DECEMBER 2009 – News of a very special lab... Remembering SEE ROCK CITY…. The annual dance workshop… Plans for next semester….

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

As we think of friends and family at this time of year, and celebrate beautiful memories, I’m reminded again of the wonderful friendships that have developed over the last 26 years.  I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for the opportunity to have shared so many extraordinary experiences with such special people.  What a gift this has been!  And what better time for being in touch than in a season in which we celebrate togetherness.  Writing this column is meaningful to me at any time of year, but I’m especially pleased this month to take a moment to wish all of you a marvelous holiday season and great happiness in the new year. 

A TOAST TO SEE ROCK CITY…..

Not only was SEE ROCK CITY a new musical, which makes it special enough, but it also turned into a major ‘event’ because of the two independent casts (see last month’s column for the details).  In fact, it was possible within the 2-show Saturday and Sunday schedule to see the two casts in one day, and a number of people took advantage of this unique opportunity.  Seeing the same show interpreted in two different ways was an unusual experience, especially with each so thoroughly and beautifully realized.  Perhaps this was the most memorable for the actors themselves, who saw the other cast on the final Sunday. 

Brad Alexander (music) and Adam Mathias (book and lyrics) were in town for the performances and spent considerable time interacting with the cast members.  We had two talk-backs with the writers and audience members, so that each cast could participate. 

Several days after the show closed, both casts reassembled with the 6-piece band in the recording studio in the Duderstadt Center for an all-day session to make a cast album.  Once the recording is edited, I hope that we can make it available so that all of you can hear this marvelous score performed by these sensational students.

A final word on the show:  I want to publicly thank Rachel Hoffman for alerting me to this script.  She saw a workshop of the show last June in New York, and contacted me afterwards, suggesting it as a suitable choice for our studio musical.  Interestingly, two UM graduates were in this workshop, Stanley Bahorek and Jonathan Hammond.  I should mention that I’m always on the lookout for new scripts, and if any of you discover one that you think would be good for us here at Michigan, be sure to let me know.  Thanks to donors David and Joan Marshall, we have funding for bringing the writers of new musicals to campus to work with the students.

For pictures of SEE ROCK CITY…., please click here. 

And in case you missed the Playbill article about the production, click here. 

In mid-December, composer Alan Menken was a guest speaker in our Monday lab.  In addition to sharing many anecdotes about his career, Mr. Menkin played highlights of his career in a 20-minute medley, which was electrifying, moving, and astonishing (for its breadth), all at once.  An unforgettable performance capped the end of the lab, when junior Will Burton sang “Proud of Your Boy,” accompanied at the piano by Mr. Menken.  Not a dry eye in the room afterwards!

That evening Linda Goodrich hosted our annual dance lab, featuring student choreography in a variety of dance pieces.  As always, it was a wild, eclectic mix, ranging from hip hop to Gilbert and Sullivan, leaving everyone exhilarated as well as proud of the level of accomplishment. 

ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINT…..

If you have information that isn’t posted, contact Marisa Meyer or me.  Because this is a School of Music website, it’s not updated daily, but if you send us something, I guarantee that we’ll get it listed before long.

THE VIEW ON THE HORIZON…..

 As soon as the students return in January, we’ll dive into auditions for the Power Center musical RAGTIME (directed by Mark Madama, with music direction by Cynthia Westphal) and ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL (our studio play directed by Malcolm Tulip).  We also start daily rehearsals for the senior showcase, prepare for the annual seniors’ concert at Kerrytown (“Lost In Ann Arbor”), rehearse for the Collage Concert, and gear up for a long list of guests.  And of course, summer stock auditions!  I’ll give details of all of these in upcoming columns. 

NOVEMBER 2009 – News of guests and master classes ... Remembering EVITA ... SEE ROCK CITY…. Student Projects... and more…

Frank Loesser wrote a classic song of the World War II years called “Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year” and I thought that a good title for this month’s entry would be “November Will be a Little Late This Year”!  Though I intend to update this column at the first of every month during the school year, keeping up with the activities of 80 undergraduates, along with classes and administrative work, doesn’t allow me the flexibility in my schedule that I wish I had!

As I mentioned in October, this monthly column will feature news of our Department, written specifically to keep the graduates informed about current activities at the school.  This is still a ‘work in progress’!  Let me express my gratitude again to Marisa Meyer for initiating this inspired idea and for the great website design.  If you have performance dates you’d like to add to the calendar, please feel free to contact Marisa at info@uofmmt.com

Our fall production of EVITA in the Mendelssohn Theatre was a sell-out success.  The show was in such demand, in fact, that even the final dress rehearsal was nearly sold out!   You can see credits and production pictures by visiting the site.

GRADUATES IN DETROIT…..

Many graduates have performed in Detroit this fall, and all have been able to visit Ann Arbor.  Cortney Wolfson and Alex Puette were at the Fisher Theatre in the national tour of LEGALLY BLONDE.  Jimmy Ludwig was at the Fox in the new musical 101 DALMATIONS directed by Jerry Zaks.  And the national tour of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE is playing at the Fisher Theatre in December with no fewer than 4 UM graduates:  Kate Loprest, Lizzie Klemperer, Jessica Hershberg, and Garen McRoberts.

AND IN CHICAGO…..

