing? We'd like it to be from a musical. Most of them have never done musical theater before so I feel like the choice of the song will be hard for them. How much of the song do we have them sing - just a 32 bar cut?

Thanks!
Arden



------------------------------
Arden Thomas
theater director
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

I, too, would be concerned about perhaps asking too much of first time performers with something like that. I mean, the goal of your class is to prepare them to actually participate in a musical, so you are assuming they are inexperienced. Overwhelming first experiences can often turn kids off and that's the opposite of what you want to do. When we audition, we don't pay a pianist to come in. So we use a track. We cut the track to the snippet we want to hear - 32 bars or so and provide (via upload or cd - we still have a large clientele without internet) the demo (also cut) and the accompaniment. They then have a few choices. They can sing with the accompaniment, as per general expectation. They can sing with the demo. They can also also chose to sing with the accompaniment but with another person. We tell them we have the 'right' to request to hear it alone with just the accompaniment but we can also gauge after hearing any other option whether that would actually be successful. Perhaps something like that could be modified to help create a less stressful option for your students. Enjoy teaching the class!!

------------------------------
Jolene Workman
Director
Bridgeville DE
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-28-2017 01:50
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: How to help students audition for a musical theater performance class

I'm teaching in a new high school - this is just our 2nd year, and we have only 90 kids right now. My theater students want to do a musical but they're totally inexperienced for the most part, so I've decided to offer a Musical Theater Performance class this Spring to prepare us for a musical next year (Godspell!). The class will focus on reading music, expression, keys, pitches, song structure, vocal techniques, vocal warm-ups, sight singing, etc. The class will participate in a culminating showcase performance at the end of the year. (Thanks to everyone who gave me advice about this!)

The music teacher who has been advising me would like to have the students perform a song in front of us before the class begins so we know how much basic vocal technique I need to teach and what ranges the students have. We also want them to take the class seriously. Is this a good idea?? It's not an audition b/c anyone who enrolls can be in the class. But it feels like an audition. For students who have never done anything like this before, would we be asking way too much of them? Would this be too terrifying?

If it's a good idea ... how do they go about choosing a song they'd like to sing? We'd like it to be from a musical. Most of them have never done musical theater before so I feel like the choice of the song will be hard for them. How much of the song do we have them sing - just a 32 bar cut?

Thanks!
Arden



------------------------------
Arden Thomas
theater director
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

I've been in situations in the past where I had kids with no experience in or familiarity with musical theater, and limited wherewithal to find selections. In those situations, I use a common song like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and then each kid gets to pick an "objective out of a hat to use the song to: "encourage someone shy" to "get a boat full of terrible sailors to row in the right direction" "To impress a potential date at a party." etc., etc.,  The brevity of the song helps with buy-in, and the objective helps them something to actively do, rather than worry about the quality of their singing.  I've had international kids who were unfamiliar with American folk songs, but "Happy Birthday" is pretty universal.


It sounds like a great class!

------------------------------
Meg O'Connor
theatre artist on the mountain
oconnormainstage.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-28-2017 01:50
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: How to help students audition for a musical theater performance class

I'm teaching in a new high school - this is just our 2nd year, and we have only 90 kids right now. My theater students want to do a musical but they're totally inexperienced for the most part, so I've decided to offer a Musical Theater Performance class this Spring to prepare us for a musical next year (Godspell!). The class will focus on reading music, expression, keys, pitches, song structure, vocal techniques, vocal warm-ups, sight singing, etc. The class will participate in a culminating showcase performance at the end of the year. (Thanks to everyone who gave me advice about this!)

The music teacher who has been advising me would like to have the students perform a song in front of us before the class begins so we know how much basic vocal technique I need to teach and what ranges the students have. We also want them to take the class seriously. Is this a good idea?? It's not an audition b/c anyone who enrolls can be in the class. But it feels like an audition. For students who have never done anything like this before, would we be asking way too much of them? Would this be too terrifying?

If it's a good idea ... how do they go about choosing a song they'd like to sing? We'd like it to be from a musical. Most of them have never done musical theater before so I feel like the choice of the song will be hard for them. How much of the song do we have them sing - just a 32 bar cut?

