The Shedd Institute's Musical Theatre Training Academy was established to provide a regional training opportunity for young performers, grades 8-12, to further develop and hone existing skills in the core musical theatre disciplines of acting, voice, and dance.
Directed by local musical director/conductor & educator, Vicki Brabham, students will work under the guidance of professional coaches and production staff/guest artists, to prepare a publically presented revue, featuring ensemble, duet, and solo repertoire from “Great Moments in Shedd Theatricals: 2002-13”. Enhancing the core training, workshops in improvisation, script writing, classic vaudeville/novelty acts, dialect study, and audition preparation will be sprinkled throughout the schedule, creating a rich & multi-faceted sampling of the kind of professional training required to succeed in a college program and beyond.
The Academy runs 13 days over 2 1/2 weeks (June 18-July 2). The daily routine (9:30 am-4:30 pm, including Saturdays) combines an equal balance of training and rehearsal, all focused on the creation of a musical revue, which will be presented publically Wednesday, July 2nd, the final evening of the final day of the camp.
During the course of the camp, students will also attend a performance of The Shedd Institute's production of the 1926 Gershwin musical comedy, Oh, Kay!.
The Ed Ragozzino Merit Scholarship If you are thinking of attending the Musical Theatre Training Academy, we encourage you to apply for an Ed Ragozzino Merit Scholarship.
Theatre professionals recognize the attributes of serious performers—those who have mastered the basics of their craft, and gone on to hone their acting, voice, and dance skills in equal measure. Academy participants receive intensive professional instruction in the three essential aspects of musical theatre performance through daily core sessions and specialized workshops. With no worries about an upcoming performance, students can focus on truly improving their craft.
Musical Theatre Dance
In musical theatre, a dance can connect scenes to characters, and is often one of the most important means of advancing the show and entertaining its audience. In addition to learning choreography, solo, and ensemble work, a musical theatre actor must learn how to perform the dance. In this session, students will receive training in musical theatre dance choreography and technique, and learn the isolated movements that professional dancers use to heighten a stage performance. By focusing on character-driven dances and choreography that establish a relationship and storyline, students will emerge from this session with a set of dance skills that make them a true “triple threat”.
Musical Theatre Voice
One of the most important skills that musical theatre performers must develop is their voice. Beyond simply being able to sing in tune or keep a rhythm, singers must convince an audience that their songs are not just “performance” but rather, extensions of story, tone, and character. In this session, students will be coached in the art of refining their voices for musical theatre. Students will select and prepare a song from a musical theatre show. Over the course of the two weeks, they will receive focused training to develop their singing skills and perfect their technique on the chosen piece. This training will help students better perform stage numbers and prepare repertoire for any musical theatre audition—fundamental skills for musical theatre success!.
Musical Theatre Acting
Designed as an “actor bag of tricks” for the developing performer, this daily session will cover fundamental acting techniques utilized in the professional world of theatre from stage presence and actor engagement to physicality and character development. Whether shining in the spotlight or filling in the chorus, acting requires a specific level of consciousness and a certain degree of engagement (both contextually and physically) that each call for a precise spectrum of skills. This class will provide aspiring actors with the tools they need to excel in musical theatre and the confidence to perform in front of any audience.
MTTA is an intensive 13-day camp that combines serious training with serious rehearsal, all in the service of the creation of a classic 1930s-style musical comedy revue, which will be presented to the public on Wednesday, July 2nd in The Shedd Institute's Jaqua Concert Hall at 7:30 pm
Special emphasis will be placed on emulating the protocol and atmosphere of a full professional production of the highest order.
The Revue will be made up of song, dance and comedy numbers from the classic era of musical comedy (1924-60), drawing from the classic shows put on by The Shedd Institute itself from 2002-13. Special emphasis will be placed on historic performance practice on all fronts -- voice, acting, staging and dancing.
A limited number of Ed Ragozzino Merit Scholarships of up to $250 each are available to applicants through the generosity of Shedd Institute donors in honor of Eugene musical theatre legend Ed Ragozzino (1931-2010).
The scholarship application deadline is Friday, June 6th at 5 pm.
To apply for a Ragozzino Scholarship, request an application form and submit with any two of the three following work samples: (1) a 16-bar excerpt from a standard song from the musical theatre repertoire (preferably pre-Sondheim), with piano accompaniment; (2) a monologue (3 minutes or less) from a published play of your choice; (3) a 1 to 2 minute sample of movement or dance representative of skill level. Submit samples on VHS tape, DVD, or on-line (YouTube, etc.) Submit the scholarship application form along with your Academy registration form. Each submission will be evaluated within one week of receipt and applicants will be notified of award status immediately.