Just when I thought the incoming freshmen and candidate pool couldn’t possibly get any stronger, I am proven mistaken. Our incoming freshman class, the Class of 2023, are excelling in multiple areas of our program. They were a vibrant presence in The Originals! at the start of the academic year, many appeared in our recent musical production of Rags, our leading actor in our upcoming production of Twelfth Night, Lizzie Nigro, is in her first semester as a freshman, and these new arrivals have been hard at work backstage in various productions.
Looking ahead, I just returned from the annual Virginia Theatre Association conference in Norfolk VA where I attended the auditions of 200 high school seniors from across the state while my colleague, Sherrice Mojgani, sought out the design and technical theater students and their exhibits, all of whom are looking at University level Theater programs. Almost 70 of these students responded to our invitation to meet at our information table to learn more about Theater at Mason. The training these young artists are receiving at the high school level is impressive across the Commonwealth. The Class of 2024 is already looking good!
It is important that we remember that part of the student experience walking in our doors is the opportunity to work with, and learn from, our upper classmen. Not all colleges and universities consider freshmen when casting their season, or even allow them to audition. Not at Mason! Freshmen are encouraged to audition, are given equal consideration in the casting process, enroll in theater courses, and learn from those students who have preceded them. I believe our upperclassmen learn as much working with the new arrivals, as the freshmen learn from the juniors and seniors. It instills the spirit of collaboration so necessary in the professional industry of theater. Why not impart those skills and expectations from Day 1?
See you at the Theater!
Kevin Murray