Greg Bradbury:
Buddy the Elf is taking over the Syracuse Stage throughout the holiday season, but unlike most productions at the Stage — Syracuse Students are given the opportunity to be a part of the show. Director of Marketing and Communication Joe WAY-Lan says this helps students get professional experience.
Joe Whalen Director of Marketing and Communications:
“They not only get to go through the audition process as you mentioned, but it’s the whole rehearsal process, working with a professional director, working with a professional choreographer, having the support of a professional music director. These are all things that are great experiences for them.”
Greg Bradbury:
One student in the show, Markcus Blair says he gets to learn right from his professors in a real world experience.
Markcus Blair – SU Senior – Ensemble in Elf:
We actually have some of our professors who are ein the shows right with us so what they are teaching us they are applying with us right before our eyes and then we are applying what they teach us in these shows.
Greg Bradbury:
The opportunity it gives students is second to none according to Blair. You can catch Markcus and the rest of the cast of Elf at Syracuse Stage until January 6th. For N-C-C News, I’m Greg Bradbury.
*Song Fade Out*
For most of the Syracuse Stage productions, you will see professional actors on the stage. However, for Elf the Musical, Syracuse University Musical Theater students have the opportunity to become part of the production.
Students go through the same process that any professional actor would go through to give them real world experience. They go through the audition process, the rehearsal process, and the production process all with professionals. They also have to learn how to deal with a longer show run.
“It’s also a longer run, typically in the Department of Drama a show will maybe run for ten performances,” said Joe Wehlan, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Syracuse Stage. “This has about 41 performances so it is a six week run, so they have to learn how to keep it fresh night after night.”
Students in the production say that it gives them an opportunity to grow as actors.
“We actually have some of our professors who are in the shows right with us so what they are teaching us they are applying with us right before our eyes,” said Markcus Blair, a Senior at Syracuse University and in the Elf production. “Then we are applying what they teach us in these shows.”
The show runs until January 6th, and you can check out more information about the show here.
