CYT Summer Audition Intensive

Session: Summer 2024
Chapter: Portland
Location: Northwest Christian Church - Tigard Campus
Time: 8:15am - 4:35pm
Day: Saturday
Starts: 08/17
Ages: 10 - 18
Tuition: $125.00

Auditions are just around the corner and the nerves and excitement abound! How do I pick a song? The character I want to play doesn’t have a side, what do I do? I’ve never sung harmonies, I don’t even know my vocal range. I have two left feet and dread the dancing audition. I can’t make my body move like they want, I’m always so far behind. What do I do? I’m terrible with reading out loud, how do I manage in a cold reading?

Well if any of those questions have sprinted through your head, you can stop running and take a breath. This one-day intensive will walk you through all you need to know in preparing an amazing audition.

Just one day, and you will gain the benefit of four focused classes all specially tailored to help you improve your audition experience. Learn tricks and tips that will help you pick up choreo quickly and perform an audition dance with confidence. Gain insight into how to develop your side and present an engaging cold reading through the rare opportunity to workshop and practice those skills. Learn some basics in how to sing harmonies and boost your confidence in lifting your voice. Capitalize on the opportunity to find your vocal range and soak up advice in how to choose an audition song.

Don’t let this opportunity slip away!

Summer Audition Intensive Master Classes Descriptions and Teachers Listings:

Dance Class: Don't miss out on the opportunity to hear from Grace Fisher, a CYT Portland alumni, as she shares her knowledge of dancing in New York while studying Musical Theater. Students will learn how to prepare for a dance audition. They'll discover techniques to help them learn choreo quickly, tips to transition from doing steps to performing steps, and how to gain confidence in their audition. Be ready to move and go all in to get the most out of this class! (Students bring jazz shoes and a water bottle to this class.)

Drama Class: Students will join Lisa Allison as she walks students through basic exercises to improve projection, diction, and breath support and explores a new way to approach auditions. Students will learn how to analyze character information given in an audition folder and how to utilize that information in preparing an audition side and cold readings. This class will also provide the opportunity to workshop your side and gain practical experience doing cold-readings. (Students bring a water bottle and notebook to this class.)

Vocal Class: Jay Tatco-Nowak has been an active performer and artistic team member for years. This workshop is the perfect opportunity to capitalize on his vast knowledge and expertise. Students will learn what their vocal range is and useful tips for finding and selecting an audition song. Don't miss the chance to present your current audition song and gain immediate feedback on how to strengthen your audition song through this workshopping opportunity! (Students bring a water bottle and notebook to this class. If students wish to workshop their song, please submit your song link, with start and stop time index, into the registration questionnaire.)

Choral Class: Back by popular demand, join this amazing class as the talented Christopher Benjamin walks students through finding confidence in their voices. Students will learn helpful vocal techniques and tips on how to warm up and care for their voices so they can utilize and showcase their full vocal power at every rehearsal and performance. They will also explore helpful tools to find basic harmonies and sing in an ensemble. (Students bring a water bottle and notebook to this class.)

Christopher Benjamin hails from Portland, OR, though raised a good portion of his young life in Jackson, Mississippi, of which he declares home. Chris is connected to music and drama in many ways. While living in Portland, he sang in the Portland Symphonic choir, one of Oregon's finest classical choirs as both a paid choir member and a soloist. He also participated in the Oregon Bach Festival from 2007 to 2012. Chris has traveled as a professional Tenor & Counter Tenor to perform in California, Washington, and of course his residing state, Oregon, but his personal favorite was to New York City's Avery Fisher Hall where he was the tenor soloist for Handel's Dettingen te deum. His favorite conducted concert was the Vivaldi Master work of Magnificat. Graduate of George Fox University, with a Bachelors Degree in Music Performance, and also received a Masters of Arts in Teaching at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon. During his career in music, he also finds time to teach at his private voice studio, Higher Heights Vocal Studio, which he founded in February of 2014. As for the dramatic side of things, Mr. Benjamin has had leading roles in “Les Miserales” and Val Jean, “ Jekyll and Hyde” as Jekyll and Hyde, the “Golden Compass” as King Iorek Byrnison. The most recent being "Parade" as "Jim Conley” and “Songs for a New World Song Series” as Man 3. Benjamin has also worked as a Special Education Para Professional and girls basketball coach at Rosa Parks Elementary. Along with these things, Chris is the Oregon State Jurisdiction Youth President, he is a Worship Leader for quite a few ministries in Klamath and Pastoral Assistant to his Pastor at, Consumed by the Harvest Family Worship Center, under the leadership of Pastor B. R. Moore, Sr. and Lady D. T. Moore. Mr. Benjamin has now lived in Klamath Falls, OR for 7 years, where he now works as an Elder at Freewill COGIC, and enjoys teaching at Henley High School as the Director of Choirs, where his choir recently won first place at the solo and ensemble competition and fourth place at the OSAA State Choir competition. He is also the Klamath Symphony Orchestra Artistic Director. Chris’ heart is to continue to bring hope, joy, life and love to all through the Arts. His heart is to also plant a seed of love and respect for the arts in the hearts of the next generation! So that it may never die!

Hi! I'm Grace Fisher. I grew up in Oregon doing CYT since I was eleven. I have always loved dance and theatre and have been blessed to teach it over the past few years. Since 2021, I have been studying Musical Theatre in New York. I recently graduated with my BFA from Marymount Manhattan College, where I've been gifted phenomenal opportunities to learn from industry professionals. The most important thing to me as a teacher is to create an environment of inclusion and passion so that young artists have room to take risks and make big choices. I cannot wait to work with the students, using our God-given gifts to bring glory to Jesus!

Lisa has been dancing and performing since she was very young. She received a BA in theatre performance and theatre administration from Whitworth University. She has studied numerous styles of dance including ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, hip-hop, swing, ballroom, and latin. Since graduating, she has been active working with professional and community theaters in the Portland and Salem area stage managing and choreographing. She believes we were all made with the ability to dance, and with a little practice and instruction, we can create something very beautiful through movement. For Lisa, dance is a joyful expression of the soul, and she is excited to share that joy with others. When not working on a production, she enjoys going on adventures with her husband, Kyle, and their children Lexie, Marcus, Jinora, and Ezra.

Jay started at CYT in 2017 as both the musical director for Beauty and the Beast Jr. and a vocal teacher. Since then he has been the musical director for Scrooge, Aladdin Jr. (Vancouver), Peter Pan Jr., and Tarzan. Jay has also continued to teach classes in music, acting, and dance. Alongside teaching and directing, Jay is also a performer. He has performed in Persephone at Bedrock Theatre and in Once at Broadway Rose Theatre. Jay’s background is in Music Performance, with a Bachelors of Music degree from BIOLA University. He also serves as a worship leader/musician at his church and also does film and television acting.

Details

Description

Teacher:

Christopher Benjamin

Teacher:

Grace Fisher

Teacher:

Lisa Allison

Teacher:

Jay Tatco-Nowak

Location Notes:

Location:

13405 SW Hall Blvd, Tigard, OR 97223