I want to give special mention to the Broadway-bound new musical THE ADDAMS FAMILY with a score by UM graduate Andrew Lippa, starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth.  The show opens in Chicago on December 9^th at the Oriental Theatre.  Fittingly, it began previews in November on Friday the 13^th!  For more information, click here. 

And for a feature story about Andrew and THE ADDAMS FAMILY, written by Bryan Langlitz, a 2009 MT graduate, for the current issue of the Michigan Muse, click here. 

AND ALL THE PLACES IN BETWEEN…..

For more news about the graduates, visit the alumni page at umich.edu by clicking here.

VISITORS TO CAMPUS

This has been a busy fall season for us, with numerous guests here on campus to speak at labs, work with students in classes, or teach master classes.  Highlights include the following:

Alan Eisenberg, the former Executive Director of Actors’ Equity (and a Michigan graduate!), and John Connelly, the current Executive Director of Actors’ Equity,

Michael Kirsten, an agent with the Harden-Curtis Agency in New York City. 

Jimmy Ludwig (mentioned above).

Lauren Kennedy, who was in the area to give 3 concerts in Kalamazoo, with music direction and accompaniment by faculty member Catherine Walker Adams.

Brad Alexander, composer of SEE ROCK CITY (see below).

Mark Esposito, who choreographed EVITA.

And last (but certainly not least!), Patti LuPone, who had a special question-and-answer session with the MT senior class, sponsored by Bob and Pearson Macek, and Ken Fischer, President of the University Musical Society.  Patti was in town for a concert with pianist Joe Thalkin in Hill Auditorium and of course, all of the students attended and were a very vocal audience!  She was actually here for an earlier concert many years ago, also in Hill, and afterwards, she performed a memorable rendition of “Meadowlark” for a select group of students at a private reception (a picture of her and the students is included in the souvenir book from the Anniversary Concert).   For a picture of Patti with the current senior class, visit the photos section of this website.

A WORD ABOUT THESE GUESTS:  All of us, students and faculty alike, are deeply grateful to the Friends of Musical Theatre for making the visits by these guests possible.  The contributions of this group truly transform the educational opportunities we are able to give our students.  (If any of you would like to know more about the Friends, or to join the group, please contact Anna Sampson at asamps@umich.edu ).

SEE ROCK CITY:  DECEMBER 10 - 13

Our studio production in the Arthur Miller Theatre is the new musical SEE ROCK CITY AND OTHER DESTINATIONS by Brad Alexander and Adam Mathias.  The show is actually 6 short one-act musicals, all taking place at different tourist locations.  Though these stories seem unrelated at first glance, they are all united by theme.  ROCK CITY has been in development for several years, winning two prestigious awards for new works: the Richard Rodgers Award and the Jerry Bock Award.

How’s this for a new approach to a production (even in 25 years, it’s one I’ve never tried before):  Because ROCK CITY is largely 2 and 3-character scenes, and because of the extraordinary level of talent within the Department, the production has been cast with two complete sets of actors.  The show is not ‘double cast’ in the traditional sense.  Both casts have rehearsed independently (we call them the MAIZE and the BLUE casts!), and until the final two performances, neither cast will have seen the work of the other.  Character interpretations and staging choices are somewhat different in each production.  My goal has been to give as many students an opportunity as possible.   ROCK CITY originally called for a cast of 7, utilizing considerable doubling of the roles.  With the two casts and no doubling, along with the addition of a 6-member ensemble, the Michigan production has a cast of 32!  None of the students in ROCK CITY were in the cast of EVITA, so between the two productions this fall, the vast majority of students has been active, to say the least!  (When Brad Alexander arrived to speak with the cast and saw 32 student students ready to go, I’m sure he thought that I had visions of becoming the next Cecil B. DeMille!)

For any of you in the area, we’d love for you to see the show.  It plays in the Arthur Miller Theatre from December 10 – 13, with each cast featured in 3 performances.  For information about specific times and tickets, call the box office at 734-764-2538,

STUDENT PROJECTS

With 80 ambitious and enterprising students in the Department, the number of projects they undertake in one semester is truly astounding.  A few highlights of the fall include:

*The fall semester MUSKET production of HAIR, produced in the Power Center and featuring many MT majors. 

*An original musical in Basement Arts with a score by juniors A.J. Holmes and Carlos Valdez, and an enormous Facebook following.

*The classic musical OKLAHOMA! at Pioneer High School, directed and choreographed by seniors Mary Michael Patterson and Kevin Munhall, produced by Susan Hurwitz.

A REMINDER FROM LAST MONTH WHICH IS WORTH REPEATING

As we continue to welcome extremely talented students to the campus every year, the Department’s ability to attract the best students in the nation is largely due to our reputation.  We don’t advertise, we don’t visit high schools throughout the country, and we don’t actively recruit ---not because we don’t want to, but because of the limited time of our faculty.  (As you surely remember, it’s everything we can do to keep up with the 80 students who are here!)  However, despite our limited interaction with high school students, you can help us.  Every time you mention Michigan in a bio, especially in production playbills and in interviews, it’s gold in the bank for us.  Prospective students scour these sources, and repeatedly tell us that their interest in our Department solidified when they learned of the activities of our graduates.  PLEASE continue to keep Michigan in your bios.   If ‘Graduate, University of Michigan Musical Theatre Department’ is too long for a bio (which I hear repeatedly), all you need to say is ‘BFA Michigan,’ and the message still works.  This insures that the legacy you helped to create will stay strong for generations to come.