April 30,
2007
Lots of music, a little drama, and tons of talent
“This is the strongest group of students
we’ve ever had.”
That means a lot coming from Kim Kowalke. Many of his
former students have gone on to successful Broadway careers. But Kowalke is
especially excited about this semester’s group and their final exam
that promises to be a unique and entertaining showcase of their talents.
Instead of writing papers or taking tests, the 19
students enrolled in his musical theater workshop will give a public
performance of what they have learned. Their musical revue “City of
Strangers” takes place at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 4, and Saturday, May
5, in lower Strong Auditorium. The performance, which features the works of
such celebrated composers as Jason Robert Brown, Stephen Sondheim, and
Andrew Lloyd Webber, is free and open to the public.
The workshop is led by Kowalke, who is the Richard S.
Turner Professor in Humanities and a professor of musicology at the Eastman
School, and by instructor David Runzo, who is known in the Rochester area
for his direction of musicals, including productions at Blackfriars Theatre
and the Jewish Community Center.
Students have to audition for the workshop. Once
enrolled, they attend class twice a week for six hours while also
rehearsing and receiving extra coaching from Kowalke and Runzo on their own
time.
This semester has been particularly demanding for
Kowalke, who has also been working on a Broadway production, traveling
regularly to New York City where he’s a musical and historical
consultant on the show LoveMusik. The production opens on May 3, the night before the first
performance of “City of Strangers.”
LoveMusik, directed
by Hal Prince, is based on a book of letters that Kowalke edited about
composer Kurt Weill and his wife Lotte Lenya. Kowalke will be in New York
City for the opening performance of LoveMusik, but will fly to Rochester in time to see his students
perform.
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