Marissa Mulder is a 2007 graduate of the Musical Theatreprogram here at SUNY Geneseo.  Being heavily involved in the musical productions and performances during her four years in Geneseo, Marissa has a repertoire that spans from operetta to contemporary pop music.  Currently a resident of Brooklyn, Marissa is working on breaking in to the musical theatre scene in the Big Apple.

~The Audition Process~

     The first thing any Musical Theatre or Theatre Grad needs to know before hitting a big city like New York is how to find auditions.  Having specific and trustworthy sources and publications that you can refer to frequently is where to start.  Marissa is subscribed to "Backstage" which is a newspaper that lists job opportunities for musicians, straight actors, dancers and technicians.  "Backstage" is region-specific, so it includes the jobs that pertain to an individual's location.  The paper usually specifies if shows are union or non-union and usually specifies what is expected at the auiditon.  In referring to searching for auditions this way, Marissa said that "Open calls, or equity calls can be very, very, very excruciating."  She stressed the importance of finding auitions that suit you and going to them.   

*What they're looking for*

     Auditons are short.  Auditioners are typically looking for 16 bars of a song - "Sometimes not even that," says Marissa, "After a couple seconds it's no surprise to hear 'Thank You' and you're done."  Anyone auditioning anywhere is expected to have available headshots and Resumes (it's better to come prepared with several copies since there may be a board of auditioners).

     As for specific music choices, Marissa described the main focus to be on rock and pop musical styles.  "Musical Theatre, in general, is changing so much," she said.  Picking repertoire is a tricky situation because auditioners are looking for very style-centered and specific musical choices- mostly, contemporary.  "It's really just common sense-you've got to go into an audition with a specific strategy...aim for a specific role or type or it's not going to work out."  Marissa added, "It doesn't matter if you just sing it well."

*Get involved in smaller-time gigs*

     Marissa takes advantage of the "Open-Mic" gigs that New York has to offer, both for her own creative process and for the sake of exposure and connections.  She has performed at Dillian's in Times Square which is an open-mic restaurant bar.  Dillian's allows artists to showcase themselves and invites them back if they like what they hear.  "This is a great setting to get a recording of yourself performing," says Marissa.  "More and more people want footage of you singing different styles, especially at cruiseline auditions, so it's a great thing to have."

*Continue training*

     Voice teachers and coaches are the key to building up repertoire.  Even after college, if you are serious about the musical theatre scene you really should continue working with an instructor to condition your voice and keep your technique sharp.  Additionally, a voice coach is just as important because he or she can help you choose repertoire that will best show off your skills and also help you to target specifc roles you should go out for.  When speaking about auditioners, Marissa stressed,"You have 30 seconds to show them what you can do - you need to show them what you are capable of in that amount of time."  With this, repertoire is like your interview - it shows auditioners who you are and what you can do for them.

~The Geneseo Experience~

           Marissa feels that Geneseo students could work to prepare themselves to be able to successfully cut their music into 16-bar segments -for the sake of auditions.  She suggested the idea of an audition class or workshop that focuses on how to carry oneself in and prepare for an audition.  "It's still challenging for me to pick music for myself.," she said. She strongly urged any performers to prepare themselves for this by exposing themselves to as many different styles as possible while working with their professors.

*What helped her?*

     "Being able to create my own recital at Geneseo," said Marissa, "that probably prepared me the most for the real world."  Incorporating music and acting into her Senior project, Marissa considers that Cabaret-style recital as the  most important experience in her college education. "Creating my own style and having the freedom to choose what I wanted to do was the closest real-life experience I had."  Along with this, she added that being a member of The Geneseo Chamber Singers was a great help in her life after college.  "I can safely say I can do sight-reading, which is a great trait to have in an audtion,"she said.  "I was given alot of challlenging music in college which taught me to have good musicality- for that, I'm very thankful." 

     As for Marissa's advice to up and coming performers :

***" Stay true to yourself ...own the stage."***