Stage One - Singing in the Park with Susan

Emma Sophie and Susan work through a song
with Stage One students chiming in.

Here at Signature Theatre, we are incredibly lucky to have so many talented performers and artists working with us on a day to day basis, both onstage and off. From the actors that perform most every night to the technicians and staff here that keep everything running smoothly. (Or at least as smooth as live theatre can ever go.) Yesterday, Stage One students got to receive advice and instruction from one of Signature Theatre's favorite performers, Susan Derry.

Stage One looks on and supports
one another during the master class.

Susan Derry is a popular performer in the DC area. Having performed in several Signature events and productions including: Sunday in the Park with George (Celeste), Sunset Boulevard (Betty Schaeffer), Saturday Night (Helen), I Capture the Castle (21/24 workshop) and Show Boat, Susan is very familiar with the comings and goings of the world of theatre. Some of Susans other performance credits include: Kennedy Center: Ragtime (Kathleen), Bernstein’s Mass (Street Chorus Soloist), Mame, Camelot, My Fair Lady. Her regional credits include: Othello (Desdemona), My Fair Lady (Eliza), Crimes of the Heart (Meg), The Importance of Being Earnest (Gwendolen), I Do! I Do! (Agnes), Brigadoon (Fiona), West Side Story (Maria), Company (Susan), Regina (Alexandra), The Merchant of Venice (Jessica.) 

Caleigh works on "If I Loved You" with Susan.

Throughout her master class, Susan worked with several Stage One students on presenting and refining audition material. Now, wherein other master classes here at Signature Theatre have focused on working 16 or 32 bar cuts of songs, Susan's class instead worked full versions of songs. Some songs that were presented and workshopped  included "If I Loved You" (Carousel), "What You'd Call A Dream" (Diamonds), "A Change in Me" (Beauty and the Beast) and "Frank Mills" (Hair).

A few particular things that were stressed throughout the workshop included specificity, clarity, and honesty. When a performer is presenting a song at an audition, whether a full song or a smaller cutting, they need to be able to present the song as a stand alone piece. The other people in the room may or may not be familiar with the song in question, but the performer needs to make the context of the song maintain itself. So, who or what is the performer singing at or about? Place the objective of the song in the room itself if possible and communicate through the song to it as actively as possible. 

Amanda sings her rendition of "Frank Mills"

Singing in musical theatre is the apex of emotion. It is all very well and good to get basic emotions and dialogue out through the delivery of lines, but it is another thing to sing what one is saying. The characters' emotions and thoughts have reached a breaking point and the only way to communicate their frustration, love, anger, confusion, determination, etc., is through the heightened emotional form of communication that is singing. Use this song to convey what you are truly feeling.

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Posted in: Musical Theatre,Singing,Song Interpretation,Stage One,Susan Derry