Molly once said the word “Macbeth” while casually chatting on stage during intermission of a high school play.
Naturally, all onstage activity immediately came to a complete and silent standstill. Coached by a theatre veteran, a mortified Molly quickly spat in her hand, put her hand on her forehead and spun in a circle three times.
With karma restored, witnesses to the gaff gave Molly an upward nod and resumed their conversations.
No one trifles with theatrical juju, least of all me.
But I am tempting fate a little today to tell you about three rising stars who once shared a high school stage. I’m proud of all three of these passionate and dedicated artists and I’m only related to one.
With meticulous attention to his craft and talent well beyond his years, Luke Selker already has sung professionally with the Nashville Opera, though he is still a junior at Belmont College. We met him when he was a high school freshman, juggling football, school, music and theatre. Eventually, he pared down his activities and ramped up him dedication to his voice. He found a mentor in Lawrence University vocal professor Ken Bozeman and set to work. Because male opera voice mature late (around age 30 or so), Luke and his mentors have mapped out a careful path for him. He will graduate from Belmont and take a year off to rest his voice. Then he’ll pursue a master’s degree and doctorate, all while preparing for a successful operatic career. Enjoy this clip of a recent recital rehearsal:
A talented song writer and musician Hillary Reynolds, whose band we profiled, breathes beautiful music. We’ve seen her play in venues from here to New York; we’re proud fans and honored friends. The Hillary Reynolds Band has launched an album, toured the country and continued to create beautiful, original music. Later this year, Hillary will embark on a new musical adventure with the Arrow and the Bow; she’ll tour Ireland and Scotland to “explore the healing and heart opening power of music, meditation, yoga, music therapy.”
We’ve already posted her original music, here’s a cover that will blow you away.
Tomorrow night I’ll get to see Katherine Biskupic on stage at Second City. A passionate pursuer of classical theatre roles, Katherine has been cracking us up with her spot-on imitations since she could talk. Like every aspiring actor, she’s cheerfully schlepped a thousand miles in pursuit of roles. She’s enjoyed sweet, happy runs like her recently completed run with Little Women at the Citadel Theatre in Chicago and she’s fought through less pleasant experiences. She’s built lifelong friendships among her fellow actors and maintained the passionate love of theatre she first developed as a five-year old on stage at Attic Theatre.
Below is her first commercial, about which we are far more excited than she.
While we’re highlighting just three of the young artists we most admire, Molly and I have our eyes on several and we’re so excited to watch them grow.