Stage One - Vocal Technique

Lisa Carrier demonstrates proper vocal technique to
Stage One Students

 We are wrapping up the first week of Stage One here at Signature Theatre this summer and with the close of the first half of the workshop comes one more master class. Our final master class focused on proper vocal technique and presentation and was led by the incomparable Lisa Carrier Baker.

Jacob gets a few pointers from Lisa on his
prepared 16 bars.

An acclaimed vocal teacher and performer, Lisa spent three seasons as Artist in Residence with the Fletcher Opera Institute at North Carolina School of the Arts. From 2009 to 2011, Lisa served as both Director of Education at the Musical Theatre Center (now Adventure Theatre MTC) and continues as Director of Ensembles. She has performed on several national tours including La Boheme (Musetta) and The Merry Wives of Windsor (Anne). Other performance credits include: Ohio Light Opera: Christopher Columbus (Gretel – American Premiere); Lyric Theatre: Follies (Young Sally), Singin’ in the Rain (Zelda Zanders), Dames at Sea (Mona). Some of her Washington DC credits include: Kennedy Center: TThe Emperor’s New Clothes (Reyalto), several Page to Stage Festivals; American Century Theatre: Dear World (Nina); Washington Savoyards: The Mikado (Yum Yum); Toby’s Dinner Theatre: The Sound of Music (Mother Abbess); Ganymede Arts: Falsetto’s (Trina.) 

Lisa explains how to captivate an audience
and act a song.

Lisa is an adjunct professor of voice at American University and Montgomery College. Her students can be heard on Broadway stages, national tours, and are local Helen Hayes award winners and nominees. 

During her master class, Lisa observed several students cuttings of audition songs. After observing each short performances, Lisa offered up advice and exercises to help each individual student. The advice ranged from different physical exercises to directing the students' sound to visualization and association to helping find purpose and connection to the songs. 

One of the main points that Lisa helped get across to the students was finding relatability and connection to a song. A person might be singing about the biggest and saddest moment of their life in the context of the show, and that is all very well and good but not everyone has had that same giant, sad moment in their life. For instance, in Show Boat, the song "Make Believe" is about falling in love and admitting one's feelings for another person. Not everyone has had colossal conflicting feelings like this before. So, perhaps instead of using the image and idea of admitting love for another person use something you do love. Does the performer love pizza and peanut butter? Then sing about admitting your love for pizza and peanut butter. Keep the lyrics but alter your connection to the feelings expressed in the song.

Bryan sings a cut of "Santa Fe" from Newsies after receiving
a bit of direction from Lisa.

On Twitter? Follow Stage One at #SigStageOne

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Overtures - The Casting Session

Ryan looks on as Allison audition.

People get nervous. This is a regular part of life. Day in and day out, people the world over fret and stress over a variety of things both of worth and of inconsequential value. It should be no surprise then that performers get nervous as well. 

Overtures students support one another
throughout the casting session.

Auditions can be terrifying. As a performer myself I know the stress and anxiety that goes into the preparation and over-analyzation of an audition and all it entails. There is just so much to think about and let yourself get caught up in. Am I prepared? Am I dressed appropriately? Do I have all of my headshots, resumes, and paperwork in order? Am I on time and in the right place? Are my monologues and songs memorized and in perfect order? Is my music binder neat and organized? Did the casting director like me? Was I too engaging? Did I not talk enough? Etc, etc, etc till you make yourself sick with worry.

Signature's Walter Ware II looks on
throughout the casting session.

Ashley receives a bit of feedback from
the casting panel.

The Overtures students got to experience a casting session yesterday and dealt with some of these minor worries and woes. (And made it through the session with smiles on their faces and knowledge to use in future auditions.) The session itself was made up of casting directors and producers from the DC area that included Alan Paul from The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Amelia Powell from Arena Stage, Danisha Crosby from Round House Theatre and our very own Walter Ware III.

Each and every Overtures student presented two 32 bar pieces and a short monologue to the casting panel and then received feedback on their performance, composure and how they presented themselves both on the stage and on paper. The advice was far ranging from student to student, but the lessons learned were invaluable. These talented young men and women essentially went before a, albeit supportive, firing squad of casting directors. They all presented themselves brilliantly and I am proud to have them represent Overtures this year.

This Saturday, June 28th is the final day of Overtures. With this final day comes the Overtures Showcase, where these 19 amazing people show off all of the training they have been through over the past two weeks. The performance begins at 11:00 AM in the MAX Theatre at Signature Theatre. Doors open at 10:30 AM. There will be a brief reception following the performance. The event is unticketed and free.

By Matt Strote

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