Seniors from the Wanda L. Bass School or Music and the School of Theatre are gearing up to participate in a variety of showcases across the country.
Lance Marsh, head of performance in the School of Theatre, said the events will be presented virtually this year and will bring seniors closer to talent representation in Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
“The first New York showcase was 12 years ago. It was only music students back then, and theater joined a year later,” Marsh said. “A few years later we added Chicago. Then down the line, we added Dallas and L.A., so we actually offer four professional showcases for performance seniors.”
Marsh said he believes the goal of the showcase is not to necessarily book work, but rather to make relationships and foster comfort in a particular market.
“We hope to introduce our students to people in the market. It opens the first door,” Marsh said. “If a student books a gig out of the event it’s gravy, but we really view it as an opportunity to acclimate students first.”
Marsh said the virtual structure allows for other events to be added in collaboration. Students performing in the showcases and current students will have the opportunity to view and participate in dialogues and other virtual events.
“Those performing in the various showcases and current students will have the opportunity to sit in on workshops and lectures from OCU alumni and working professionals,” Marsh said. “These community events will be a part of the L.A. experience and Chicago showcase. They will focus on topics like breaking into a new city.”
Madeline Powell, music theater senior, is participating in the New York showcase. She wrote in an email that the application and audition process was straightforward and involved submitting audition materials and academic screenings.
“We all applied, basically, last semester to be approved academically so that we could audition,” Powell wrote. “Every year the School of Music brings in a casting director and agent to cast the show to ensure that the cast list isn’t biased, which I love!”
Powell wrote that there is a learning curve to working online during this time when performing live is not an option, but she said she believes her faulty and peers will help make it a success.
“There is definitely a bit of stress and confusion about how things will translate to an online platform,” Powell wrote. “I feel confident knowing that there are so many people, including my classmates, who are working really hard to make this as smooth as possible”.
The Chicago showcase will be the first of the four and is scheduled for Feb. 19-21. It will take place digitally due to campus closure. Dallas and New York showcases are scheduled for March.
Leave a Reply