Des Moines Playhouse Holds Teen Audition Workshop Featuring Song Selection

The Des Moines Community Playhouse's latest Teen Theatre Workshop, Auditions: Song Selection with Katy Merriman, will be held Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, 1:00-4:00 PM. The workshop is open to all interested teens in grades 7-12. Registration is $9 per person. Registrations may be made online at dmplayhouse.com.

Whether a teen is attending their first musical audition or preparing to audition for their dream college program, Cloris Award winner and Playhouse artistic director Katy Merriman will help them find the perfect song to nail that audition. Half of the workshop will consist of Merriman's top audition tips and a crash course in finding the right song. For the remaining half, Merriman will provide individualized coaching for those with a prepared and memorized audition solo. Those wanting to sing and be coached by Merriman must pre-register as coaching spots are limited, and must bring sheet music or prerecorded accompaniment. Those just looking to learn about song selection and watch the coachings do not need to pre-register.

Katy Merriman is The Playhouse's artistic director. She has been an active member of the local theatre community since moving to Des Moines in 2013. Her Playhouse stage credits include Meredith Willson's The Music Man (Marian Paroo), Into the Woods (Cinderella), Les Misérables (Cosette), and Legally Blonde the Musical (Elle Woods). She was the musical director for The Playhouse Performance Academy productions of Shrek Jr.; Spamalot Young at Part; Camp Rock; and The Music Man Jr. and directed Elephant & Piggie's "We Are in a Play!" Merriman has also worked with Iowa Stage Theatre Company as a resident artist and directed that company's 2018 production of Fun Home. Prior to her time in Des Moines, Merriman worked with numerous theatres as a performer, director, and administrator. She has a Bachelor of Music from Butler University in Indianapolis, IN.

Teen Theatre Workshops are monthly classes, October 2019-May 2020, in which students in grades 7-12 participate in hands-on workshops led by Des Moines area theatre professionals. Each month features a new topic and new expert. The current season features a wide variety of experiences including audition song selection with Katy Merriman, Jan. 18, 2020; lighting design with David Kilpatrick, Feb. 8, 2020; audition monologue selection with Erin Horst, Mar. 28, 2020; audition dance basics with Megan Helmers, Apr. 4, 2020; and directing 101 with Brad Dell, May 16, 2020.

The Playhouse, now in its 101st season, is one of the oldest and largest community theatres in the US. Located at the 42nd Street exit of I-235, the theatre has presented a full season of shows since 1919 and also offers a wide variety of educational experiences including classes for ages 4 to adult, theatre trips to New York, and volunteer opportunities onstage and backstage.

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