Thanks!
Arden



------------------------------
Arden Thomas
theater director
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

As a voice teacher and musical theater director, the suggestion of having the students perform a song at the beginning of the year is a great idea.  If the students are not ready to sing alone, they could pair up. This will really give you an idea of what you are working with and give the students a chance to shine.

Consider asking a local voice teacher to volunteer to teach a song from the musical you want to do next year.  That will jump start the learning process for those who want to audition and give them an added boost of confidence.   

Singing "Twinkle" is OK, but a better choice would be a real musical song, every girl knows the "Belle" song from Beauty and the Beast and the boys could sing the Gaston song or another Disney song; The Lion King is popular.  Another song that every girl knows is from The Little Mermaid  "Part of Your World".   

"Happy birthday" is one of the hardest songs to sing because of the octave jump for the high note, few can pull it off in tune.

Another fun thing to do is to have a panel of 3 judges to give POSITIVE comments at the end of the performance like on America's Got Talent, but no cutting remarks, jut positive things!  The students love this and it gives them some confidence hearing what they did do right.  You can change the panel so all have a chance to be heard.  I wish I could take your class!

------------------------------
Corinne Walker
Private voice teacher and musical theater director
Mesa, Arizona
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-28-2017 01:50
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: How to help students audition for a musical theater performance class

I'm teaching in a new high school - this is just our 2nd year, and we have only 90 kids right now. My theater students want to do a musical but they're totally inexperienced for the most part, so I've decided to offer a Musical Theater Performance class this Spring to prepare us for a musical next year (Godspell!). The class will focus on reading music, expression, keys, pitches, song structure, vocal techniques, vocal warm-ups, sight singing, etc. The class will participate in a culminating showcase performance at the end of the year. (Thanks to everyone who gave me advice about this!)

The music teacher who has been advising me would like to have the students perform a song in front of us before the class begins so we know how much basic vocal technique I need to teach and what ranges the students have. We also want them to take the class seriously. Is this a good idea?? It's not an audition b/c anyone who enrolls can be in the class. But it feels like an audition. For students who have never done anything like this before, would we be asking way too much of them? Would this be too terrifying?

If it's a good idea ... how do they go about choosing a song they'd like to sing? We'd like it to be from a musical. Most of them have never done musical theater before so I feel like the choice of the song will be hard for them. How much of the song do we have them sing - just a 32 bar cut?

Thanks!
Arden



------------------------------
Arden Thomas
theater director
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

What about video auditions? This is the way many of them are and will be auditioning for colleges and lots of other things. I used this idea for the first time this fall and it was interesting. I selected a few song choices, found you tube karaoke versions of the songs both with  and without lyrics and printed the links, along with the typed lyrics for each song. The students had a week. They were to select one song, listen to it with the lyrics to learn the song, then using the second version without lyrics, were  to video record themselves with their phone. (Yes, they don't all have phones...yes, it takes two phones or a phone and a computer, one to play the music  and one to record. I arranged with my upper classmen  to volunteer to be in my room before or after school for a couple days to help anyone who needed it. Very few needed it.) Then they attached videos and emailed to me with the word Audition in the subject line and name, grade, contact info, etc. in the body. Some posted them to YouTube and sent me a link if the videos were too long for their phone to send.

I found a lot of the kids were more willing to "go for it" when they were recording alone, when they weren't under the pressure of a group of adults staring at them, and when they had a chance to do it over as many times a they wanted. I and my musical director could watch them together or separately, at our convenience (and with a glass of wine.) This would also give you a baseline video  to compare student growth at the end of the year. 

Just a thought, but it was an interesting first try. I used it for the first round of auditions for our musical and based love call backs from there. I have had to have three days of first round  auditions in the past to accommodate as many as 150 kids auditioning, and some just aren't prepared. This idea cut through a lot of that very quickly.  

Good luck.

------------------------------
Jenny Brotherton
Drama Coach-Teacher
Scranton PA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-28-2017 01:50
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: How to help students audition for a musical theater performance class

I'm teaching in a new high school - this is just our 2nd year, and we have only 90 kids right now. My theater students want to do a musical but they're totally inexperienced for the most part, so I've decided to offer a Musical Theater Performance class this Spring to prepare us for a musical next year (Godspell!). The class will focus on reading music, expression, keys, pitches, song structure, vocal techniques, vocal warm-ups, sight singing, etc. The class will participate in a culminating showcase performance at the end of the year. (Thanks to everyone who gave me advice about this!)

