For seniors Mathew Habeeb and Molly Palmer, summer meant stepping up to demanding theater programs and finding new ways to learn and improve.
Matt returned to Stage Door in New York for his fifth summer, where he, along with other students, rehearsed and performed a full production in only three weeks. The program produces 14 shows total, four plays and 10 musicals for each session. About 350 students attend each year; there are four theaters, and two shows can run at once. Each show typically has a director, choreographer, music director, and a stage manager. Some also have an assistant choreographer to help out.
Over the years, Matt has played Joseph in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” Pepper in “Mamma Mia,” Josh in “Zombie Prom,” Billy Crocker in “Anything Goes,” and most recently, Pippin in “Pippin.”
A typical agenda for the day included rehearsals, theater classes, and time with friends. The schedule could be daunting at times, and especially challenging for lead performers who had to memorize a long list of lines, but Matt valued the mix of professionalism and camp life. “You’re getting serious theater training,” Matt said, “while still having the experience of being at camp with your friends.”
Something people might not know about the camp is that students can only have their phones on Sundays. This makes the casting part of the program even more special. Students find out their roles midweek but have to wait until Sunday to tell their parents and people back home.
The program has also allowed greater opportunities for Matt to meet celebrities out in the real world of theater. During his time at Stage Door, he met Broadway performer and “Suffs” creator Shakina Taub, who gave constructive feedback and detailed advice. There have also been so many well-known performers who are alumni of Stage Door. Matt mentioned that Natalie Portman, Robert Downey Jr., Lea Michele, Skylar Astin, and Ansel Elgort were all enrolled in the same program.
For Matt, community is a major factor in the camp. One of the main reasons he loves going is the people, whether it’s the faculty or the students; there isn’t a part of that that he doesn’t enjoy. “I really love the people,” Matt said. “I’ve made so many friends there, and I keep going back because I enjoy being there.”
The combination of hard work and community was also so valuable for Molly, who spent 15 days of her summer at Texas State’s Musical theater program. Her days included singing, monologue coaching, intense dance classes, and lectures on topics such as auditions and what it’s like to work in the theater industry. In the evenings, students rehearsed scenes from a developing musical as part of the program’s “New Works” project, which often went until 9:30 or 10:00 p.m.
For Molly, the experience also changed how she thought about auditions. “I learned to take every audition not only as competition, but as another chance to perform,” Molly said. “The program helped me feel more confident about the whole college audition process and even made me consider Texas State as one of my top choices.”
While there, Molly had the opportunity to learn the singing technique that specifically comes from Texas State. This technique is called the “One Voice,” developed by Michael Maresca, the lead voice faculty for the theater program. The approach aims to make the voice more adaptable across styles. Instead of treating the voice as separate, disconnected sections such as “chest voice” and “head voice,” it trains singers to transition smoothly across their entire vocal range without a noticeable break or flip.
Molly said that the program helped her in so many different ways that she never would have expected. It helped her feel more confident and avoid comparing herself with others. She had initially chosen the program because it was a shorter commitment but ended up falling in love with it. Since the program, it has now sparked her interest in the possibilities of television and film.
Both Molly and Matt said they would recommend their programs to people interested in theater. Despite the days being long and intense, both made memories that will last forever while expanding and opening doors for more opportunities in theater.
