By Journey Myricks
Lyric scenes is a class offered at SUNY Plattsburgh for students interested in music and theater. It gives students the opportunity to perform on stage, be accompanying musicians or involved in stage management. There is a final performance at the end of the semester. Titled “Another Op’nin’, Another Show.” It will be performed May 6 and 7 in Hartman Theatre in Myers Fine Arts Building and will be free to the public.
Seniors Miranda Velez and Mason Barber had some insight into the production process.
“I think my favorite form of performing is being in a musical,” Velez said. “It’s the most amazing experience to put on such a big show. Lyric scenes is allowing us to have that musical experience with a bunch of different iconic pieces and dance numbers.”
Barber chose to take lyric scenes because it was a performance opportunity he hadn’t taken yet.
“It was offered my freshman year, but I was unable to take it. So when I saw that it was being offered again this semester, I had to audition,” Barber said.
In the production, students don’t play specific roles.
“We all don’t exactly have roles, but we have solos,” Velez states. “Besides being a part of the ensemble, I have solos in one of our ensemble pieces called ‘America’ from ‘West Side Story,’ and I will be singing a duet from the musical ‘Wicked’ with my classmate Olivia [Sorrell].”
Barber is acting as an assistant director to Timothy Morningstar, and is a featured soloist in a number.
Hard work and dedication is needed while working on such a large production. Working with other people can be challenging, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for these artists.
“I feel really lucky to have insanely talented professors and peers to work with, so the practicing has honestly just been really fun,” Velez said. “I don’t typically dance, so the dancing aspect has been challenging but also a very fun experience and I’m starting to feel more confident.”
As someone heavily involved in theater, Barber said this class is different than other productions.
“Preparing for this show has been interesting,” Barber said. “We only rehearse during class time, so we have limited time together, but it is coming along.”
Barber also stated that the audience should look forward to the excitement and energy that we will be bringing to the stage.
“The audience should be excited to see lively performances of some of their favorite musical theater pieces and enjoy dance numbers,” Velez said.