The music teacher who has been advising me would like to have the students perform a song in front of us before the class begins so we know how much basic vocal technique I need to teach and what ranges the students have. We also want them to take the class seriously. Is this a good idea?? It's not an audition b/c anyone who enrolls can be in the class. But it feels like an audition. For students who have never done anything like this before, would we be asking way too much of them? Would this be too terrifying?

If it's a good idea ... how do they go about choosing a song they'd like to sing? We'd like it to be from a musical. Most of them have never done musical theater before so I feel like the choice of the song will be hard for them. How much of the song do we have them sing - just a 32 bar cut?

Thanks!
Arden



------------------------------
Arden Thomas
theater director
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------

I would not make students audition for the class, but that's just the way I roll.  I would, instead, teach an audition unit at the beginning of the class.  We do that for our classes that combine to produce the musical on alternating years, and it works super well. 

I give out a sheet with eight to ten 40-second monologues for students to choose from, and our choral teacher checks ranges and teaches a different 16-bar piece to the soprano group, alto group, tenor group, and baritone/bass group.  I work with students on working up their monologues as soon as they memorize them. 

On audition day, students check a randomly sorted list for their numbers, then audition in that order.  They do the monologue first, then nod to the SM, who turns on the appropriate backing track.  


------------------------------
C. J. Breland
Asheville High School
Asheville NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-01-2017 08:13
From: Jenny Brotherton
Subject: How to help students audition for a musical theater performance class

What about video auditions? This is the way many of them are and will be auditioning for colleges and lots of other things. I used this idea for the first time this fall and it was interesting. I selected a few song choices, found you tube karaoke versions of the songs both with  and without lyrics and printed the links, along with the typed lyrics for each song. The students had a week. They were to select one song, listen to it with the lyrics to learn the song, then using the second version without lyrics, were  to video record themselves with their phone. (Yes, they don't all have phones...yes, it takes two phones or a phone and a computer, one to play the music  and one to record. I arranged with my upper classmen  to volunteer to be in my room before or after school for a couple days to help anyone who needed it. Very few needed it.) Then they attached videos and emailed to me with the word Audition in the subject line and name, grade, contact info, etc. in the body. Some posted them to YouTube and sent me a link if the videos were too long for their phone to send.

I found a lot of the kids were more willing to "go for it" when they were recording alone, when they weren't under the pressure of a group of adults staring at them, and when they had a chance to do it over as many times a they wanted. I and my musical director could watch them together or separately, at our convenience (and with a glass of wine.) This would also give you a baseline video  to compare student growth at the end of the year.

Just a thought, but it was an interesting first try. I used it for the first round of auditions for our musical and based love call backs from there. I have had to have three days of first round  auditions in the past to accommodate as many as 150 kids auditioning, and some just aren't prepared. This idea cut through a lot of that very quickly.

Good luck.

------------------------------
Jenny Brotherton
Drama Coach-Teacher
Scranton PA

Original Message:
Sent: 09-28-2017 01:50
From: Arden Thomas
Subject: How to help students audition for a musical theater performance class

I'm teaching in a new high school - this is just our 2nd year, and we have only 90 kids right now. My theater students want to do a musical but they're totally inexperienced for the most part, so I've decided to offer a Musical Theater Performance class this Spring to prepare us for a musical next year (Godspell!). The class will focus on reading music, expression, keys, pitches, song structure, vocal techniques, vocal warm-ups, sight singing, etc. The class will participate in a culminating showcase performance at the end of the year. (Thanks to everyone who gave me advice about this!)

The music teacher who has been advising me would like to have the students perform a song in front of us before the class begins so we know how much basic vocal technique I need to teach and what ranges the students have. We also want them to take the class seriously. Is this a good idea?? It's not an audition b/c anyone who enrolls can be in the class. But it feels like an audition. For students who have never done anything like this before, would we be asking way too much of them? Would this be too terrifying?

If it's a good idea ... how do they go about choosing a song they'd like to sing? We'd like it to be from a musical. Most of them have never done musical theater before so I feel like the choice of the song will be hard for them. How much of the song do we have them sing - just a 32 bar cut?

Thanks!
Arden



------------------------------
Arden Thomas
theater director
Sequoyah High School
Pasadena CA
------------------------------