Memories from Broadway: Upper Division music teachers in the spotlight

Clara Medeiros Staff Writer

“[Music and the french horn has] made such an impact on me and such an impact on audiences,” french horn teacher and freelance musician Sarah Boxmeyer said. “I love trying to share that with others and with my students.” Boxmeyer is currently performing full-time in the Orchestra of Broadway production Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a revival of the original 1979 musical.

“Since there are no formal auditions [for orchestra players] it can be harder to break into Broadway,” Boxmeyer said. It is important to always take full advantage of every opportunity that comes your way, she said. “When I was first offered the horn chair at Sweeney Todd, I was thrilled, honored, and very grateful.”

Before Sweeney Todd, Boxmeyer played in the orchestra for King Kong and was a substitute for the shows Phantom of the Opera, Aladdin, and Funny Girl. Even though it was really fun getting to play in a variety of shows as a substitute, the ever-changing schedule was challenging, Boxmeyer said. “Once, a colleague forgot they were supposed to be at Phantom, so I got a call at showtime from one of the regular horn players saying ‘we have a no show, are you available?’” Boxmeyer had a cab, arriving there in the middle of a song,

Working on Sweeney Todd has a wonderful experience, Boxmeyer said. With the more stable work schedule, Boxmeyer is grateful to have the power to help portray the Sweeney Todd story to the audience as a member of the orchestra, she said.

“We’re telling stories to other humans and I’m a small part of that,” she said. “No matter how small or large the part, we’re all in it for this collective same purpose.”

Julia Bouchut Staff Writer

“Opening night on Broadway is like theater-Christmas,” music teacher Carmen Keels said. “It's the same as every other day, because you're singing and you're warming up, and you're doing all the things, but there's flowers everywhere.”

After building up her resumé through regional performances around the country, Keels moved to New York City in 2004, she said. A year later Keels appeared on Broadway in the show In My Life, which ran from October until mid-December 2005.

Opening night on Broadway was exciting, between the red-carpet afterparty, and all the gifts, Keels said. “'It’s not like anything else that I've ever experienced.” At the same time, it was extremely nerve-wracking. “This show was kind of terrible,” Keels said. “Lots of talent, but a really strange quirky plot.”

Keels remembers a stage manag - er who enjoyed the absurdi - ty of the musical, she said. The stage manager would bring her dog to work and have it make ap -

Brody Grossman Staff

“It is a great feeling to be part of a large group working together to create something,” violin teacher Sarah Zun said about her time on Broadway.

Zun has been in many Broadway productions, both full-time and as a substitute, such as Beetlejuice, Hello Dolly, The Lion King, Les Miserables, sia, and Frozen. Current ly, she is in the play Camelot.

Although Broadway productions take years of work, Zun only gets to see the final results a week or so before the previews, she said.

pearances on stage. “When we had an ensemble crossover street scene, sometimes Buster the dog would also be in the show,” Keels said.

There were many other funny moments, Keels said. For example, an old woman brought all the cast members candy in personalized boxes with pictures from the show and cut up programs, she said. “It sounds sweet at first, but now I’m thinking that it was kind of weird.”

Following her time on Broadway, Keels still pursues both her passions: teaching and music. She has been teaching music, directing musicals, and helping with the choirs at the school since 2012.

Her experiences in musical theater have taught her valuable lessons, and while she only does music gigs on the side these days, her acting and musical skills will always stay with her, Keels said. “It's not something that you lose or forget how to do.”

“Throughout the preview pe riod, adjust ments are made to the music and occasionally an extra rehearsal will be called.” After a few days of intense rehearsals, the musicians are ready to perform together, she said. An intimidating aspect of being a musician can be performing in front of others, but it is important to remember that mistakes are part of a live performance, Zun said. “My first violin teacher told me to consider each public performance to be a gift that I can share with others.”

Making it to Broadway took lots of hard work, Zun said. She has been playing violin since she was four years old, and it has been a passion of hers for most of her life. “I started because my parents decided that I should,” she said. “Luckily, it worked out for me.”

In the future, Zun hopes to continue growing as a musician and taking the opportunities that are presented to her, she said. “I definitely am enjoying playing Broadway shows and I hope that continues,” she said. Zun holds herself to a very high professional standard and continues to evolve her craft. “Stagnation is my nemesis,” she said. “I try to do the best job that I can in any setting, because you never know what opportunities are around the corner.”