KEANmag
21
Just a few short weeks into the fall semester, 24 of Kean’s most
promising music and theatre majors were given the opportunity of
a lifetime when they were invited to perform alongside Broadway
legend and two-time Grammy and Tony Award winner Patti LuPone,
in the Kean Stage season opener,
Don’t Monkey with Broadway
, at the
Gene & Shelley Enlow Recital Hall.
“Going to college is all about learning, so the real-life experiences we
get while we are here are really important,” said Connor McKenna, a
sophomore Theatre Performancemajor fromHillsborough, NJ. “Learning
from the best of the best is awesome, especially when you’re studying
performing arts. Patti LuPone was inspiring, and it was incredible to get
the chance to explore what we want to become with someone who is
already there.”
The Kean University “Broadway Babies,” as the choir was called, worked
tirelessly in preparation for the concert, under the direction of Holly
Logue, director of the Theatre Conservatory, and Joy Hermalyn, an
adjunct professor of music who understudied Ms. LuPone in the Chicago
production of
War Paint
. The choir’s final rehearsal, held the afternoon
of the show, was led by Ms. LuPone’s musical director, Joseph Thalken.
“Halfway through the rehearsal, the theatre doors opened, and in walked
Broadway megastar Patti LuPone,” said Ms. Logue. “The students’
reactions were priceless. There was a moment of sheer silence and utter
excitement before everyone in the room broke out in applause.”
For the next hour, the rehearsal became an intense master class for the
students studying music and theatre performance. Ms. LuPone gave the
choir members advice on how to improve their singing and emphasized
the importance of maintaining one’s individuality as a character in a
musical.
“It is a brutal business,” she told the aspiring performers. “One needs
patience and discipline, and to be able to accept the sacrifices that the
business demands.”
That evening, Ms. LuPone and the Broadway Babies ushered in Kean
Stage’s 2016-2017 season when they met again in front of a full-capacity
audience in Enlow Hall. The backup choir accompanied her on several
favorites from the Great White Way, including; “Trouble in River City”
from
The Music Man
, “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” from
Guys and
Dolls
, “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” from
Anything Goes
, “Sleepy Man” from T
he
Robber Bridegroom
, and “Some Other Time” from
On the Town
.
“Some of the greatest lessons are not found in books. It’s important to
learn how to connect with the audience and oneself on a professional
level, and being part of this concert definitely helped us learn more
about how to go about doing just that,” said Kevin DeCastro, a junior
Theatre major from Elizabeth. “Having had the chance to learn directly
from a legend in music and acting is both humbling and exciting. I see
this experience as an incredible stepping stone to achieving my dreams
of becoming an actor.”
Steve Cochran, manager of Kean Stage, agreed. “Patti LuPone graciously
gave of her time and expertise to give our students practical advice
and a chance to showcase their talents on stage. Her unique gifts
have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on these aspiring actors and
musicians, and given them hope for what’s to come if they continue to
reach for the stars.”
The Broadway Babies’ unprecedented partnership with Ms. LuPone
was the first of several professional development collaborations forged
specifically to benefit Kean students. In October, Theatre Conservatory
students were given a crash course in the art of improvisational acting
by the Reduced Shakespeare Company, while Dr. Thomas Connors’
music students were treated to a lecture and demonstration by the
famed Turtle Island Quartet in November. The fall semester ended with
a special appearance by the Kean University Chorale, under the musical
direction of Dr. Mark Terenzi, who accompanied legendary folk singer
Judy Collins on her sold-out
Holidays and Hits
concert on December 18.
The Kean University Chorale performwith Judy Collins at her Holidays and Hits concert at Enlow Hall
Patti Lupone (center) spent time with Kean's aspiring music and theatre students
