Broadway class in O’side

Broadway actress Eden Espinosa, who played Elphaba Thropp, the wicked witch, in the Broadway production of Wicked came to Oceanside June 11, to teach the students at To The Stage a master class in singing and acting.

Owner Courtney Pincus said she contacted Espinosa through Facebook, and to her surprise the actress agreed to come to the school. “This is a big thing for us, and the students enjoyed it so much. It went so well I am going to try and have more master classes,” Pincus said.

Espinosa had each student introduce themselves, then sing a song. She asked each one why they chose the song, and what it meant to them. Explaining that many songs are not age appropriate, Espinosa said, “Some songs are about deep love and heartbreak. At your age you may not have experienced that, and so have nothing to relate to the lyrics, even if it fits your vocal ability.” She stressed trying to develop who you are as an individual. “At an audition many people will pick the same song as you, and I can guarantee most will sing it the same way. That is why you have to personalize the song, make it yours, so you stand out.”

She encouraged each singer to find an event in their lives that related to the song they picked, to concentrate on that experience, and to sing again. Then she encouraged the others in the class to compare the two versions. The students could hear how a change in personalization led to a change in vocalization.

Espinosa said she enjoys teaching master classes, and seeing the students think about the craft of acting in a new way.