Musical theater class to be taught next year

Students enthused over new chance to practice their craft

With "Showstoppers," a student directed musical revue production, going up in Hall Auditorium this commencement, students are finding more opportunities to explore musical theater on the Oberlin campus. In the spirit of creating musical theater experiences for students, Associate Professor of Theater and Dance Chris Flaharty will teach a musical theater class next semester. The class presents the Oberlin community with an opportunity for both college and conservatory students to learn about the academic and performance aspects of musical theater. "I feel like Oberlin is really opening up to musical theater," said Sarah Rooney, college sophomore and student of next year's musical theater class. Although she said she is intimidated by the students with amazing voices, Rooney is excited about taking the class.

According to Flaharty, the class will require students to do research on musical theater productions as well as experiment with performance. He said that the class is a scene study class, an extension of the acting curriculum in the theater and dance program. Flaharty said that it is essential to view musical theater as a certain kind of genre that is important stylistically.

Flaharty is currently the costume designer for the Theater and Dance Program and the Opera Program. He said that because his work as costume designer is demanding, he has had little time to be involved with musical theater productions on campus. He said that after he saw the initiatives of the student organization Oberlin Musical Theater Association (OMTA), he rethought the idea of teaching a musical theater class.

"The [theater] program has wanted to put it in the curriculum," said Flaharty. "It was about time for musical theater to be part of a curricular activity, not just an extracurricular one." Flaharty said that the interest has been on the campus for a long time. Jacob Hauser, college junior and future student of the musical theater class, said, "Musical theater is one of my passions. I am excited to work with Chris Flaharty."

According to Hauser, musical theater interests are expanding throughout the Oberlin community. During his first year at Oberlin, Hauser said there were no musical theater classes or productions on campus. Hauser was one of the founding members of OMTA that was created two years ago. "Once we had an organization that could produce a musical, musical theater began to thrive," Hauser said.

College senior David Tarlow said that he wished the musical theater class was offered when he came to Oberlin. "As long as you are exploring new art forms, you're letting students develop as artists more fully," Tarlow said. "That should be the goal of the College, at least for the theater department."

Flaharty said he had informal discussions about bridging the theater and vocal departments through musical theater. Tarlow said that some voice teachers are opposed to their students' involvement with musical theater productions. He said that some of the concerns teachers have included that musical theater singing requires "a lot of belting and pushing of the voice." Tarlow believes that students have to make a conscious decision to perform musical theater.

Simone Perrin, a double degree voice and theater major, said "I think that as far as voice majors being involved with musical theater, it's for the most part discouraged and looked down upon." Perrin realizes the risks to her voice development when she is performing in a musical, especially if the role requires "belting." On the other hand, she said that without her involvement in musicals, her learning experience would not have been complete. Rebecca Garcia, a conservatory voice major, said, "I feel that voice majors assume that we are not allowed to do any musical theater, but that's just a rumor." She explained that she has been open with her teacher about her singing in musicals and that her teacher has been "totally supportive."

Rooney said that musical theater needs both the Conservatory and the College to come together. She said it is necessary for voice performance and theater majors to acquaint themselves with musical theater. "I think sometimes Oberlin is unrealistic about the job market for students," Rooney said. According to Tarlow, musical theater has a large work base in the nation. He stressed that for professional and practical reasons, a theater or voice major has to be one step ahead of the game.

College junior John Bartley, who is planning on taking the musical theater class, said, "I would like to see the training be there so musicals can be that much better." He said he is looking forward to the musical theater class because he would like to see a higher caliber of work. Bartley said that he is taking the class because ultimately, it's an ideal situation. "I've wanted a class like this for a long time," Bartley said.