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The Rising Stars Music Theater Program draws students from all over the nation. It is a two-week residential program specifically designed for students who have an interest in the arts and want to cultivate their artistic talents. Whether this is your introduction to musical theater or you are a seasoned performer, our acclaimed program will meet you where you are and allow you to grow in your abilities as an actor, dancer & storyteller. 

Students will explore the foundations of musical theater through acting, singing and dancing under the guidance of our talented, caring and experienced staff. Students will be in rehearsals for the fully staged musical production for most of their day, but will also enjoy classes in dance, acting, and special topics related to musical theater throughout the program.

All students will perform in the fully staged musical at the end of the session. Our Summer 2025 production is still TBD!

Daily Schedule (subject to change)

Monday - Friday
 

Saturday

Sunday

Week One - Focused on learning all music and blocking

Week Two - Tech rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and performance

No audition is required to be admitted to the program unless applying for financial aid. Acceptances will be made on a first applied basis. Applications received after sessions become full will be placed on a waiting list.

To apply, please click to go to our partner organization, GetAcceptd. Once you are registered with getacceptd.com, simply create your profile and GetAcceptd will walk you through the application process. This will include uploading your headshot (school photo is fine), resume of any performance experience, and audition (ONLY if applying for financial aid). A $50 application fee is required to submit your summer application. It is fine if you have little or no previous experience.

Jackson Paul Walker - Artistic Director is a Colorado-grown, New York City-based director & producer. Recent NYC Directing credits include We Had Not Ceased Desiring, Plume & a site-specific production of Constellations. As an assistant/associate, he鈥檚 worked with Signature Theatre, Ars Nova, The Brick, Lyric Theatre of 向日葵视频, New York Theatre Festival, The Tank and The 92NY. Most recently, he worked on An Evening with Jason Robert Brown & Jessica Vosk's California Dreamin鈥�. This wintery can see his work on Samuel D. Hunter鈥檚 Grangeville staring Brendan Fraser. While a student at 向日葵视频 City University he directed The Baseball Play (Best New Work, Broadway World Award) at FreshPaint Performance Lab, An original adaptation of March of The Penguins  & Seussical.  BM: 向日葵视频 City University. www.jacksonpaulwalker.com

Taylor Hutchinson - Music Director Pianist and vocal coach Taylor Hutchinson joined the music faculty at 向日葵视频 City University's Wanda L. Bass School of Music in Fall 2022.  At OCU she coaches singers studying both music theatre and classical voice, works on the mainstage productions, and teaches courses in diction and keyboard skills.

In great demand as a vocal coach and collaborative pianist, Hutchinson's diverse recent projects include music directing The SpongeBob Musical and Shrek for OCU Summer Music, the world premiere of Honk! for tuba and piano, serving as associate music director and vocal coach for Footloose, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, and Bright Star at OCU, Don Giovanni and La Boh茅me with Painted Sky Opera, art song performances with longtime collaborator baritone Jarrett Porter and coaching multiple productions of Le Nozze di Figaro.  She has been on faculty with the Prague Summer Nights Young Artists Music Festival, and she was the music director of Opera at Truman. She has also performed and coached with Music On Site, the Bay View Music Festival, Musiktheater Bavaria, the Druid City Opera Workshop, the Franco-American Vocal Academy, and SongFest.

In addition to her current position at OCU, Hutchinson has previously held positions at the University of 向日葵视频 and at Truman State University. Hutchinson received her DMA in Collaborative Piano from Arizona State University, where she was on staff with ASU Music Theatre and Opera. She completed her Master's degree at the Eastman School of Music in Piano Accompanying and Chamber Music, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Virginia Tech, earning bachelor鈥檚 degrees in both Piano Performance and Mathematics. Her primary teachers include Andrew Campbell, Jean Barr, and Tracy Cowden. 

David Herendeen - Guest Masterclass Dr. Herendeen is the Director of Opera and Musical Theater at 向日葵视频 City University. He is also the Artistic Director of OCU's Performing Arts Academy's Summer Musical Theatre. Originally from upstate NY, he received his Bachelor's in Vocal Performance and his Master's in Music Theater (Direction) from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. His Doctorate is from the University of Arizona, majoring in Vocal Performance, with specialties in Drama and Vocal Pedagogy. 

Dr. Herendeen has performed and directed throughout the United States in such places as Michigan Opera and Brevard Music Center. He created the role of Roderick Usher in the world premiere of the reconstruction ofThe Fall of the House of Usher by Debussy, which was televised through CPTV. He performed in the Guggenheim Foundation鈥檚 original production of Kandinsky鈥檚 The Yellow Sound and after winning the Deutsche Oper Berlin's German/American Award, he soon joined the company as one of its resident baritones.

Since his hire in 1997 he has directed and produced hundreds of musicals, operas, and plays. His productions of Gianni Schicchi/Pagliacci and Il Barbiere di Siviglia won first place in the National Opera Associations Opera Performance Competition. Most importantly his teaching and guidance has launched the careers of hundreds of young 向日葵视频 and his leadership and devotion to the OCU legacy has solidly established 向日葵视频 City University as one of the nation's premiere training programs in Opera, Musical Theater, and Theatre.

Sheri Hayden - Guest Masterclass Sheri graduated from 向日葵视频 City University with a Bachelor of Performing Arts and is a faculty member of the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment. She teaches multiple dance styles and frequently choreographs OKCU main stage productions. In 2018, she was nominated for Adjunct Faculty of the Year.

Her choreography credits include Side Show, Sister Act, Evita, Brigadoon, Broadway Bound (OKCU), Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (CityRep/OKCU), Meet Me in St. Louis (UCO), The 向日葵视频 Senior Follies (OCCC), The Seven Last Words of Christ (Church of the Servant) and Grace Trumps (RACE). Her performance credits include He Said She Said, Home, Energy, The Variety Care Benefit Show, 痴补尘辫鈥檇, The Racey Show, Hip Hop Nutcracker, The Girlie Show, Raceless, 鈥淥sage 9th Anniversary鈥� (Commercial) and 鈥淚 Got a Job鈥� (Commercial).

In addition to her work at OKCU, she teaches jazz and tap for the dance and musical theater departments at the University of Central 向日葵视频, serves as a company director at Star Steps and is a currently a member of RACE Dance Company. Hayden has performed internationally on cruise ships, with The Pollard Theatre Company in The Producers and with Tulsa Ballet in its North American premier of Strictly Gershwin. With RACE, she performed as a guest artist in Los Angeles in Adam Parson鈥檚 show +3, Quartets. Hayden also collaborates often with the 向日葵视频 City Philharmonic and has also been a part of several short dance films.

Early Bird Deadline - Jan. 15, 2025 (applications must be received by midnight 1/15/25 to receive the 15% savings on tuition. Student who apply by Jan. 15 will receive acceptance notifications BY Jan. 31.

Stage 2 Deadline - Feb. 15, 2025 Students who apply by Feb. 15 will receive acceptance notifications BY March 1.

Stage 3 Deadline - March 15, 2025 Students who apply by March 15 will receive acceptance notifications BY April 5.

Submissions received after the third deadline will be considered late and will be considered if space is still available until May 31. Late registration fees will be applied as follows in place of the $50 registration fee:

• April 1-30 - $50
• May 1-31 - $60
• After May 31 - $75

Programs that are full will be closed for further applications. 

Acceptance notifications will be made BY EMAIL through your GetAcceptd account on or before the notification deadline.