This year, the Kent State B.F.A. Musical Theatre program made strides in student professional and educational advancement across the region with the launch of its inaugural Porthouse Experience course.
This unique learning opportunity implements a semester-long approach to rehearsing and practicing for the upcoming 鈥淪ide Show: In Concert鈥 Porthouse Theatre production, while ensuring musical theatre students earn a professional degree credit.
Porthouse Theatre, Kent State鈥檚 professional summer theatre program operating under contract with Actors鈥 Equity Association, is one of the defining features of Kent State鈥檚 Musical Theatre program. This structure allows students not only to perform alongside professional artists, but also to work across all areas of production within a professional environment. The course extends this professional environment into a classroom setting.
In the past, students only earned degree credits through standard coursework and participation in on-campus mainstage productions, fulfilling both program requirements and National Association of Schools of Theatre standards. This year, that requirement has evolved into the newly established Porthouse Experience course, made possible by generous donors such as Roe Green, C.E.O. of The Roe Green Foundation and the DiLillo鈥檚, longtime patrons of Porthouse Theatre. This shift ensures that every student graduates with a professional credit 鈥 an increasingly vital distinction in today鈥檚 competitive industry.
Though an integral part, the Porthouse Experience course was adopted for more than just a credit; the course was implemented with student success and transformation in mind. Over the semester, musical theatre students are supplied with the time to practice and rehearse more musically complex works, as well as dig deeper into their skillsets.
Lucia Lazzara-Goodrich, practicing for the part of Daisy in 鈥淪ide Show: In Concert,鈥 reflected on the value of the course.
鈥淚 feel like I've already had a lot more time to spend with my character, Daisy,鈥 said Lazzara-Goodrich. 鈥淗aving an elongated rehearsal process has allowed me to not rush her characterization and to have more time to understand who she is and her motives. I'm excited to have the time to continue to dig into that.鈥
Chloe Lee Hall, practicing for the part of Violet, reflected on the value of rehearsal through the structure of a class.
鈥淗aving a full semester to work on a show in comparison to only a few weeks has given me a new outlook on my acting process,鈥 said Hall. 鈥淕etting the opportunity to perform a concert version of this show while being in a class setting has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have鈥痚ver had.鈥
During these rehearsals, Porthouse Experience allows for fine-tuning of this production in areas such as musical preparation, and later, acting and staging, with a concert version of rehearsal prepared by the end of the semester. Students are supplied with professional skillsets that can be carried onstage in their future careers.
Thomas Anstine, musical theatre student and Porthouse Experience class member, commented on the professionalism of the course.
鈥淚 have previously been in many Porthouse productions in the past three years, and have always had such a wonderful time, especially throughout the rehearsal process,鈥 said Anstine. 鈥淭his class has a similar standard and professionalism in the craft.鈥
After practicing at Kent State over the course of the semester, 鈥淪ide Show: In Concert鈥 will be brought to Porthouse Theatre in Cuyahoga Falls for brush-up rehearsals and performance, rewarding students with real-world experience.
鈥淗aving the opportunity to be in a professional show is very exciting and will give me valuable鈥痚xperience鈥痺hen stepping out to continue鈥痬y professional鈥痺ork in the larger theatre world,鈥 said Lazzara-Goodrich.