Coast To Coast Music Theatre & Voice Intensive Announces Inaugural Summer Session

Coast to Coast Music Theatre & Voice Intensive has announced its inaugural session to take place this summer, July 16th through July 20th, 2018 in Tualatin, Oregon at the Living Savior Lutheran Church.

The Coast to Coast Music Theatre & Voice Intensive provides current high school students with the important fundamentals of acting and singing repertoire from the musical theatre and pop/rock genres, in addition to the specifics of auditioning for college performance programs and professional productions. It also offers students a complimentary headshot session and showcase performance at the conclusion of the program.

Co-Founders, instructors, and long time friends Oliver Mayes and Alishia Garcia created the intensive after many years of throwing the idea around. "We've wanted to build a program like this for years and we finally felt like it was the right time. We have more experience and knowledge to offer students than when we initially came up with this idea, so we're very excited to finally work together on this!" says New York City based actor/director Oliver Mayes. Oregon based actress/singer, Alishia Garcia adds "We work really well together but we come from different collegiate training backgrounds so it's an exciting opportunity for students to hear different perspectives and receive a wide range of tools that they can take with them. Most of my experience is in the opera world, whereas Oliver's experience is in the musical theatre and cabaret industries." Mayes agrees, "Exactly. And you don't always hear of those worlds meshing together very well, but Alishia and I respect each other so much as artists that we're able to utilize those differences as an advantage, rather than a disadvantage."

About the Instructors:

Oliver Mayes is an actor, singer, director, producer, and photographer based in New York City. He currently serves as a producer for Village Light Opera's production of On the Twentieth Century and will be debuting his show If I Were a Front Man at Broadway's Supper Club, Feinstein's/54 Below on July 10th. As an actor, his New York & Regional Theatre credits include productions of: Into the Woods, Homemade Fusion, Urinetown, Seussical, A Charlie Brown Christmas, American Idiot, Grease, A Year with Frog and Toad, Dogfight (Broadway World Best Actor in a Musical Nomination), RENT, HAIR, and Beyond Words with the New York Musical Festival. You can also catch him in the multi award winning TV short Capital Advice as Jim (My Final Shot Productions Best Supporting Actor Nomination). Some of his most recent directing credits include: After the End at the Paradise Factory Theatre, First Time at the Secret Theatre, and The Last Five Years (Assistant Director) at 4th Wall Theatre. Oliver has also made his mark in the NYC cabaret and concert circuit by helping artists develop their shows and providing artistic guidance for theatrical concerts. He has worked as a director, consultant, and producer for shows such as the Beyond the Binary concert series, Quarter Life Crisis, and Seams & Songs. His shows have debuted at famous NYC cabaret venues such as Feinstein's/54 Below, the Duplex Cabaret Theatre, and Broadway Comedy Club. He has also spent the last five years working at the New York campus of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy doing recruitment, enrollment, and academic/career guidance. He is a huge arts education advocate and loves working with students to help them achieve their academic and career goals. Oliver also works as a photographer, focusing on headshots and lifestyle portraits. He is a BFA Music Theatre graduate of AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles, California and will be relocating to Vermillion, South Dakota in August to pursue his MFA in Directing and to direct students in productions at the University of South Dakota. He is a proud member of SAG/AFTRA. More information available at: www.oliverinamayes.com.

Mezzo-soprano, Alishia Garcia is known for her sparkling and rich tone, as well her emotional connection to her performances. She is a sensitive artist, whose musicianship and interpretive skills have blossomed to form a truly fine singer, with a deep understanding of the union of text and melody. "Elegant phrasing", "a beautiful and unusual tone", "sincere expressivity" and a "powerful stage presence"... these superlatives have all been used to describe Alishia's performances. She transmits not only a superior natural musical talent, but also a passion and discipline as a performer and colleague. Her most recent roles include Meg in Little Women with Eugene Opera and Anna in Maelstrom: The Zombie Opera. Alishia is also a recent graduate of the University of Oregon where she received her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance. She graduated Magna Cum Laude, and received honors in the school of music including the Bezinover Opera Scholarship and the Outstanding Undergraduate in Voice Award of 2015. She has sung solos for the University Singers, under the direction of Matthew Halls and performed with the University's Chamber Choir on the award-winning trip to Ireland. Alishia has sung roles in the University's opera productions, including the role of Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel. She has performed with Cascadia Concert Opera in their presentation of The Old Maid in the Thief as Ms. Pinkerton, and as a soloist in two of the Children's Programs presented by the Eugene Symphony. She also won her category at the National Association of Teachers of Singing Classical Festival in 2013. Alishia performed as a soloist in the 2013 National Opera Convention held in Portland, OR, presenting an extended scene from a new opera, which won the competition that year, partly in thanks to the excellent presentation done by Alishia and her colleagues. She was selected as one of four singers to participate in a Master Class sponsored by the National Opera Association with the renowned mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, held in Greensboro, North Carolina in January of 2015. Alishia currently resides in Tualatin, Oregon, where she has established a private voice studio and is pursuing performance opportunities in the Pacific Northwest.

Registration for the Coast to Coast Music Theatre & Voice Intensive is now open to current high school students at www.coasttocoastintensive.com.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!