As our school’s musical, Parade, came to the end of its very successful run this weekend, I realized how few of our school’s many musical theatre majors are known to me. I know most of them through the Plays and Playwrights literature class – but I am just not a part of their acting program. Of course, I am always plotting for ways that these musical theatre majors can add yet one MORE class to their overfilled schedule. I would love to have some of them in my Company – particularly in the second semester as we roll up our sleeves and tackle Meisner.Would musical theatre majors benefit from Meisner? Could you actually use the early work of repetition on song lyrics? I know that the majority of musicals do ask for the performer to be a bit more presentational – but when a musical like Parade comes around, it would be very helpful for the actor to be able to be in better communion with other. Everything about Meisner work has me fascinated. I cannot wait until some of my recent graduates now attending strong Meisner programs come back to Jacksonville for the holidays to tap their experiences.
But Meisner and musical theatre? – – – this has me most fascinated? How could I go about and make that happen? It would be an experiment. It might be a monumental flop but – – who knows???