New adjunct theatre professor directs performance study

Wanda L. Bass School of Music premiered its second performance study, directed by a new adjunct professor. 

“Performance Study 2” streamed at 8 p.m. Oct. 16-17 from Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center via Stretch. The production, a collection of solo and ensemble songs, was directed by W. Jerome Stevenson, the new adjunct professor of theatre performance. 

Stevenson said he has been a longtime fixture as an actor and director in Oklahoma serving as both Producing Artistic Director of The Pollard Theatre Company and as a member of Actor’s Equity Association. 

He said Lance Marsh, professor of acting and head of performance, reached out to him over the summer asking him to teach a couple acting classes, and Dr. David Herendeen, head of opera and music theater, subsequently asked him to direct the second performance study. 

“He asked me if I might bring some of my work with actors as a coach and director to music theater students, so that they were both telling a story and facilitating the mechanics of good vocal works,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson said he and music director Eric Frei, adjunct faculty of vocal coaching, decided to structure their production around the theme of “isolation,” and they developed the program in the first set of rehearsals with students.  

“We started looking for pieces that were representative of isolation, but also approached the idea from varying positions. We didn’t want a bunch of sad ballads. We wanted isolation that came through funny songs or humorous songs, or the longing for community,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson said the final set of songs were a mix of ensemble numbers he and Frei wanted to include and solos and duets the students recommended. 

He said he rehearsed each song separately to find the core of the story for each one. 

“What’s the story of this piece and how do you best facilitate that in ways that use your voice as a tool, but tells a story beyond that? That’s the nature of what we do,” Stevenson said. “You have to be willing to break past just what your voice sounds like and tell a story after that.”

Stevenson said he was blown away by the talents and generosity of the students.

“I think they’re an amazing group of young people and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome,” Stevenson said. 

Kevin Howery, music theater junior, performed in three ensemble pieces through the evening. He said Stevenson was heavily involved with the creative process of the actors, consistently taking input from performers and making blocking a collaborative process. 

“That was a unique experience that I haven’t had much before, just because so many different directors have so many different styles,” Howery said. 

Howery said the highlight song for him was the adaptation of “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from “Les Miserables,” by Claude-Michel Schönberg. In “Performance Study 2,” The song was changed from a solo to an ensemble piece sung by five white, male performers. 

He said the performance was tied into the themes of the “Black Lives Matter” movement with the actors holding “BLM” signs at the end of the song. Howery said the themes of loss, privilege and responsibility baked into the song resonated through the ensemble number. 

“Him talking to us about why we’re having this discussion and bringing it up in this performance and why the specific performers were chosen to perform it was an enlightening experience, as well as a fulfilling one,” Howery said. 

Howery said he was thankful for the opportunity of the performance studies but acknowledged the experience lost by not performing a traditional production. 

“Performance studies are more helpful in the fulfillment of training than a lack thereof. However, there can also be something said for a cohesive production with a cohesive storyline,” Howery said. “It teaches continuity, it teaches character development, and it teaches all the fundamental parts of how to function in a real life production.”

Howery said he hopes the School of Music considers hybrid seasons in the future, mixing traditional productions with the new performance studies. 

Zoe Dongas, music theater senior, performed a solo in the show. She said she enjoyed the chance for students to experiment with material they otherwise wouldn’t be given in a normal season, such as pop rock music and songs outside of traditional type casts. 

She said Stevenson’s outside perspective invigorated the process, giving the production life. 

“It’s really nice to have a different perspective. He did a lot of taking people aside and talking through their beats and what they’re thinking for each of those. Then he would take groups aside, and they would discuss the context of the show and the context of our feelings outside of the show,” Dongas said.

“Performance Study 2” premiered 8 p.m. Oct. 16-17. A streamed recording of the production is available via the School of Music’s Stretch portal.