Music Assessment

During the first week of class, all students participate in a music assessment to help determine which voice instructor will work with them.  Nancy Caron returns to our team this year as a voice instructor, and she is joined by Andy Pokel, who is fresh off his little red truck, having served as one of MCT's TAD's (that stands for tour actor director, for the Missoula Children’s Theatre, bringing performing arts to communities in nine states and three Canadian provinces this past spring.  Here he is (that's Nancy sitting behind him).

Brenna joins us from Nevada...

Shelbi joins us from Missoula, Montana.

Kelsey joins us from Washington.

While many of the students have been performing for years, it is still a bit intimidating to get up in front a room of approximately thirty people you just met two days ago and belt out a tune.  It is great that our students have created a wonderfully supportive environment where they encourage one another and help each other through these difficult moments.  It is one thing to sit in a chair...

it is another thing to get up there and do it!  Jewel joins us from Germany.

Laura joins us from Idaho.

Stormy joins us from Missoula.

Emma also comes from Nevada.

Sarah joins us from Fergus, Montana.

Our accompanist, Anne Bashor, joins us for the third year as well.  She is so kind and supportive of our students, and gently reminds them of audition etiquette.  Here Josh (a new student who joins us from Germany) and Anne review his music before he sings to the group...

Don't let that frown fool you!  Micaela is a returning student who is all smiles (she was at Next Step last summer) and hails to us from Idaho...

Giuliana is one of our local students from Missoula...

Rachel also comes to us from Missoula...

The students sing a variety of songs from all genres of musical theatre...

Chance joins us from Frenchtown, Montana, about 20 minutes from Missoula.

Kasi is another local student from Missoula.

Twenty outstanding performances in two hours!  We are amazed at the talented, dedicated young performers we have at Next Step Prep this year!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Last night's final performance of Next Step Prep was so fun and inspiring. The students worked incredibly hard all summer and it showed for the final 90 minutes. On Friday, there were tears of sadness for leaving and tears of joy for celebrating the new friendships (and professional contacts) made.

I wanted to share this little sketch with you. Entitled "Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich", this is an original work developed by Dane Madssen (our acting teacher), Sarah Pace, Ana Dratz, Annie Caron, and Eric Wills. They worked on this during the "tableau" exercises facilitated by Bill Bowers. One of those days, they had to create a scene with only one word on a 4x6" index card for inspiration. Their word...peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They had 10 minutes to come up with an idea, how it would be implemented, and sound effects (if any) that would be added.

This is the final result. I hope you agree it was quite hilarious....

You Tube: MCT's Next Step Prep Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Random Little Tidbit Images from Week Four

Just some fun shots from around the theater this week...things the students see or use every day (and leave laying around for me when I'm schlepping my camera around)...

Seth Rudetsky "Deconstructing Broadway" Benefit Performance

Seth Rudetsky performed his "Deconstructing Broadway" show at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, July 23rd. It was a sellout crowd to benefit the Next Step Prep scholarship fund. We can't thank Seth enough for his generosity in performing his show and donating the proceeds. We'll be able to fund a couple students next year due to this wonderful gift!

The Next Step Prep students opened for his show, singing four songs for the enthusiastic crowd. Prior to the start of the show, the students ushered, manned the concession and t-shirt sales, greeted patrons, and prepped the lighting for the show.


That's Kitty, Arielle's mom and frequent face at MCT. She's been the rehearsal secretary for a number of shows this year...

Rylee greets Jake (incidentally, Arielle's brother) as he enters the theater. The last time I saw Jake he was a rowdy pirate in this season's production of "Peter Pan" at MCT. What a great show that was!

The kids manning concessions (with those famous Next Step Prep shortbread cookies, courtesy of Rosauer's grocery store and Rachel Pace-Boris, Greg's wife, who bakes the yummy goodness for us)...



Seth brought t-shirts to sell. These included ones that said "A-mahzing", "Anyone? No one?" and "Brava! I still got it!" They were a BIG hit with the students and the crowd...

Most of our instructors attended the show, including Dane (acting) and Traci (dance)...


Nancy (vocal instructor and private voice instruction) and Melody (private voice instruction):

Michelle and Greg (Next Step Prep coordinators) with Traci:
Michelle and her wonderful husband, Don...


The front desk manager, facilities coordinator and go-to-person extraordinaire, Diana Woods (left) and her beautiful daughter, Jen... Diana is just an amazing person at the theater, one of those people who has her finger on the pulse of the whole building. We are so lucky to have her here.



The students opened the show, helped by our awesome accompanists Lizzie Hatfield and Anne Bashor, and Troy Bashor on drums...

Singing "A Little More Homework"...


"You'll Never Walk Alone" from "Carousel" featuring Sierra on lead vocals...

"Brand New You" by Jason Robert Brown from the musical "13". Nicky addresses the crowd first, thanking them for their support. He is a returning student from Missoula, MT.


Skye has the first solo...

Michael's solo...
Annie sings her solo...
Sarah and Ana sing a duet part...

Clayton sings next...

Arielle rounds out the solos...
The group loves this song. It's the unofficial anthem of Next Step Prep.

A little beat boxing by Nicky...




And now...Welcome Seth Rudetsky!!!!

If you haven't seen Seth's show and have the opportunity to see him...RUN, don't walk! It is hilarious! He is a fantastic entertainer and really engages with the crowd. His deconstructions are really funny and he will keep you laughing the entire time. I love watching him sing along with the music. He has such great facial expressions!

Praising a vibrato...

Sharing a headshot of himself at the age of 12.

Demonstrating his displeasure of the use of a "head" voice...

And his delight at the belting chest voice...

Sharing the oft-missed scene from 'The Sound of Music" where Friedrich is killed by the rest of the family for singing flat...I could barely take this picture I was laughing so hard in the booth!



A little audience participation...here this gentleman is quizzed on an audio recording to determine if he can tell the difference between a belt (chest voice) and a head voice. He passed. Sorta.
Seth sings Barbara Streisand...BRAVA!

Saying goodnight to the crowd...Seth...you were A-MAHZING!!!


After the show was over, Seth stayed for well over an hour to talk to patrons, give autographs, sign shirts, and take one final photo with the students. He is such a good sport and we can't wait to have him back.

Lizzie Hatfield (one of our accompianists), her husband, Caanen, and Seth pose for a shot....

Greg takes a photo opportunity...

Jim and Nancy Caron with Seth...

Maddy, Eric and Michael humor me for a photo...


Seth receives a Next Step Prep shirt to wear with pride :)


Theatrical moment with Mr. Broadway himself! Thanks, Seth!