On Monday, Oct. 14, the students of the Theatre and Musical Theatre department were able to spend a day with four guest artists brought in by the faculty. The students had two workshops in the morning. Laura Savage, a 2008 alumni focused on teaching students auditioning for the performer, not the people behind the table, and Laura Braza, an Associate Artistic Director of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, focused on workshopping monologues that highlight how to show yourself within an audition. Both of the morning sessions, students were able to sing and act in the workshops and get feedback.
Adam Moxness, a professor in the Theatre and Musical Theatre department, describes department day this way: “Department day, I would say, is an opportunity for students to interact and learn from guest artists and people who bring various skills and knowledge that is different than what– or complimentary to the skills that faculty provide for the program.” Moxness continues, “[It gives students] a chance to network, to discover, take a break from the learning environment and academia, and to be a little bit more playful in your craft.”
Abbey Messing, a senior musical theatre major with minors in dance and arts administration, was able to work with Laura Savage. “It was really interesting to begin picturing myself at that stage down the road and reflecting back on my time here. I think the truth that there are so many unexpected pathways and life choices and changes ahead was enlightening,” said Messing.
Lauren Kromery, a first-year musical theatre major, who was able to work with Laura Braza had this to say: “I found it so beneficial to work my monologue with Laura Braza because it was helpful for me to get a new perspective on my monologue. I really liked her emphasis on the fact that we are presenting ourselves as who we are as actors when we are doing our monologues, versus ‘I’m doing this piece because I like it.’ I’ve never really thought about it like that before.”
The day continued with two more workshops in the afternoon. The afternoon workshops included a movement class with Nathan Keepers, an owner of The Moving Company, and Hannah Joyce, Director of Professional Resources and Education of the Playwright Center.
The day ended with the students getting a sit-down question-and-answer session with all four guest artists, where they could ask questions about the field and career path. When asked why these days were important to students, Messing said, “I think it is so important to see the bigger picture for underclassmen. It is easy to get caught up in everything that goes on within the Viterbo campus, but events like this help smaller stressors like work sessions or auditions to feel like such minor steppingstones in the marathon of a career in the performing arts.”
Messing stressed the importance of underclassmen gaining access to these tools while they are at the beginning of their journey. “It does an excellent job of pushing students to just get out there and start auditioning and networking beyond school, which will set them up to be much more successful once they are preparing to leave,” said Messing.
As the second annual department day for the Theatre and Musical Theatre department, it is clear the faculty has a goal to continue this new tradition, and to build upon resources, connections and any gaps within the programming. As Moxness explains, “The hope, and the goal is that we’re establishing relationships with them and then Viterbo and with our program, so that way they come back and they can bring other people along with them.”
