BWW Blog: Experiencing The Kennedy Center as a Catholic University Drama Student

Hello everybody! My name is Brandon Horwin and I am a sophomore drama major and performing arts management minor in the Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. I'm thrilled to be a Student Blogger for BroadwayWorld and to take you inside the life of a drama student in our Nation's Capital.

Something unique and special about Catholic University is the fact that we have our very own metro stop which connects us to all of Washington, D.C. within minutes. As a performing arts student in Washington, D.C. one special place to have in my backyard is The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This past week for me was filled with two amazing experiences.

First, at the beginning of January, I logged onto "MyTix" via the Kennedy Center to find $10 student tickets to see Renee Fleming. On Friday, January 18, a few friends and I headed to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall to watch Renee Fleming sing Franz Schubert with the National Symphony Orchestra. The concert was incredible! Ms. Fleming sang Schubert's most beautiful works and brought incomparable vocals. The National Symphony Orchestra also had a few songs of their own to showcase Schubert's symphonies. Ms. Fleming stunned the audience when she came out for her encore to sing "Ave Maria" which left us speechless.

After the concert, Renee Fleming signed her CD's in the grand foyer. It was great to meet her again after having met her back in August after her performance in the Broadway revival of Rogers and Hammerstein's Carousel. Interestingly, Renee Fleming has a connection to Catholic University because her sister formally taught in the Department of Music.

As if that amazing concert wasn't enough for one weekend, another incredible opportunity came three days later on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Every year, the Kennedy Center hosts a Let Freedom Ring concert event on MLK day as part of their "free for all" Millennium stages program. This year, the concert starred Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell. Again, a few friends and I made our way to the Kennedy Center at about 2 PM to wait in line for the free tickets which were given out at 4:30 PM. We ended up getting in line at the perfect time, and received tickets in the sixth row of the orchestra!

The concert began at 6 PM with some introductory speeches and words that honored Dr. King, his life, and his legacy. Then Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell took the stage for a few sets each. Some highlights of Audra McDonald's set were: "Climb Every Mountain" and "Make Someone Happy" and Brian Stokes Mitchell: "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" and "What a Wonderful World." Personally, another highlight was being able to watch Audra and Brian sing live! They are two pros who have such great stage presence and a perfect on-stage relationship. Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell came on stage together to perform the final song "Wheels of a Dream" a song they both sang together in the Broadway revival of Ragtime.

After the concert, we were able to catch a glimpse of Audra leaving and even got a "wave" and "hello" from Brian on his way out. It was extraordinary and very special to witness. Both events were incredible experiences and I feel very lucky to be studying in D.C. just a short metro ride or drive to the Kennedy Center. Until next week!

Watch the full Let Freedom Ring Concert below:

To learn more about The Rome School at Catholic U click here: https://arts.catholic.edu/
To join MYTix with the Kennedy Center click here: https://www.kennedy-center.org/mytix/