New organization allows for outreach, stage time
Every student has a dream, and a grassroots student organization is helping aspiring performers get one step closer to their goals.
The South Carolina Music Theatre Project is a new student organization which was founded by third-year music education student Katie Leitner and second-year exercise science student Brien Hollingsworth.
Leitner came up with the idea for the group during her freshman year at USC when she and her friends wanted to find out what goes into pursuing a career in performing arts.
"I was talking to some friends and the more I learned, the more I wanted to start this club to find out how to make a career for myself in the arts," Leitner said.
Leitner felt that opportunities for performing were limited.
"There are only a few opportunities to get out in front of people and hone your craft, especially in the School of Music," Leitner said. "Students are not getting enough experience before they try and go do it for real. I wanted to create an outlet for performers and teachers."
Another reason Leitner and Hollingsworth founded the club was to unite the dance, theatre and music departments at the university.
"We have great programs and great professors and we need to use those resources that are available to us," Leitner said.
The club consists of three main components: performance, education and advocacy. Hollingsworth said there are about 24 students actively involved with the club.
University Performers, more commonly known as UP, is a small ensemble made up of USC students. UP members sang at SCMTP's first open mic night, which was held at Immaculate Consumption on Feb. 18. There was no cover charge, but the group collected canned goods and monetary donations for Souper Bowl of Caring, a national charity that helps provide food to underprivileged people across the country. Leitner said the group raised about $80 and collected more than 100 pounds of food.
Because of the success of SCMTP's first open mic night, the group plans to host one every month, with donations benefitting a different charity each time.
SCMTP's educational outreach branch focuses on bringing music and theater to schools across the Midlands through interactive performances, acting games and question and answer sessions with students. Outreach group members have been contacting local principals and music teachers to organize in-school performances this semester.
Another aspect of SCMTP is arts advocacy, which involves bringing in performing arts professionals to work with members and provide an insider's guide to the business. Hollingsworth said that touring cast members of "My Fair Lady" spoke with SCMTP members when the production stopped at the Koger Center. He hopes the group will have an opportunity to meet with the touring cast of "Young Frankenstein" when the show comes to Columbia this spring. Hollingsworth said local theater professionals like Scott Blanks and Dewey Scott-Wiley will also make appearances at club meetings, leading audition and resume workshops.
"[We want to] make sure students have their best foot forward when they go out into the world," Hollingsworth said.
Second-year theater performance and broadcast journalism student Brittaney Chatman is involved with SCTMP as a member of UP and through the group's educational outreach program. Chatman began performing at a young age, with interests including dancing, playing violin, singing and acting. She became involved with the new group because she wanted an outlet for musical theater.
"I was very disappointed that the theater department [was not] doing musicals," Chatman said. Chatman saw a flyer advertising auditions while walking to acting class one day and was immediately interested in joining the group.
Fourth-year music education student Jordan Harper is a friend of Hollingsworth and Leitner and was interested in joining the group because of her performance background and passion for music education.
"I have been performing since I was about 4, but I got heavily involved in musical theatre [during] my freshman year of high school," Harper said.
Harper is currently student teaching and said being involved in SCMTP has helped her reach out to area schools.
"Educational outreach is a great way to get involved in the school system and foster a love for the arts early in life," Harper said.
Harper is also a member of UP and enjoys bringing the club's message to the community through live performances.
Check out The South Carolina Music Theatre Project on Facebook and on Twitter @scmusictheatre to learn more about the group.