In the last several years, I have spent a considerable amount of time writing about my work as a teaching artist and outlining the skills young performers need to attain in order to have a successful career. A colleague once said to me, “If you want to know what you don’t know, write a book.” I find this to be very true. And yet, I enjoy expanding the island of my knowledge by researching and writing new books, articles, and blogs in support of my fellow teachers and the young artists we work with.
Performing in Contemporary Musicals brings into sharp focus the skills performers must possess when tackling shows that are newly written, in development, or somewhere in between. David Sisco and Laura Josepher bust myths about contemporary musical theatre and analyze the development timelines of musicals from around the world. They also explore how performers can become invaluable to a creative team by developing the skills needed to move a new musical forward including: contemporary acting and singing techniques, dramaturgy, quickly picking up new material, and collaboration. Each chapter features insightful industry interviews, recommended activities, an extensive reading list, and an online companion for further study.This textbook is the only comprehensive resource that provides an overview of the development process of a new musical while guiding musical theatre performers to be fruitful collaborators in a new works scenario.
Performing in Contemporary Musicals is published by Routledge Press is currently available for purchase by clicking here.
Giving a successful college audition is incredibly challenging and takes months of preparation. Mastering College Musical Theatre Auditions will walk you through every step of this process, from figuring out where to audition and choosing audition material to deciding where to attend. Each chapter focuses on a question central to the audition process with special sections for the student, teacher, and parent. This book, which has been vetted by professionals on both sides of the table, offers honest, practical advice that will make auditioning for college a positive experience for all involved. The second edition includes more than double the repertoire recommendations, updated summer intensive listings around the country and internationally, and recent developments with common pre-screens, Unified Auditions, and financial aid offerings.
The 3rd edition of “Mastering College Musical Theatre Auditions” is available on amazon.com.
“Bringing a Different Kind of Science Into the Studio”
NATS Journal of Singing (Vol. 71, No. 1)
“Cinderella Meets Cendrillon: Music Theatre and Opera Living Under the Same Roof”
NATS Journal of Singing (Vol. 75, No. 2) – co-authored with Allen Henderson, Dr. Jennifer McQuade, and Dr. Mark McQuade
“Everything You Need to Know About College Unified Auditions”
BroadwayWorld.com (June 20, 2019) – co-authored with Laura Josepher
From ContemporaryMusicalTheatre.com
“Question Everything: More Deeply Acknowledging Our White Privilege and Where We Go from Here”
August 13, 2021. Read the Article
“Liberating Our Young Female Singers”
August 13, 2020. Read the Article
“Considering the Craft of Contemporary Musicals”
August 22, 2019. Read the Article
“Contemporary Accompaniments, or Why Do You Hate Pianists?”
April 18, 2019. Read the Article
“Writing for Today’s Musical Theatre Performer”
November 29, 2018. Read the Article
“Interview: Carmel Dean & Dick Scanlon”
October 4, 2018. Read the Article