Q: What was it like competing in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival?
A:
Q: How did you prepare for the competition?
A: The initial submission process required me to film myself performing two 60 to 90 second monologues. At first, I was a little intimidated by the task, but I selected pieces that I’ve performed in DMTC [Detroit Mercy Theatre Company] auditions or worked in acting, which made me feel much more confident about my work.
Performing in the semi-finals meant I had to prepare one of the submitted monologues and a short scene. This was really special because freshman Gracie Sheets agreed to be my scene partner, and she absolutely killed it! It was fun to perform with her because it felt less like performing in a large auditorium in front of a bunch of auditors with clipboards and more like we were exploring in our campus rehearsal room. I am really grateful for Gracie’s willingness to help and blown away by how well she did!
Q: How did Detroit Mercy Performing Arts faculty support you?
A: Mary Liz Valesano [assistant professor of theatre and costume designer] was a really key support system throughout. It was her encouragement that inspired me to attend the festival in the first place, and she would regularly check-in to make sure that I had everything I needed to be successful in each stage of the audition. She also drove up to the festival on short notice to watch Gracie and I perform in the semi-finals, and it was wonderful to have a familiar face cheering us on in the audience. I definitely could not have done it without her!
Q: How did you benefit from this experience?
This was a valuable opportunity as I received constructive feedback on my performances in each stage of the audition, which I can apply to future monologue and scene work. It was also helpful to gain practical experience auditioning in a high-pressure environment; I had to focus on myself and my performance without getting distracted by nerves or anxieties. Overall, I’m very grateful to have had this opportunity to celebrate the skills I’ve gained as a theatre minor as well as grow as a performer for the future.
Editor’s note: Katherine Mutschler is in the University of Detroit Mercy Honors Program majoring in history and minoring in theatre and museum studies. She is also a peer consultant in The Writing Center. Look for her as the lead character, Rosalind Franklin, in Photograph 51 which opens this weekend.